Limited slip causing car to veer? odd tyres, hmmm

[matt timings]

Hi There,

So a couple of weeks ago i had a fairly minor bump, just damage to the side and a wheel scuff. My insurers garage got the wheel back from refurb with a new tyre and now the the thing veers off to the side. The car drove fine after the bump it's only since the new wheel went on.

The garage said there's no damage anywhere and when they swap the two front over it steers straight. Apparently everything is aligned correctly. They seem to think the odd tyres (only a few mm different in tread) are confusing the LSD. I'm no mechanic but i thought the VXR's diff was clever. I wasn't filled with confidence when the garage manager said they have never dealt with one before. What do you guys think?

The car is only 3 months old.

Thanks,
M

[Kingsxfan]

Put the backs on the front and take it for a drive, soon find out.

[matt timings]

Yeah that's what I told the garage to try. I haven't got it back yet mate but if my insurance wont give me a matching pair of new tyres i'll do that!

[vocky]

the odd tyre wear will cause issues, especially with the ABS.

ps: If my car was 3 months old I would have insisted on a new wheel, not a refurb - which will never last as long as the factory wheel paintwork.

[C16 VXR]

LSD will definitely react differently to odd matching tyres.

Both wheels turning at the same time, if one tyre is a different compound or tread depth, you'll notice it.

[matt timings]

Thanks guys, I feel reassured. The insurance company want me to pay half the new tyre which they price at 300 quid XD. I told them that ill be keeping the courtesy car and they'll be paying the storage bill for my car untill they get me a new tyre.

[robertshephard]

If your tyres are handed, check that the new tyre is rotating the correct way. A couple of years ago I clipped the kirb at slow speed, on ice. It damaged the left hand trackrod which had to be replaced. When I got the car back from the Insurer's garage, I nearly had a head-on with someone on a corner. The garage had put my wheels on the wrong sides and so the tyres were rotating backwards and had almost no grip going around the corner!! If the new tyre on your car is wrong way around, it will pull to one side because of the difference in grip. Check to see if there is an arrow pointing forwards or backwards. Obviously, should be pointing forwards!