Yokohama tire problim

[40_Tudor]

Had a set of Yokohama tires put on my 08 Nitro last fall and now I get a vibration intermittently. I work with an x-mopar engineer and he had the same problem with a set he had. He clams when the belt end line up in sinc you get a vibration until you turn and get the belt end out of sinc. It feels like hot spots in the rotors but I can feel it even without braking but much worse when braking.

Anyone had this problem?

[39deluxe]

That sounds fishy. How can the belt ends move around once the tires have been molded? I can understand a broken belt but that wouldn't come and go. It would shake all the time at certain speeds.

I replaced the OEM tires on my Cavalier work car with Yokohamas and they have been great for 3 years. Way better than the originals in ride and wet or dry traction.

I'd start with a good balancing job by someone that you know will do it right and then go from there. Also have then check for out of round. You'd be surprised how many tires are not round.  If the vibration is gone you win. You needed the balance anyhow. If it's still there then you need to look deeper.

Are your wheels clean on the back side? No hardened mud or lump of grease or anything?

Tom

[Rrumbler]

You can get belt ply separation in just about any tire or brand, so I wouldn't want to say that's not your problem, here.  But, it could be a suspension problem, too - something that is not immediately apparent that has got loose or tweaked, maybe alignment out of whack.  Don't discount the brakes, either, lots of stuff in there that can sneak up on you with strange symptoms.

I just replaced my first set (bought them in 2005) of Yokohama Geolandar AT-S on my Tundra after sixty thousand, and got some more of the same.  Never a problem, except for a few nails and screws I picked up in odd places, and the only time I ever got anything like what you describe was when one had a slow leak from a screw in  the tread and got soft - it rumbled and vibrated when I got on the brakes.  I put several thousand miles of off road use on them, some of it pretty rough, hauled and towed heavy stuff. They are just an all around good tire, in my estimation.  I put them up in the same tier as the Michelins I used to use on all of my vehicles, work, play, and family - just a bunch less costly.

[papastoyss]

I have seen cars that had a similar problem & the cause was brake calipers dragging enough to overheat the rotors. Now a days OEMs design the rotors as thin as they think they can get away with & occasionaly cross the line.