new falken 452's problem!!

S

shadowdrgn0

Member
 Yukon, Oklahoma
alright crew, i purchased my z with some backwoods knockoff brand of rubber i've never heard of before already on the car, and my beamer has been a rock solid dream machine since i went and picked it up. but about a few days ago it came time to purchase two new rears as my old tires look like race slicks, so i went to the tire shop and ordered a couple of the forum favorite, falken 452, i was happy with the price and the shop tossed them on the car no problem.

now heres where the problems start, i know all tires have a break in period, and im hoping thats all this is. but this is really quite scary. with the least provoking ive ever given to the car i'm losing traction in the rear. for instance the first time i ever had it happen, i was coming around a bend on the highway on cruise control just humming along when out of nowhere i can feel the rear end kick out a bit, my traction control light comes on and kicks my cruise off, now of course im freaked out and make the rest of my trip like an old man. did a little swerve test later on and my rear end will continue in one direction as im turning the wheel in the other where as normally me and my friends would be getting tossed around the cabin from the loads of grip available.

long story short, should i wait out the break in period? or get a different set of tires? because its kinda scary :cry:
 
That doesnt sound at all normal.

I've Never used falkens, but my vreds were slippy around bends, but never gentle cruising... Unless you hit a patch of oil on the road?
 
Did you get the rear tracked afterwards? Tires will wear to even the ground over time, if the settings wrong, new tyres may have less effect on their contact load areas.
 
Steve220 said:
Did you get the rear tracked afterwards? Tires will wear to even the ground over time, if the settings wrong, new tyres may have less effect on their contact load areas.
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as in setting the camber for the rears? then no, they are leaning almost all the way out currently. :roll:
 
I have been experiencing almost exactly what you describe after a recent tire swap.

I bought some 108s with Vreds on the rear but they were almost bald so swapped to Maxxis MAZ1 Victra's and have been having a severe lack of grip ever since.

The wheels were tracked by the garage who fitted the tires but I am not sure it was done properly as the fronts (which were tracked at the same time) are wearing on the outer wall of the tire.

Wondering if it is down to tracking so going to get it redone somewhere else. If it isn't I am going back to Vred's :o
 
Falkens have LOTS of release agent on them and it can be like driving on ice for the first few hundred miles. I contacted Falken about this before I fitted the last set I had and I was told "unofficially" that you can remove the release agent with silicone remover. So I did that and no problem at all. :thumbsup:
 
GreyZed said:
No not camber. Tracking is the toe-in or toe-out.
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ah, pardon my ignorance, no i havent had an alignment or any settings adjusted for that matter since i got the car, except to re-set the camber after i replaced the left rear control arm. but i just set it back to where it was and didn't notice a difference on the old rubber.

im no suspension genius guys :oops:
 
I found the same thing with Falken 452s on my Audi. No rear out action obviously but just general crap levels of grip. I did 7k miles on mine and really didn't rate them. By contrast, I had the cheaper ziex models on my e90 and they were better in every area and every road condition.
 
WLH said:
It can take as much as 500 mile to clear the mold release grease on some tires...
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Or a 2 minute burn out :evil: :evil: :evil:
 
I had 452s on my old car and they were pretty sticky.

Although yes let them scrub for 500-700 miles
 
Sounds like they just need wearing in - either by doing the miles or a few spins. Whichever, take care until it happens.
 
Surprised that nobody has mentioned this yet, but have you checked your tyre pressures? Sometimes the people who fit tyres put strange pressures in them (often hugely overinflate).

I have 452s on my M5 and have been very happy with them.
 
Same here. Just managed to do over the 500 mile mark on mine and they are starring to feel better... that said, I noticed an immediate improvement over want was previously on the car as soon as they were fitted!
 
just fitted a full set to mine and havent noticed any compromise in grip.. i am obviously not trying hard enough.... only had them on for aqbout a 100 miles but will take it easy
 
Mowflow said:
I found the same thing with Falken 452s on my Audi. No rear out action obviously but just general crap levels of grip. I did 7k miles on mine and really didn't rate them. By contrast, I had the cheaper ziex models on my e90 and they were better in every area and every road condition.
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I have swopped to the ziex 912's aswell, I find the grip just as good, even better in the wet.
They are quieter, last longer and are cheaper to boot!
 
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