Bigger tires, bigger problems?

[CiggyByrns]

Whats up? I just upgraded my wheels and tires and have discovered issues when sharply swerving left or right. It may be normal but it’s definitely different than stock (obviously). I put 37x12.50R17 on my 2018 2500. I took it for a road test after everything was finished and noticed that when i swerve to the left or right it feels kind of sluggish? If that makes sense. It’s like the front end moves first (slower than before) and then the rear end moves afterwards. I’m terrible at describing things apparently. It almost feels like the sidewall is too big? Like the tires are sliding left and right on the rim? I hope that makes enough sense to figure out. It’s obviously worse at highway speeds. Just checking to make sure this is normal.

 

[MADDOG]

They are taller than the stock tires which means there is more sidewall to flex and move around. So the steering response has slowed some.

They are also wider and heavier than stock and those conditions an affect on steering response. I remember feeling much the same things when I went to 35's on my 2014 HD.

One thing I did was play a bit with the tire pressures. The tires firmed up some with 55 psi in them vs. 50 and that's where I've left them. It's still different from the stock tires but I've had 35's on my last two trucks and I've gotten used to how it corners and steers now.

 

[CiggyByrns]

They are taller than the stock tires which means there is more sidewall to flex and move around. So the steering response has slowed some.

They are also wider and heavier than stock and those conditions an affect on steering response. I remember feeling much the same things when I went to 35's on my 2014 HD.

One thing I did was play a bit with the tire pressures. The tires firmed up some with 55 psi in them vs. 50 and that's where I've left them. It's still different from the stock tires but I've had 35's on my last two trucks and I've gotten used to how it corners and steers now.

Thanks for the response. Glad I’m not the only one that has experienced this. I have my fronts at 60 PSI and the rears at 80. I can’t go up anymore in the rear but could in the front I suppose. I figured it was the flexing of the sidewall. Just had this bad thought fly through my head of the tire flying off going down the freeway

 

[pacofortacos]

If the wheel is too narrow for the tire, it can really accentuate that feeling.
I had the same feeling just putting 285/70/17 tires on a stock 17 x 7" wheel.
Just felt plain unsafe to me and I eventually just got rid of them.

I called it rim squirm - where the tire tread stays planted but the wheel moves in and out of the centerline of the tire. I could actually watch it do this by just pushing the truck side to side while sitting still.

 

[Burla]

Take this opportunity to drive slower, it is a truck! Does it has a stabilizer? Can beef up track bar as well, and you can go through steering linkage. You have firm shocks as well? Sometimes if you have to do more upgrades to help your upgrades, truck stuff 101.

 

[Burla]

I'd look at dual steering stabilizers as well, just say'n.

 

[JB1]

The 17’s (especially 37’s with a high sidewall) aren’t meant for swerving/handling like that, there’s a reason sport cars have larger diameter wheels.

 

[CiggyByrns]

I appreciate everyone’s responses. I wasn’t saying that I’m trying to drive this 10,000 pound beast like a sports car. I was just out road testing it to see the difference and that’s what i noticed. I’m a pretty relaxed driver so I don’t really do anything too crazy. Not on pavement at least. I’ll look into getting something that will stabilize it. If anything I’ll just put my 295/70R18 setup back on it.

 

[Iron Outlaw]

Dont waste money yet. If you just put the tires on they may just need a few heat cycles for the tread compound to firm up. My mickey thompsons drive like they are on ice the first several hundred miles. Both sets I've had I put on right before I went on our summer daytona trip and it's squirming on the way down and fine on the way bacj.

 

[69GWC]

I would also think gettingvthevtires closer to the same air pressure would help.
You have 80psi in the rear with no weight and 65psi in the front where the weight is.

 

[22hemi13]

More air in front tires less in back if not towing. I have 37’s on 17’s and there’s little squirm sometimes. Just switched off of 35’s on 18” rims. However it’s used primarily off-road. I have upgraded track bars front and rear. New springs ,shocks ect.... it does not drive like a stock truck. It’ll prolly take some getting used to or if it really bothers you a bigger rim size will help fix it.