We are in the middle of the break-in (550mi) of our 2023 CGTS 4.0. For the last week or so we are noticing what feels like a locked differential when making tight turns such as in and out of our garage or shopping center parking spaces. It feels like one or two skips as the tire is dragged and releases.

At first we noticed this when the car was cold, but now it happened a couple times when the car is fully warmed up.

Is this common? Just a part of the early mile break-in as parts mate up? Thanks!

 

If it is in slow turns with the steering wheel fully cranked, it could be the Ackerman effect, the front wheels are turning in slightly different radii. See this article. I get it with my GT4 and it is normal.

 

Especially in cooler temps, happened to me in my Spyder recently in colder weather.

 

This ^^^^ . . . they turn tight, but let you know it. I make lot of U-turns on the roadways where I live. Happens all the time in my GT4. Suspect just the same with GTS.

Avera

 

Definitely slow turns: my driveway and a parking lot.

Thanks! I'll check out the link.

 

I'm in the Chicago suburbs, and we first noticed it after the temperature dropped. 13F this morning. I hate winter...

Thanks!

 

Beginning to make sense. The CGTS does have a very small turning radius! Our '91 964 could never make some of the turns that the CGTS clears easily, but we never had its LSD diff lock and drag the tires. Our PCA SP3 race car has its diff set on the tight side, so this happens all the time in the pits, etc.

Thanks!!

 

Yep, my GTS did this pretty badly. Not cranking the wheel helps, slight decrease in tire pressure helps too. In the cold though sometimes there’s not much you can do. I know it feels like it is breaking!

 

Could it be "acorns" you are hearing/feeling? - this is when the cold tires don't smoothly negotiate the tight turn due to difference in turning radii between inside tread of one tire and its outside tread. It caused a bit of a "skip" when the tire resists deforming.
It is a property of each individual tire, not the difference between the two (they are independent of each other, so the different turning radii between them is moot).
I feel it on my 911 when backing out of the driveway and turning at near-full lock. It doesn't happen when the tires are warn.
"Acorns" because it feels like you have driven over a patch of them and they skitter out from under the tires.
Cheers, Martin

 

I'm surprised with the relatively narrow front tires on the GTS, that it does this. Usually that effect is reserved for cars that have massive front tire width. I know the C6 Z06 and GrandSport were notorious for doing it, but they had wide *** front tires. Although my SS 1LE had 285 fronts but it didn't do it, so who knows.

 

Initially I thought it was with the rear tires and the LSD locking, but after a few events I'm starting to thing it is the front tires. Seems weird since they should turn independently vs. the rears where they are connected thought the half axles.

Thanks!

 

It is the front tires. The outside tire on a full lock slow turn travels slightly farther. In cold conditions the coefficient of friction between tire and ground is reduced, especially if wearing summer rubber, the outside wheel will hop to catch up.

Just don’t go full lock to avoid it

 

Ha, I experienced this last week in cold weather up here in Toronto. It's definitely the front tires and only on full lock as I'm exiting my driveway. Will check out that link.

 

Definitely sounds like the Ackerman effect to me - no worries. I have to crank hard out of my garage and my CGTS40 does it on occasion, though to a lesser extent than my previous C7.

 

Mine did it when new. After 1000 mikes on tires, it stopped. Nothing to worry about..