Thumper

Vehicle is 1994 Plymouth Voyager 3.0 liter Mistubishi with almost
200,000 miles.
Replaced the right front axle year ago.
Replaced all tires 2 years ago with Pep Boys Futura 2000 LTE, 205/70R14
replacing 195/75R14, maybe made by Cooper, not a bad tire. Could not
afford Goodyear when I bought Pep Boys on sale. I try not to buy Pep
Boys but it was so handy and cheap, around $40 per tire without
installation and balancing, about half the price of a good tire!

Rotated the tires and now hearing a thumping, not very loud, have to
listen for it, probably left front.

I've heard this sound before from tires that got a belt twisted or a
bearing that was starting to go bad.

Can they check to see if a tire's belts are messed up now? I'm a little
concerned because if that happens, it's possible to ruin a tire and
have it blow out. I've done that. I've also run bearings into the
ground where they have seized!

I think it's a tire because of the tire rotation and I've hit a big
pothole which can also put a crink in the tire. But I don't see how the
tire can be checked. Balancing? Visually? Would Pep Boys have that
expertise or would need the dealer?

 

Why don't you try calling them and saying: "I'm hearing a thumping, not
very loud, have to listen for it, probably left front. It started after
rotating
the tires and I think it's a tire" and see what they say?

Ted

 

Good idea. I'm going to do that. I tend to talk too much so your
suggestion is right on the mark here!

 

I've had this happen after rotating tires. Was a belt that failed. I was
told that on certain tires, once the tire was set on rotating a certain
direction and then rotated (reversing that direction) it fails. (His guess
was that that tire had suffered an injury (pothole) and the belt had been
weakened and failed when forced to rotate in the reverse direction.) I don't
rotate my tires any more (several years now) and find that the usually wear
out about the same.

 

That was true several years ago (1970's) with radials (and certain
non-radial constructions), but not anymore. There are what are called
directional tires that are not supposed to be cross-rotated, but I think
it has to do with tread design (shedding water/anti-hydroplaning) rather
than a structural issue.

It may be, though, that a tire that has been bruised could come apart
easier if it were cross-rotated.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
adddress with the letter 'x')