Road Hunting

[LandMissle]

I am experincing this in my 05 and not sure if it is a wide tire characteristic or some kind of alignment issue. If I am going down a highway and it is not perfectly level, the car wil drift to one side or the other like any normal car will do but it's a lot more abrupt and aggressive. It almost does lane changes for me. Just checking to see if this was normal as I have nver experienced this in other sports cars.

Thanks in advance

 

[mike & juli]

Have the '05 as well, and as we found with the Z06 too, these tires are so wide and the run-flats being so hard that they bump over every imperfection in the roads, calling this a real 'driver's' car for sure...so do you mean 'drifting' or more the tires hitting all the imperfections and kinda tossing the car? Drifting would be a problem--then it's more a steering issue than tires, I'd presume. (never ''''assume''''!!!!!!!!!!!!)....just my .02.
~juli~

 

[fluffy]

My '06 does that as well. On the right road it take both hands and complete concentration just to keep it in the lane... I've been worried once or twice about being pulled over for being "drunk".

 

[MikeR]

Its the run crap tires. After I switched to PS2's there is more nuetral feel. It doesnt follow grooves anymore or change lanes like you said. I hated the runflats on the highway,thopugh they were decent in the turns. But the PS2's are a better ride.

 

[MikeR]

My '06 does that as well. On the right road it take both hands and complete concentration just to keep it in the lane... I've been worried once or twice about being pulled over for being "drunk".

hahah , Thats funny. I thought same thing driving home one night. If CHP was following I would have been pulled over for sure. It was a bad stretch of highway and the runflats had me zig zagging all over the place. I was sweating just trying to keep the car in my lane.

 

[mad0953]

Ditto on the PS2's.............a tremendous improvement.

 

[LandMissle]

Phew, I thought it was just me. Well, looks like it's time to burnoff these tires and go the PS2 route.

 

[Kai SRT10]

PS2's help, but so does a correct alignment.

My factory alignment was way out of spec, and when this was corrected, the "hunting" became much better.

If you add a touch more caster, you will also see some improvement.

 

[viperbilliam]

I don't experience this with my 05 but it is a little darty with road imperfections which is normal with the extremely wide tires we have. Perhaps you have alignment issues? I'm thinking of having my alignment checked the next time I go in for service or until I have made my mind up about the suspension.

 

[Steve 00RT/10]

The Viper is a 2 handed car on any road that is not smooth. I can't speak to the PS2s yet, but regular non run flat MPS will cause your eyes to get REAL BIG if you're not hanging on while driving on bumpy and/or dished out roads. Maybe the GEN III is better, but the sheer width of stock Viper tires make them not fare well in a dished out road. This can be especially exciting under WOT, and passing at 'spirited' speeds, on a 2 lane road which all of a sudden has these unwanted conditions crop up.

Steve

 

[viperbob]

Every Viper I've owned (Gen Is, IIs, & IIIs) has experienced the same, to varying degrees. The alignments were fine so it has to be the tires, and roads of course.

 

[moldowan]

tramlining is the correct description i believe

 

[06blackviper]

i would check the tire pressure as my run flats were at about 12lbs light so i brought them up to max pressure. what a difference the car feels more solid

 

[Racer Robbie]

Its the run crap tires. After I switched to PS2's there is more neutral feel. It doesn't follow grooves anymore or change lanes like you said. I hated the run flats on the highway,though they were decent in the turns. But the PS2's are a better ride.

Mike is totally correct and the Michelin Pilot Sports and Pilot Sport PS2 tires will completely solve this problem after you have installed them and done a complete 4 wheel thrust alignment.

Robbie

 

[mike & juli]

Mike is totally correct and the Michelin Pilot Sports and Pilot Sport PS2 tires will completely solve this problem after you have installed them and done a complete 4 wheel thrust alignment.
Robbie

Robbie--Thanx for including your suggestion for the alignment, as "LandMissile" stated the car '''''drifts''''...that seems to be a different problem than the run-flats hitting the ruts/grooves/uneven road...as you say--the tires AND alignment should be looked at! ~juli~

 

[black mamba1]

My 04 Srt had a mind of its own until I got the PS -2's. It is a totally different car now. Stays straight and sticks much better.

 

[JeremyS]

as far as the person who said "whew" i thought it was me......... well, that goes for me too. i thought i was just imagining that it was so bad but it seems it probably is that bad. my car is a new '06 and it pulls left and right (hard) without any warning. i too drive with both hands tightly gripping the wheel for the same reason. i think a lot of it does have to do with the road and debris (even little stuff) i will definately be replacing the tires with the PS2's and getting my alignment checked as well. thanks.... i don't feel as ridiculous now!

 

[Steve 00RT/10]

Mike is totally correct and the Michelin Pilot Sports and Pilot Sport PS2 tires will completely solve this problem after you have installed them and done a complete 4 wheel thrust alignment.

Robbie

I don't know about the thrust alignment part--not sure I could get such a thing done here, but my MPS tires wear completely evenly--getting at least 32,000 miles per set of fronts. I have 34,500 miles on the front set (2nd set) now. The backs wear just as even, but last only a summer. A GEN II Viper with MPS will most definitely wander around--A LOT--on bumpy, dished out roads. The first time it happened was .5 miles from CAAP when we picked the car up brand new.

Steve

 

[Racer Robbie]

Robbie--Thanx for including your suggestion for the alignment, as "LandMissile" stated the car '''''drifts''''...that seems to be a different problem than the run-flats hitting the ruts/grooves/uneven road...as you say--the tires AND alignment should be looked at! ~juli~

You are quite welcome,

Robbie

 

[Bill Pemberton Woodhouse]

Sorry, but Racer Robbie is completely incorrect. This is just a physics lesson, as so many have commented on ( using Vipers and Vettes both for examples ), and though the PS2s will likely be better and things like checking the alignment may improve the situation, just changing tires will not make the issue disappear. Every Viper I have owned has done this, and it is due to the tire size -- Motons, alignment, various tires will improve somewhat, but to say a switch in tires will completely correct this is a rash statement.

 

[viperjim]

i would check the tire pressure as my run flats were at about 12lbs light so i brought them up to max pressure. what a difference the car feels more solid

I second the tire pressure. My '03 was doing the same. I checked the tire pressures and it made a big difference. Still does it, but to a lesser degree.

 

[Racer Robbie]

Sorry, but Racer Robbie is completely incorrect. This is just a physics lesson, as so many have commented on ( using Vipers and Vettes both for examples ), and though the PS2s will likely be better and things like checking the alignment may improve the situation, just changing tires will not make the issue disappear. Every Viper I have owned has done this, and it is due to the tire size -- Motons, alignment, various tires will improve somewhat, but to say a switch in tires will completely correct this is a rash statement.

Bill,

I guess we agree to disagree! After removing the Run Flats, and replacing then with Non Run Flat tires, doing a 4 wheel thrust alignment my viper tracks perfectly and does not wonder at all. Maybe the roads are different where you are from but here in Ct junking the Run Flats solved the problem completely and it has done so for a lot of others around these parts.

Robbie

 

[Bill Pemberton Woodhouse]

The issue is simple, Robbie, stating a tire switch will " Completely," solve an issue is not responsible, as most of the problem is due to the road surface and tire size. To say it will improve it alot is a different story. A blanket statement like that leads consumers to the believe there is a quick fix and neither you or I can control road surfaces.

Motons, a four wheel alignment with corner weighting,tires, etc. will still not totally improve control on the road( and the ruts ) South of our Dealership -- better yes, but completely corrected----nope.

 

[doctorbob]

Mr. Pemberton is correct and I respect his opinion the most. You have to realize that
Mr. Pemberton has raced Vipers and lots of other cars. I would consider him the authority since we all know of Woodhouse Racing and Woodhouse sells (If I remember correctly) 25% of all vipers sold. If you have ever been to Blair you would have an idea of what I mean...not only the Viper Pit but in the sevice bays there are always multiple vipers getting serviced and performance improvements. A set of tires is not going to cure the nature of the car.

 

[Viper X]

PS2's will help.

Proper air pressure in each tire will help.

A proper alignment will help.

A bump steer correction will help a bunch as most of our cars come with some bump steer from the factory.

Motons and a corner balance will help.

My 04 SRT-10 was a two handed thrill ride until I got it sorted out. It's now a one handed, 925 rwhp guided missle. I did all of the above over time, except that I run Kumhos on the rear for traction.

My new 06 VOI 9 coupe is still a two handed driver, i.e. it has bump steer like every other SRT I've driven. I'll have Archer Racing straighten it out next year when they're in town with Viper Days.

Dan

 

[jpas]

I am experincing this in my 05 and not sure if it is a wide tire characteristic or some kind of alignment issue. If I am going down a highway and it is not perfectly level, the car wil drift to one side or the other like any normal car will do but it's a lot more abrupt and aggressive. It almost does lane changes for me. Just checking to see if this was normal as I have nver experienced this in other sports cars.

Thanks in advance

There is no cure for tramling with tires as wide as the Vipers. You can align, add Motons, change tires and you will still have a tramling issue. If you add 345's to a Benz it will also have a tramling problem. You should see how driving a Viper on Detroit roads feel

 

[Fast Viper]

is anyone running runflats in the front, and ps2's in the rear?

 

[Ooomph]

tramlining is the correct description i believe

he's correct, it's tramlining. all of the alignments and tire changes won't effect your 345's getting sucked into low spots on the road.

 

[Steve 00RT/10]

There is no cure for tramling with tires as wide as the Vipers. You should see how driving a Viper on Detroit roads feel

......You should see how driving on some UP roads is......where huge logging trucks have dished out some of the 2 lane roads to where, with heavy rain, you could probably float a small boat. The Viper wanders enough in these dished out roads when they're dry. Add some water and it's a much more exciting ride. You basically have to ride towards the center line--out of the dish.....or move over to the right side when traffic comes. Crossing the dishes becomes the challenge.

IMO there is no amount of alignment, or 'extra' equipment which will correct this problem. 14" of tire just don't fit well in a concave dish.

Steve