Flat spot fronts

[joe117]

Last spring I bought some polished 5 spokes on ebay. The Pilot tires were almost new. I had a feeling that some were flat spotted since I could detect a "lump" when driving very slow, like in a parking lot. Going fast there seems to be no vibration or anything. I've been ignoring it. I had the car on a lift last week and noticed that the fronts actually were flat spotted, rears seem ok. I guess the wheels and tires I bought were from a wreck.
The question is, will this fix itself? Will it get worse? Am I missing the effect that it has at higher speed? I don't think there is any place close to me that could shave them. What do I do?

 

[2002graphiteviper]

Buy my stock rims and tires (brand new!!!!)

 

[Jim Hodel]

It's hard to understand how a flat spot would not get worse at speed. I flat spotted my right fron tire at Thunderhill and the car went whumpa-whumpa-whumpa real bad and got worse with speed.

The tire was destroyed as I could pull gobs of gooey rubber off the tire with my fingers.

Have you tried to get them balanced?

Jim

 

[joe117]

No, I didn't try to balance them. They are for sure flat spotted, you can see it. The reason I don't think balance is the problem is that the only time I can notice it is when I'm on a flat smooth surface, going about two mph. As soon as I go at any normal driving speed it can't be detected, that's how I've been able to ignore it so far. When I do get it fixed I'll probably feel an improvement at higher speed.
A couple of guys have sent me emails about this with suggestions. I'm going to call around to some local tire places and see if anyone has the equipment to do the job. Where I live it would probably be easier to find someone to shoe horses.

 

[viper spray]

Have the tires shaved at a race shop that shaves tires for racing. Mike

 

[NCVCA]

You don't need to pay to have them shaved. Have some fun and save some money.

Mount the fronts on the rear and spin 'em till they get round.

Actually they probably won't get perfectrly round but they will get better. Be careful about turning with 335's on the front.

I just mounted some track take off 275's on the rear of by 740i and they have minor flat spots from VIR. I've turned off traction control a few times and they are almost undetectable now.

Just because they had flat spots doesn't mean they were from a wreck though! They could have been locked up on the street or track...

Jeff

 

[VIPER1996]

I have the same symptoms and my wheels and tires did not come off a wrecked viper. I think the guy did a little racing with them before going to after markets. I do not have any vibration at high speed either. It doesn't make any sense, but I'll live with it!