Ajjra

my Father's 987 has a loud and noticeable popping you can almost feel when the steering wheel is at full lock and you are slowly reversing. Feels like one of the wheels just backed off a curb (but did not). Happens consistently. Any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

n4v4nod

Mine does the same.
Others correct me if I'm wrong, but it's a combination of things.
-Summer Tires don't do well in cold temps and the rubber compound is more hard in colder air.
-Rear wheel drive means if you turn hard you are pushing against those wheels with no traction.
-Mid engine... Most of the weight isn't on the front wheels like most cars.

The first time it happened to me it freaked me out too, but I put the above together.
Again, if I'm wrong please correct me

jfoxny

I posted about this in the renntech forum a while back. It appears that it is normal and is known as the Ackerman Effect. Here's my post: http://www.renntech.org/forums/index...like-a-u-turn/ and here's more about the Ackerman Effect: http://www.muller.net/mullermachine/docs/ackerman.html

Jason

Macster

Normal (provided the car exhibits no other symptoms of tire/wheel suspension or steering problems.

Pull the car into a parking lot and turn the wheel full lock then shut off the engine. (Not good on the steering system to leave the wheel at full lock with the engine running.)

Get out of the car and look at the tread contact of the front tires. You can't help but notice the 'inside' front tire's tread is maybe only 50% in contact with the ground. Coupled with cold weather, cold tires, and front wheel/steering geometry the inside front tire will skip under low speed sharp turns -- my experience is in either forward or reverse directions and in either a left or right hand turn -- and the popping (shuddering/juddering/vibration) in the steering wheel is the result.

Sincerely,

Macster.

ken1.9

My 2008 felt that way and when I recently put on Continental Extreme Contact DWS tires the scuffing/popping went away. Maybe as the tread wears down it will return. The Pilots that were on it were summer tires and while they had more traction in dry conditions they were a hazzard in the wet and snow I experience. I have wondered if I am scuffing off some tread when I back out and turn in my driveway. By the way, once my old tires were warm they no longer did the scuffing/popping when backing and turning so I think its pretty normal for the car and the tires that were on it.