TRD sport tires on grooved pavement

I travel by freeway a lot and there are newer sections that are heavily grooved. My TRD sport with the stock Michelins feels like it is significantly sliding laterally side to side on these sections. I’ve experienced this before in other vehicles but no where close to this Tacoma. I’m assuming it’s the tires causing this? Has anybody else noticed it? To say it’s annoying is an understatement. I wasn’t going to be in a rush to change tires but may be forced to if it stops the sensation of wandering.

 

My sport had generals & they seemed fine...
For starters I say check your tire pressure.
Alot of these trucks has been grossly over inflated at the factory & weren't corrected during PDI prior to selling.
Should be set at 32 if I remember correctly on the sport.
Mine were at 45, some folks reported 50+....

 

You know I was just guessing that they were michelins. They could be generals. I’m in bed and too lazy to go check. Tire pressure is about 39 in all corners. I’ll try dropping that.

 

They dont all have the same tire...
But that really doesnt matter.

yeah, set too high.
Check the sticker on the driver side door jam, gives recommended tire pressure.
Double check but pretty sure its 32psi.

 

I find any truck with a straight rear axle does this, it doesnt want to track perfectly in the lines.

Dropping pressure help a bit but it will always do it to some extent.

 

Fuck grooved roads. My last job I was driving a isuzu reefer box truck on one and the shit put me in a death wobble. I swear some wheels went off the ground but I corrected it, pulled over, and just laid down for a minute until I could think straight. No shoulder when it happened just trees

 

My SR5 with Cooper Discoverer Road+Trail does the same thing. They were doing some paving near work and the grooving before hand the truck was wandering all over. This is why they put out warnings for motorcycles during this process.

 

Check and adjust your tire pressure to the correct cold pressure on your tire size/pressure place card..
Check your tires tread depth and for even/uneven wear..

When was the last time you rotated your tires? Did this start after the rotate, did the rotate affect it? If Yes, or been over 5K miles then rotate to see what happens..

Lastly if the above is all good, have your alignment checked and set, I have seen brand new vehicles out of line, you could have a negative toe (toed out) issue causing the vehicle to follow the road side to side... On a decent road, a toe out/in issue will not pull, but we call it the silent killer cause it can eat your tires up and never pull... lol

 

Tires with a generally straight rib pattern tend to wander on rain-grooved pavement. I never understood why they groove the pavement that way; wouldn't grooves across the road drain water better? It's probably noisier that way though.

 

Tramlining. You could also have an alignment shop bump your caster up a half degree in addition to the tire manipulations. But keep in mind that nothing will eliminate it, it will merely reduce the effect.

 

The grooves are not to drain the roadbed; they are to help squeeze water out from under the tires to reduce chances of hydroplaning. I suspect the direction has more to do with cost (continuous cut vs having to stop, move, and re-start).

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/pubs/hif17011.pdf

 

Dude, be careful. Posting a brief thoughtful opinion followed by a reliable well researched article is against the "functional" TW code of conduct. Perhaps you're new.

But seriously, that's a fascinating read. Comparison of texturing the surface dragging burlap bags vs artificial turf? The pros and cons of longitudinal vs transverse tining in terms of noise, spray and water shedding? Analyzing the various contributors to acceptable vs objectionable road noise with frequency analysis? Love it!