18 inchers on a vs ute

[20Reino00]

i have ve ss 18" rims on my series three vs ute it handles like crap even though it has new shocks and springs all around (not lowered), new steering rack, been balanced. any help would be much appreciated.

[304runner]

When you say "it handles like crap", what exatly do you meen?

Im running 18's on my ute, I dont have the problem your having though? But, a car is never going to "feel" like its handling the same as standard if you put a bigger rim and a lower profile tyre on it.

By rights it should handle better?

[20Reino00]

every little bump i hit will knock the steering wheel from side to side. it is nothing like the vu ute my bro has with 18"s or my mates vs with 18"s on it so im not sure what else it would be.

[old mate]

have you had a front end wheel alignment lately? you may have too much toe out, causing the bump steer your saying your getting.

[20Reino00]

yeah its been aligned mate.

[Bellicose]

That sounds odd. I'm running 18s on my VR ute and never had that problem, used to track a little 'til i got and alignment but that sorted it.

Get another alignment (from somewhere else) and check offset of rims, wrong offset does wierd things to steering aswell.

[old mate]

hmm it is odd. its got me thinking. from memory VE wheels are still something like 48p offset so thats pretty normal. no irregular tyre wear?

you can just double check the toe by getting you and a mate and measuring between the front of the front wheels on both sides and the the back of the front wheels.

[20Reino00]

alignment is definately right on no odd tyre wear but the fronts do wear out quicker than they should. maybe bent chasis or something i dont have a clue this problem has got me stuck.

[hsv91ss]

Cheap tires maybe?

I have had no problems with 18's and 19's it used to sway slightly turned out to be worn bushes, but if it was fine before swapping rims I doubt it is that.

You said they have been aligned, how about balanced?

[scvs6]

My VS is doing exactly the same thing and its got 18" rims on it. I thought it was because I lowered it but your saying that you didn't lower it and it still does it. Mine isn't a ute, its a sedan.

[20Reino00]

its been balanced everything i can think of that it would be i have had fixed or checked. my ute was lowered but got it back to standard now and its had 18s on it since o got it but has always had the problem.

[slutvs]

ve wheels have to be machined to fit a vs yeh? machining gone wrong? just throwing ideas around lol

[20Reino00]

think they just whacked straight on not sure rims were on before i got it

[Bellicose]

its been balanced everything i can think of that it would be i have had fixed or checked. my ute was lowered but got it back to standard now and its had 18s on it since o got it but has always had the problem.

You say it "was" lowered, did it have shortened shocks in the front?

If it did and you didn't put STD ones back in but put STD springs on shortened shocks that may well be your problem.

I don't really know mate, i'm also just throwing out ideas.

[20Reino00]

everything is changed back to standard.