Tramlining in Pirelli P-Zeros - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

DirkC · 06-16-2016, 12:15 PM

Hi All,
Long time lurker, first time poster here...

I was hoping to get some advice on tires. I've got the Pirelli P-Zero tires (245/45 ZR20 on front & 275/40 ZR20 on the rear) on my 2012 45th anniversary Camaro and I'm having some steering issues.

The car seems to be steering all over the road lately. I took it to the dealer and they looked it over (so they said), found nothing wrong, and gave me a Chevy bulletin about 'tramlining', which is a new concept to me. I did a search here and found some others saying they had tramlining on their Pirellis and I'm wondering if this is a common thing for these tires? I've only got 21k mileage on the tires, is this what I should expect at this mileage?

I'm looking at possibly getting an alternative tire and I'm looking for suggestions. I don't race the car and don't want to put expensive performance tires on it; I'm just looking for something that allows for better steering and a fair amount of durability. Can anyone suggest such a tire?

Thanks much in advance!

-Dirk

1Coopgt · 06-16-2016, 12:18 PM

I think its common to most cars and tires . Some are just worse than others . I know I get it with the BF Goodrich tires.

1KillerSS · 06-16-2016, 12:21 PM

If your after durability then the PZeros are not gonna last, there a soft summer tire. Most performance summer tires will have low mileage life expectancy.

I'll let others chime in on what they have found that works well for them.

I still think the PZeros are a decent tire, but for me the Goodyear F1's are worth the extra few bucks, but again, they wont last so long. Soft performance tires.

Those are the only two tires I have experience with on the fifth gen. Other than Mickey Thompson Drag Radials.

Larry_551 · 06-16-2016, 12:27 PM

Greetings,

Never had a problem with tramlining, but my Pirellis tires wore out sooner than I expected, and sucked in wet weather even when new.

When the rears wore out (long before the fronts) I junked all 4 and put a set of Continental Extreme Contact DWS tires on.

I immediately noticed a big difference in grip in the wet and no loss of traction when dry. I can recommend Continentals with no reservation.

Hope this helps.

Larry

EZurcher · 06-16-2016, 01:30 PM

Having narrower rims in the front and wider in the back can cause the car to wander based on road surfaces. Mine does it too.

Gayton81 · 06-16-2016, 01:45 PM

Pirelli's were junk for our cars. Buy something different. I got 20k miles out of mine and they were bald, rode rough, and wouldn't stay balanced. For daily driving I have my stock wheels mounted with Nitto Motivo's as a lot of others on the forum do and I absolutely love them and they were only right at $1,000 for the set installed from discount tire. Also the Nitto's have an estimated 60k mile tread life.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

zr1chris · 06-16-2016, 01:54 PM

My car does this allot. Tends to want to go with the road surface. Iv'e never experience that in any car before. Iv'e also never driven another car that had independent rear suspension before this car. Iv'e been thinking it was due to that.... Am i wrong?

Bulldog3071 · 06-16-2016, 01:57 PM

I have the Goodyear F1 and love them

paul84043 · 06-16-2016, 03:05 PM

A decent alignment shop can tune the wandering out, but it will come with a slight cost in wear. I don't know the terminology all that well, but I believe they toe them in a hair more than spec. The tires fighting each other, and we're talking a VERY tiny amount, keeps them centered. This is also a common fix for oversized offroad tires like you would find on a lifted truck or Jeep.

v6sonoma · 06-16-2016, 03:30 PM

The Pirellis are pretty much shot at about 16K miles. I stretched mine to about 22k but didn't do any tracking at that point. Just cruising. I replaced them with Mickey Thompson Sport Comps and love them so far. Much better traction and supposedly better wear. They're like $200 a piece at Summit Racing.

The orange one · 06-16-2016, 04:52 PM

The stock Pirelli's are known for getting flat spots and cupping especially when cold.I would look into the Goodyear Eagle sports.A very good rated tire with many positive reviews. I installed the wider 255 /45 r20 in front.

MattSS · 06-16-2016, 05:07 PM

I went with general tire gmax as-03's and have been very happy with them. I DD my 2010 SS through Illinois summers and winters. The Pirellis lasted all of about 11k miles and were downright dangerous during the winter (yes, I know they are summer tires). The Gmax keep the car drive-able year round with only a minor trade off in traction. I wouldn't expect them to be great for racing, but they are the best solution I've found for my needs. I think my first set lasted 20k or maybe 25k. Just put the second set on late last year. Tracking will always be an issue like someone said above, but it definitely didn't get any worse when I switched to Gmax.

mattSS

Homeless Man · 06-16-2016, 05:15 PM

Does it do this with the stock Pirellis? I have an LS3/RS and don't really notice that. I'll be upgrading my rims with 305 in the back and 285 (BFgoodrich all season high performance so would it be noticeable with the new setup?)

flyer08 · 06-16-2016, 05:23 PM

Had this issue on the wife's car. We replaced the tires and got the alignment checked and it's like driving a new car again

06-16-2016, 12:15 PM	#1
DirkC Drives: 2012 45th anniversary Camaro Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: MA Posts: 4	Tramlining in Pirelli P-Zeros Hi All, Long time lurker, first time poster here... I was hoping to get some advice on tires. I've got the Pirelli P-Zero tires (245/45 ZR20 on front & 275/40 ZR20 on the rear) on my 2012 45th anniversary Camaro and I'm having some steering issues. The car seems to be steering all over the road lately. I took it to the dealer and they looked it over (so they said), found nothing wrong, and gave me a Chevy bulletin about 'tramlining', which is a new concept to me. I did a search here and found some others saying they had tramlining on their Pirellis and I'm wondering if this is a common thing for these tires? I've only got 21k mileage on the tires, is this what I should expect at this mileage? I'm looking at possibly getting an alternative tire and I'm looking for suggestions. I don't race the car and don't want to put expensive performance tires on it; I'm just looking for something that allows for better steering and a fair amount of durability. Can anyone suggest such a tire? Thanks much in advance! -Dirk

06-16-2016, 12:18 PM	#2
1Coopgt Drives: All Black 2012 1LS Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Rochester,NY Posts: 2,043 View My Garage	I think its common to most cars and tires . Some are just worse than others . I know I get it with the BF Goodrich tires. __________________ Mods, K&N CAI ,VTC , GM Perf Axleback Exhaust, Elite Eng CC and CSS, GM Strut Tower Brace,Carbon Fiber Anvil Spoiler,ASC T5 Splitter,Gen5diy Foglight kit.

06-16-2016, 12:21 PM	#3
1KillerSS Too much is never enough! Drives: AGP TT SS [COTW] 4/20/15 Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Toledo,OH Posts: 4,149 View My Garage	If your after durability then the PZeros are not gonna last, there a soft summer tire. Most performance summer tires will have low mileage life expectancy. I'll let others chime in on what they have found that works well for them. I still think the PZeros are a decent tire, but for me the Goodyear F1's are worth the extra few bucks, but again, they wont last so long. Soft performance tires. Those are the only two tires I have experience with on the fifth gen. Other than Mickey Thompson Drag Radials. __________________ AGP TT kit, 54/57 Forged rotating assembly, Custom grind cam... Dual nozzle meth, ID850's, Livernois dual fuel pumps, ECS BAP, 25% UDP, 3 inch Magnaflow catback with X pipe, Mantic 9000 clutch, DSS 1000hp axles, DSS aluminum driveshaft, ZL1 rear end, solid subframe bushings, HE differential offset bushings, BMR Trailing arm, BMR toe rods, Lingenfelter LNC-2000,SJM Line Lock. 747 whp 714wtq *Build thread* http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showth...55#post8107855

06-16-2016, 12:27 PM	#4
Larry_551 Larry_551 Drives: 2011 1SS/RS Convertible Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Cold Lake, AB Canada Posts: 52	Greetings, Never had a problem with tramlining, but my Pirellis tires wore out sooner than I expected, and sucked in wet weather even when new. When the rears wore out (long before the fronts) I junked all 4 and put a set of Continental Extreme Contact DWS tires on. I immediately noticed a big difference in grip in the wet and no loss of traction when dry. I can recommend Continentals with no reservation. Hope this helps. Larry __________________ K&N intake. Moroso air/oil separator. McLeod RST twin disc clutch. Monster slave cylinder & bearing support. Stainless Works LT headers and high flow cats. Solo Mach XC cat back. Tune by DynoSteve.

06-16-2016, 01:45 PM	#6
Gayton81 Drives: 2012 2SSRS Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Huntsville, AL Posts: 171	Tramlining in Pirelli P-Zeros Pirelli's were junk for our cars. Buy something different. I got 20k miles out of mine and they were bald, rode rough, and wouldn't stay balanced. For daily driving I have my stock wheels mounted with Nitto Motivo's as a lot of others on the forum do and I absolutely love them and they were only right at $1,000 for the set installed from discount tire. Also the Nitto's have an estimated 60k mile tread life. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk __________________ Money may not buy happiness, but I'd rather cry in a Chevy than in a Ford! Last edited by Gayton81; 06-17-2016 at 06:28 AM.

06-16-2016, 01:30 PM	#5
EZurcher Drives: 2010 2SS RS Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Rio Rancho, NM Posts: 85	Having narrower rims in the front and wider in the back can cause the car to wander based on road surfaces. Mine does it too.

06-16-2016, 01:54 PM	#7
zr1chris Drives: 2018 Camaro 1SS/1LE Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Port Saint Lucie FL Posts: 1,224	My car does this allot. Tends to want to go with the road surface. Iv'e never experience that in any car before. Iv'e also never driven another car that had independent rear suspension before this car. Iv'e been thinking it was due to that.... Am i wrong?

06-16-2016, 01:57 PM	#8
Bulldog3071 Drives: 2010 Camaro 2SS/RS LS3 Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Kernersville, NC Posts: 931 View My Garage	I have the Goodyear F1 and love them __________________ Hurst Short Throw Shifter, K&N CAI, SRP Racing Pedals, GM Performance Exhaust, GM GFX Package Lakewood Strut Tower Brace, JBA Shorty Headers, JBA 8 MM Wires, Airaid TB Spacer, Phastek CAI Scoop, Washer Bottle Relocation Kit, Stainlees Steel Brake Lines, Brake Performance Slotted and Drilled Rotors, BMR Tunnel Brace, BMR Trailing Arms, BMR Subframe Connectors, Borla ATAK Muffelers, Z28 Wickerbill Spoiler, VTC, Bow Tie Delete, BMR Adjustable Front Swaybar, BMR End Link Kit, BMR Extreme Rear Anti-Roll Kit, Diablo I1000 "InTune"

06-16-2016, 03:05 PM	#9
paul84043 Drives: 2015 Camaro 2SS RS 1LE Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Lehi, Utah Posts: 1,350 View My Garage	A decent alignment shop can tune the wandering out, but it will come with a slight cost in wear. I don't know the terminology all that well, but I believe they toe them in a hair more than spec. The tires fighting each other, and we're talking a VERY tiny amount, keeps them centered. This is also a common fix for oversized offroad tires like you would find on a lifted truck or Jeep.

06-16-2016, 03:30 PM	#10
v6sonoma Drives: 2010 SS RS Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Providence, RI Posts: 8,108 View My Garage	The Pirellis are pretty much shot at about 16K miles. I stretched mine to about 22k but didn't do any tracking at that point. Just cruising. I replaced them with Mickey Thompson Sport Comps and love them so far. Much better traction and supposedly better wear. They're like $200 a piece at Summit Racing. __________________ Mods: BBK Intake, BBK LT's and High Flow Cats, Corsa Cat-back exhaust, Hurst short throw shifter, SLP skip-shift eliminator. 7/1/09 Placed order for IOM/IO int/ SS/RS 6M 9/26/09 Took delivery!

06-16-2016, 04:52 PM	#11
The orange one Drives: 2010 ss camaro Iom ls3 m6 Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Milton Delaware Posts: 101	The stock Pirelli's are known for getting flat spots and cupping especially when cold.I would look into the Goodyear Eagle sports.A very good rated tire with many positive reviews. I installed the wider 255 /45 r20 in front.

06-16-2016, 05:07 PM	#12
MattSS Drives: 2010 2SS/RS A6 CGM Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Central Illinois Posts: 103	I went with general tire gmax as-03's and have been very happy with them. I DD my 2010 SS through Illinois summers and winters. The Pirellis lasted all of about 11k miles and were downright dangerous during the winter (yes, I know they are summer tires). The Gmax keep the car drive-able year round with only a minor trade off in traction. I wouldn't expect them to be great for racing, but they are the best solution I've found for my needs. I think my first set lasted 20k or maybe 25k. Just put the second set on late last year. Tracking will always be an issue like someone said above, but it definitely didn't get any worse when I switched to Gmax. mattSS __________________ ------------------------------------------------ Mods: Heritage Grille, '69 SS emblem in grille, CAI intake, ADM scoop, vMax PTB, Kooks LT headers w/ HF Cats, Solo Mach-XL cat back

06-16-2016, 05:15 PM	#13
Homeless Man Homeless Life Chose Me Drives: LS3 (sold 4/21) Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Streets of Philly Posts: 3,650	Does it do this with the stock Pirellis? I have an LS3/RS and don't really notice that. I'll be upgrading my rims with 305 in the back and 285 (BFgoodrich all season high performance so would it be noticeable with the new setup?) __________________ Pity a man in familiar places, who yet feels like a stranger.

06-16-2016, 05:23 PM	#14
flyer08 Account Suspended Drives: 2010 2SS/RS Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 3,418	Had this issue on the wife's car. We replaced the tires and got the alignment checked and it's like driving a new car again