Those with 275 or wider front tires, please check in
 

Ok, so I put some new wheels/tires on the car, and am having a vibration in the front, that we can't figure out. The new front tires are 275/35/19. Here is the problem: at highway speeds 60-80mph I get a slight vibration in the wheel - not completely smooth like the oem package. I confirmed it was not a car issue by putting the OEM tires/wheels back on (absolutely smooth ride). We have already replaced one of the tires (runout was bad), and the wheel/tire package has been road force balanced a few times. FYI, the wheel width is 9.5. And yes, it has hubcentric rings (2 different sets tried). One suggestion the seller had was that the front tires are too wide and that may be causing the issue; option 2 is the wheel is bad (which I think is the issue). I need some feedback from those who have a 275 or wider tire on the front and have you ever had no vibrations? Please chime in, thanks.

no, i have 285 on a 9"

^^ no vibrations? Thanks.

More than before, but nothing ordinary.

I'm confused, you have more vibrations then before (oem) or not.

I get a little more simply because I can feel more of the road, but nothing out of ordinary. I am on set #3

what tire did you get?

I have 275/35/19 on Bridgestone Re050A (stock rear tire) on a 9.5" rim.
I do have more road feedback but nothing I would consider tire vibration.

Maybe you need to describe the level of vibration more?

I know I don't have wider than 275 on the front, but I went with 255's for the front and 305's for the rear when I got my new wheels, and I have a slight vibration. When I got them mounted and balanced, I drove about 2 days and went back to the shop to let them re-balance. It was pretty well off what the balance should have been, so they put a few of the weights right behind one of the spokes to balance it out and now it doesn't vibrate near as bad as it did. At about 70 mph, the steering wheel very slightly vibrates, but I'm thinking that's because it's just a wider tire than oem.

No, they just cant balance a tire. You will always get more road feel with a bigger contact patch, but then it shouldn't be anything dramatic if they are balanced correctly

Ok, let me try to explain the vibration. With OEM, I can take my hands off the wheel in the 60-80mph range, and the steering wheel doesn't move (no vibrations visible to the eye). With the new wheels/tires, I do the same thing, and the steering wheel rotates back and forth about 3-5mm of rotation (circumference?). OEM, nothing, aftermarket visible vibration.

Mine does the same, but barely at this point since I went back and had them rebalance them. They told me it was because the tires are wider and will be a little more rough on the road compared to stock. After I got them rebalanced though, it definately did not vibrate as much as it did at first.

heres an extreme example. its like going from raceslicks to mudding tires.

Same for me.

When you have a wider contact patch, you are going to feel the road more. Still, there shouldn't be any major vibration. I have gone through a set of 265 and 285 on my car, none of them vibrate much more than stock, but I could feel the road more.

Watch from the 10 sec mark to 16 sec. I had one hand on the wheel going 80+, no noticeable vibration back and forth.

0611 CART Lime Rock Park GT3 Rain - YouTube

If your tire guy is correct, all the sports cars would be vibrating like a vibrator since they all have huge tires!