Maxxis Tyres: just bad or is there something wrong with mine?

[benanna88]

I bought a set of 235/45/17 Maxxis MA-V1 tyres for my VY S in October last year after reading good things about them on here and other sites, but ever since I got them, they haven't felt right. I have now done 7000 - 8000 Ks on them.

I have taken the car back to the tyre place several times, and they have come to the conclusion that the tread blocks aren't very stiff and so there is some sideways movement because of that, but that there is nothing wrong with them and that is just how they are.

The problems I have had with the tyres are:

• On the highway, the car doesn't stay in a straight line, but moves all over the place (it feels like the car is being blown around in the wind, but there is no wind). And the car steers mainly to the left, but sometimes to the right. In general, it is just annoying to put up with.
• At 80 Km/h and over, steering rensponsiveness is poor. If I wobble the steering wheel a bit, the car doesn't respond until I stop wobbling the wheel, and then I feel it.

At first I thought it was a problem with the suspension, that maybe the bushes needed replacing, but both the tyre place and my mechanic said that the suspension is all good. And I temporarily swapped my 17 inch wheels and the tyres with some 16 inch wheels with bridgestone tyres to compare them, and could feel the difference straight away.

So I am just wondering if anyone else who has these tyres can tell me if they have experienced anything similar, and if you think this is normal for cheaper tyres, or if you think that there is something wrong with mine. I know you get what you pay for, but I feel ripped off.

Thanks

Ben

[Troy5L]

maybe get save up and get some new tyres, and get rid of the maxxis tyres..or u could use them for burnout tyres lol

[greenfoam]

I know the feeling you're talking about some tyres are indeed, just like that with spongey tread and a tread pattern that moves around a bit I don't think it affects the performance fo the tyre it just feels different to what you are used to

[Drift_Clown_VN]

sound like there only good for skiddddz mate. never buy cheap tyres you only save a few bucks and you get something alot shiter for the money, i learnt when i got bob jane not so rounders.

[thewheeldeal com au]

Questions:

Did you have a wheel alignment when the tyres were fitted? (if you did then this is possibly what caused the problem)
Have you had a wheel alignment since the problem started? (If so, did they give you a print out?)

From the problems you've described (pulls left & right - steering is vague) it sounds like the front end is toe'd out instead of toe'd in.

If the car pulled left only or right only I would suggest swapping the position of the front tyres (left-right swap). This would tell you if it is indeed a tyre problem. Then again, you've said that you fitted different wheels & tyres and it helped so it may indeed be the tyres.

[ispeed]

I have the same on my Senator with none of the problems you describe - I've done about 5000 km on mine so far. 1500 km of that in 1 round trip with no worries at all.
You've probably checked the obvious, but doesn't hurt to mention - the rotation arrows are pointing the correct way? - if not you will get that 'vague steering' feeling.
All same pressures?
I'd be getting my wheel alignment checked if I were you.

[Flint Eastwood]

i agree with ispeed, right pressure, etc, save them for burn outs or get rid if them on ebay.
good luck mate.

[benanna88]

Questions:

Did you have a wheel alignment when the tyres were fitted? (if you did then this is possibly what caused the problem)
Have you had a wheel alignment since the problem started? (If so, did they give you a print out?)

No, I didn't have a wheel alignment when I got them, but they have checked the alignment twice since then, and both times said everyone was ok. I do have the two print outs which to me look ok, although slightly different between the two, but I'm no expert. It looks like they made some slight adjustments to make sure everything was spot on.

I have the same on my Senator with none of the problems you describe - I've done about 5000 km on mine so far. 1500 km of that in 1 round trip with no worries at all.
You've probably checked the obvious, but doesn't hurt to mention - the rotation arrows are pointing the correct way? - if not you will get that 'vague steering' feeling.
All same pressures?
I'd be getting my wheel alignment checked if I were you.

Yes, they're all rotating the right way. And the pressures are all the same, and have been varied between 36 - 40, with no difference in terms of the problems.

[vyjess]

try another 5-10 psi in them not all tyres r the same and c if that makes an inprovement! if your suspension and wheel allignment is a1 and nothing helps u may just have a shit set of tyres!

[feistl]

They are a crap tire. Had them on a WHII Statesman... from day one they rode badly, were quiet noise, felt spongy and didnt provide very good traction and wore out pretty quickly. Cars actually in the shop today getting a set of Potenza RE040s fitted (on special for $295 each which is a big drop from the normal price of $555). Running the Re040s on my VX SS and they've been pretty good.

When pushing really hard though, they do get a bit warm and slippery... Although i probably need to get myself a decent set of semi slick track day tires.

[HARVZ-6]

I run them and think theyre fine, grip good, low noise wearing good etc

[benanna88]

try another 5-10 psi in them not all tyres r the same and c if that makes an inprovement! if your suspension and wheel allignment is a1 and nothing helps u may just have a shit set of tyres!

What pressure are other people who haven't had problems running them at? I'll try putting them up a bit more, but 50 psi seems a bit much.

[thewheeldeal com au]

On your wheel alignment print outs what is the front and rear toe set to?

[benanna88]

On your wheel alignment print outs what is the front and rear toe set to?

I don't have them with me at the moment, so I'll put them up in a few days.

[Asmodai78]

Got the exact same tyre your talking about, just did a trip to syd sitting on 115 all the way with heavy showers some of the way, 40psi all round, no problem what so ever, the only issue i had was with the road at Albury on the bypass, seems the concreat there is starting to corragate and it rumbled through the whole car but thats not the tyres fault.

[acarmody]

I got the MA-Z1s and they all have 36psi of Nitrogen in them, no problems with these tyres. My mate at work and my brother both run MA-V1s without a problem.

[TMM]

V1 sucks. Z1 is pretty good.

[GOTMYN]

Yesssssss.....

Sounds just like my senator a few weeks ago, couldn't work it out till I bought new tyres!!
Checked Bush's, Checked K frame for cracks, checked wheel bearings etc etc etc.....
I thought I was going mad......lol.
Mine were not Maxxis, but still my road wondering problems have gone :-)))

[wrx884]

Bacially ur gettin wat u paid 4... well cheap tyres lol no matter wat tyre breed u got u shouldnt need 2 up the PSI at all and only being 17s they should b around 36-38 neways.

Tho if u can post up ur alighnment sheet reading im guessing the problems goin 2 b there rather than the tyres but cheaps tyres r known 4 doin things like this.

[RIP 05]

have had z1s on two v8s before and never had any problems, got two on the missus rex as well, again no dramas at all

[needwork2-4fillhabbit]

If you get sick of them and wanna sell em send me a pm.

[ispeed]

You've probably checked this...

What about ride height?? If the rear is lower than the front, the steering will be vague.

[benanna88]

You've probably checked this...

What about ride height?? If the rear is lower than the front, the steering will be vague.

The suspension is stock, so it's not that either...

And here are the Alignment sheets, as I said they look ok to me, but don't know a lot about it. The toe settings are positive at least...

[mike4226]

Hi i have a vz and i use luton tyres on the front and when driving over 125km on the highway it feels like my car is hit with a gust of wind so i thought about putting a strut bar on it till i read this

[oska]

holden recommends 29 PSI for 17" although i run mine @32 different tyres blue streak and no issues with them but i know what you mean maybe it's a steering issue with commodores and not the tyres

try that and see if it helps