Slippery tyres

[Swedchevy67]

Need some help with my truck. When I turn to
either left or right the front wheels cause
the wheels to “glide” on the street.
My diff works so it’s not that. Could it
be the tyres itself? I don’t know how old
they are, but they are pretty hard. There’s no
cracks on them and the tread are at least 1 cm
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[cornerstone]

Look into oversteer as the potential culprit. Has the front suspension ever been rebuilt?

[sick472]

Old hardened tires (especially "tyres" - just kidding around) can cause a loss of traction and do what you are saying. Are the tires on the back in the same condition? If so, then you should be able to spin the rears really easy too. Tires with a high mileage rating are typically a harder tire, but do not get as good traction as a softer sports tire. If a high mileage tire gets old and even harder it would more resemble driving on wood compared to rubber.

As corner stone implies...it cold have to do with the front suspension/alignment. Does this happen while just casually driving or is it more when you are driving rather quick and hard into the corners.

And, are the tires just screeching on corners are you actually sliding/pushing the front end straight when it should be turning?

[Swedchevy67]

Originally Posted by sick472

Old hardened tires (especially "tyres" - just kidding around) can cause a loss of traction and do what you are saying. Are the tires on the back in the same condition? If so, then you should be able to spin the rears really easy too. Tires with a high mileage rating are typically a harder tire, but do not get as good traction as a softer sports tire. If a high mileage tire gets old and even harder it would more resemble driving on wood compared to rubber.

As corner stone implies...it cold have to do with the front suspension/alignment. Does this happen while just casually driving or is it more when you are driving rather quick and hard into the corners.

And, are the tires just screeching on corners are you actually sliding/pushing the front end straight when it should be turning?

Yes the back tyres are the same and I just
noticed it when I drive carefully round corners. It’s no problem when I accelerate straight, but I can feel it “glide” when I hit the brakes. Sounds like it’s to old, doesn’t it?
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[Stocker]

Have you checked the date code on the sidewalls to determine their age? Do they even have date codes? What brand are they, what size, and how much air pressure are you running?

[Stocker]

This page will help determine when the tires were manufactured: https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiret....jsp?techid=11


Tires Manufactured Since 2000

Since 2000, the week and year the tire was produced has been provided by the last four digits of the Tire Identification Number with the 2 digits being used to identify the week immediately preceding the 2 digits used to identify the year.

Example of a tire manufactured since 2000 with the current Tire Identification Number format:

In the example above:
DOT U2LL LMLR 5107
51
Manufactured during the 51st week of the year
07
Manufactured during 2007

[sick472]

With regular to quality tire brands, they would have to be really old to harden up and slide (or glide) going around easy corners. The tires in the US are date coded. Can you decode your tyres? I have tires on another vehicle of mine that are 25 years old and they are still rubbery. Sure, they are harder than they were when new, but they are not so hard that they lose traction under easy turning.

Something sounds funny about your situation. Can you compare the feel of your tyres to a newer set? Hard tires that slide under easy turning should feel rock hard, literally, no flex of the treads when pushed with a finger, or even a screwdriver.

Are you sure your front brakes are not locking up, OR your back brakes haven't stopped working?

Side note: I ran through some spilled vegetable oil once that acted like your talking about. Talk about gliding all over the place until the oil wore off.

[Stocker]

Originally Posted by sick472

Side note: I ran through some spilled vegetable oil once that acted like your talking about. Talk about gliding all over the place until the oil wore off.

Hmmmmm yeah, diesel fuel on the road is pretty scary stuff too!

[Swedchevy67]

Originally Posted by Stocker

Have you checked the date code on the sidewalls to determine their age? Do they even have date codes? What brand are they, what size, and how much air pressure are you running?

Good idea 💡 Haven’t though about it
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[Swedchevy67]

Originally Posted by Stocker

This page will help determine when the tires were manufactured: https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiret....jsp?techid=11

Thanks
Tires Manufactured Since 2000

Since 2000, the week and year the tire was produced has been provided by the last four digits of the Tire Identification Number with the 2 digits being used to identify the week immediately preceding the 2 digits used to identify the year.

Example of a tire manufactured since 2000 with the current Tire Identification Number format:

In the example above:
DOT U2LL LMLR 5107
51
Manufactured during the 51st week of the year
07
Manufactured during 2007

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[Swedchevy67]

Originally Posted by sick472

With regular to quality tire brands, they would have to be really old to harden up and slide (or glide) going around easy corners. The tires in the US are date coded. Can you decode your tyres? I have tires on another vehicle of mine that are 25 years old and they are still rubbery. Sure, they are harder than they were when new, but they are not so hard that they lose traction under easy turning.

Something sounds funny about your situation. Can you compare the feel of your tyres to a newer set? Hard tires that slide under easy turning should feel rock hard, literally, no flex of the treads when pushed with a finger, or even a screwdriver.

Are you sure your front brakes are not locking up, OR your back brakes haven't stopped working?

Side note: I ran through some spilled vegetable oil once that acted like your talking about. Talk about gliding all over the place until the oil wore off.

It’s not that it glide several yards (or meter)
only when I start the turn I feel a bit glide.
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[James Lamb]

Without knowing anything else about your truck - are you sure the tires are the issue? When I first got my then new to me Suburban, it rode with the front aimed up in the air like a lot of the old square bodies that had too much weight at some point on the rear springs. It made the steering feel very squirelly especially at higher speeds because there wasn't enough weight on the front wheels. My shocks were also worn out, which caused a lot of side to side body roll on uneven pavement.

Driving at interstate speeds was terrifying.

After leveling out the truck with rear air bags and putting some Bilstein shocks on it drove like a new truck. Maybe you have an issue that's not the tires? Someone else mentioned brakes. I could see that causing symptoms. Or maybe a little bit suspension, a little bit brakes, ...

[Swedchevy67]

Originally Posted by Swedchevy67

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Thanks

[Boog]

Take it to a front end alignment shop. This could be nothing more than a toe out condition.

[CG]

A year or so ago I bought a new to me daily driver truck. Very low miles for the age, tires looked close to new tread wise, and they seemed to feel ok. Drove the truck for a couple of months and the handling sucked. Sounded a lot like what you are going through. Took it to my local tire store and had it checked out. Turned out tires were around 12 years old. Had all new rubber put on ... Whaalaaa! Its like a whole new truck.

[James Lamb]

I will say a couple of times in grad school when we had little money I bought cheap tires with a poor traction rating and regretted it. But it generally only showed up with wet pavement.

I've also had - twice - the flexible rubber brake lines at the front wheels seize up. There are two layers of rubber in the hose. the inner layer exposed to brake fluid all the time softens up and collapses, cutting off fluid. When you apply the brakes the pulse of fluid under pressure from the master cylinder going to the brakes pushes the constricted hose open, but when you let off the brakes the fluid coming "backwards" from the brake caliper is not under enough pressure and can't force the constriction open. The result is that the brakes are always on to some extent. It feels weird at first, usually making the vehicle not track straight and eventually that brake is locked full on. Does not really sound exactly like the symptoms you're having, but brakes can act weird. Never hurts to have the brakes in top shape even if that turns out not to be the issue.

[Swedchevy67]

Originally Posted by Boog

Take it to a front end alignment shop. This could be nothing more than a toe out condition.

Couldn't be. Just did that control.

[Swedchevy67]

Originally Posted by James Lamb

I will say a couple of times in grad school when we had little money I bought cheap tires with a poor traction rating and regretted it. But it generally only showed up with wet pavement.

I've also had - twice - the flexible rubber brake lines at the front wheels seize up. There are two layers of rubber in the hose. the inner layer exposed to brake fluid all the time softens up and collapses, cutting off fluid. When you apply the brakes the pulse of fluid under pressure from the master cylinder going to the brakes pushes the constricted hose open, but when you let off the brakes the fluid coming "backwards" from the brake caliper is not under enough pressure and can't force the constriction open. The result is that the brakes are always on to some extent. It feels weird at first, usually making the vehicle not track straight and eventually that brake is locked full on. Does not really sound exactly like the symptoms you're having, but brakes can act weird. Never hurts to have the brakes in top shape even if that turns out not to be the issue.

I see your point, but I don't think that's the first that comes on your mind. Besides, my brakes are controlled at the shop and the wheels spin freely after brakes test. The only issue after the test was that the steering turned a little more to the right (and that it's balanced now)

[Swedchevy67]

I actually start to wonder if it is the swaybar in front that I mounted its the problem.
Without swaybar the steering in curves would make the suspension to put the pressure on the side that's followed. Now it's feels like it's counteract the steering in curves.
Correct me if I'm wrong, I'm not a mechanic guy just a truck enthusiast

[James Lamb]

Did you notice the issue right after you added swayer but not before? I guess I could see that. Maybe jack the front tires off the ground, start engine and have helper slowly rotate tires from one side to the other to see if there is play/binding in anything? I'm not an expert either. Damage or play in leaf springs, steering components, etc ?

I rebuilt the entire steering and suspension system in my square body Suburban, but the symptoms I had were a lot of side to side body roll, slop in steering - having to use the steering wheel a lot just to stay going straight. 30 year old bushings, tie rod ends, looseness in steering box - if all of it is off just a little bit it still adds up to a lot of play.

But - this still doesn't really sound like what you are describing.

[Swedchevy67]

Originally Posted by James Lamb

Did you notice the issue right after you added swayer but not before? I guess I could see that. Maybe jack the front tires off the ground, start engine and have helper slowly rotate tires from one side to the other to see if there is play/binding in anything? I'm not an expert either. Damage or play in leaf springs, steering components, etc ?

I rebuilt the entire steering and suspension system in my square body Suburban, but the symptoms I had were a lot of side to side body roll, slop in steering - having to use the steering wheel a lot just to stay going straight. 30 year old bushings, tie rod ends, looseness in steering box - if all of it is off just a little bit it still adds up to a lot of play.

But - this still doesn't really sound like what you are describing.

Hard to say. I bought the truck 4 years ago and when it arrived (to Sweden, Stockholm) I directly started to remove all the old parts from the truck. Gas tank,front suspension,gearbox ( manuel), ball joints, link arm etc.
After mounting all new parts in place, I read about the swaybar on old trucks should make the truck more steady in the curves. So I bought one and installed it. I needed to cut the bolts to make it fit because the truck was lowered 4 inches. (Hope you follow my description, my technical terms in English is a bit hard for me to express) , so after I did it I also checked the spare turning the steering from left to right and there was nothing that should be disturbed the wheels/steering. The only one that's would be near is the pitman arm.

[Swedchevy67]

Originally Posted by Swedchevy67

Hard to say. I bought the truck 4 years ago and when it arrived (to Sweden, Stockholm) I directly started to remove all the old parts from the truck. Gas tank,front suspension,gearbox ( manuel), ball joints, link arm etc.
After mounting all new parts in place, I read about the swaybar on old trucks should make the truck more steady in the curves. So I bought one and installed it. I needed to cut the bolts to make it fit because the truck was lowered 4 inches. (Hope you follow my description, my technical terms in English is a bit hard for me to express) , so after I did it I also checked the spare turning the steering from left to right and there was nothing that should be disturbed the wheels/steering. The only one that's would be near is the pitman arm.

I also have new power steering that works great

[Swedchevy67]

Originally Posted by Swedchevy67

I also have new power steering that works great

And hydraulic brake booster for drum brake

[Steeveedee]

Some pictures would help. I'm not sure that I saw how old the tires are in this thread, after reading through it. Also, isn't there some handling issue with toe on turns on a dropped vehicle? I don't lower my vehicles but I've seen some discussion here about it on this site. I'd suspect over steer as has been mentioned, but trucks come factory with stabilizer bars and I don't recall hearing complaints of over steer in the stock configuration.

[Boog]

I would want to see what wheels and tires it has and have a look at the steering center link too. Pics would be helpful. We might spot something obvious. Who knows, the rear differential may be welded in that thing which could make it harder to turn. A lot can be done to 50 year old vehicles by less than professional people.