Goodyear Wrangler AT/S's being bad

[Spas]

Does anyone else have Goodyear Wrangler AT/S's on their ride that make it wobbly at speeds 60mph and above?
I've taken my X back a few times now, and every time they just do another free balancing, but it AIN'T WORKIN'. I can't afford to get rid of them and get a different set, and they're practically new. They're pretty decent as far as wet traction and off roading go, but here lately they just suck on the highway. I didn't have this problem the first 10,000 miles, either.
Help! I can't even beat up my Fiance's GMC without doing the shake rattle and roll all over!

 

[kvo]

I have them on my '00 XLT and they do not shake at 60 MPH or higher but they don't feel stable like the BFG AT KOs on my '91. These Goodyear just don't inspire confidence.

Unfortunately my wife won't let me get new tires because these Goodyear only has 4k miles on them. I have to try to convince her some how!

Oops, correction - mine are Goodyear Wrangler RT/S not AT/S.

 

[Fishrising]

Mine shake also, right around 60-65 mph. I took them back 3x to a ford a dealer and they changed the balance weights on each wheel and re-aligned them every time. Still shakes. My "deathstones" never shook. I don't know what to do next.

 

[DannyD28]

Send a letter directly to the Ford company saying that you dont like their "replacement tires". Im serious, youd be suprised at the responses you get from writing letters sometimes...

 

[Spas]

Ah, but me being a dummy, picked out these tires on my own. D'OH! I feel your pain, guys. I blew all the moola on these damn tires instead of getting sporty ones and new rims. I guess I just have to keep my eyes peeled for peeps selling their Explorer rims for cheap...
As SOON as the tread wears down on these they ARE COMING OFF. Don't get the Goodyear Wrangler At/S's, everbody!

(Actually, as an interesting sidenote-A friend of mine at work went through 2 sets of 4 of the same tires on his 2000 Dodge Ram 4x4, and had trouble with shaking both times-especially after he locked up the brakes..the tires just didn't function well after that) ( we do a LOT of driving where I work-my 95 Astro work van is nearing the 200,000 mark already and it's only 6 years old!!)

Any suggestions on new tires that would do great in stoplight racing and be passably decent off road?

 

[96_explorer.com]

LOUD!

I got the same tires on my 1996 X and there jus too god damn loud!! they were fine at first and then I did a tire balance, rotation and there just plain loud while on the road. and these are not even mudder tires but sure sound like'em and they do shake at about 60-70mph.... I feel that it might be the belt radials are weak or there not great quality to handle a nice weighted X on the road.

I am about to take them off and get some Bridgestone's duelers

 

[MagicMan]

whats hard, loud, and vibrate like a SOB? no not that, no not that either, it's these dang goodyear wranglers. All 5 of mine were free and I think I want my firestones back. then again, look at the bright side... at least they don't separate.

 

[SteveVB]

another thread

Heres another thread on the Ford Deisel board for those running AT/S.

http://forums.ford-diesel.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=24&t=002149

Im running them and am having a little 65mph problem, I thought it was suspension related but Im going to have them checked. I like the tires-I hope its just a balance problem. Im going to take mine and get the wheel tire balanced with the Hunter 9700 see how that goes.

 

[01EB5.0]

Originally posted by DannyD28
Send a letter directly to the Ford company saying that you dont like their "replacement tires". Im serious, youd be suprised at the responses you get from writing letters sometimes...

these tires were not ont he list fro explorers as replacement tires so writing to ford may not help.

 

[01EB5.0]

Any suggestions on new tires that would do great in stoplight racing and be passably decent off road?

yeah, I would get a set of Michelin Cross Terrain tires or the Michelin LTX M/S. i have the cross terrains and they are way quieter then the firestones and a smoother ride. Plus after 3,000 hard miles of use, you can't even tell they are a week old. They may be more expensive, but personally I think it's definatly worth it!

 

[DannyD28]

Originally posted by 95XLT


these tires were not ont he list fro explorers as replacement tires so writing to ford may not help.

Well they had to be on the ;ist sometime, cause my dad had his put on at the ford dealer and thats what they were putting on everyones explorers...

 

[espnfreak]

like what travis said, cross terrains are VERY Good tires!

 

[01EB5.0]

Danny,
I think some of the ford delaewrs just bought up whatever tires they could to replace the firestones with, but I am 99% sure the Wrangler AT/S was never on the list for an explorer. I had wanted these tires and was told by several tire dealers that ford would not pay for it. Oh well

 

[Spas]

Ford would not pay for them because they are the most expensive, longest lasting, all terrain tire that Goodyear sells, which is precisely why I bought the darn things. I guess Ford didn't want to shell out the extra 30 bucks per tire over the Wrangler Rt/s's. They had no problem with paying me back for mine though......
The tread hasn't even BEGUN to wear down after nearly 20,000 miles of driving-I'll give them that, at least. And the service at my local Goodyear center has been first class too-they always put me in front of the walk ins for oil changes, and I get my tires rotated and balanced for free.

Doesn't stop the vibration though......It's actually causing the steering wheel to hop in place when I lay on the brakes now........

 

[Brett]

I have had these tires on my truck for over 30K miles. So far I have replaced 3 of the tires due to belt seperation in the sidewall - evident by a bulge in the sidewall. This surprises me because I have load range D and a 4 ply sidewall... I haven't really noticed a problem with them shaking at 60mph +, however, I do rotate and balance them every 3K miles.

If I had to do it all over again, I would have gone with with the bfg at ko's.

 

[PLRBEAR]

Well, i think there were some people who were asking about Goodyear Wranglers, and some people who had lots of good things to say about them. What really pushed me towards the Michelin Cross Terrains was this: One day i'm driving down the road, and come to a red light. There's this Jeep Grand Cherokee next to me with Wrangler RT/S tires. I was shocked to see the tire full of sidewall bulges!! The owner either wasn't aware of it (sorry, but driver was a lady), or just didn't think it was important!
And then, as if it was a stroke of luck, the Goodyear tires on my wife's Nissan Maxima also started to develop sidewall bulges!! WTF!! I couldn't believe it.
In the end, i told my service manager not to call me in for tires unless he had a set of Michelin Cross Terrains for me. He called me in after 3 weeks. Meanwhile, i get my Maxima tires switched out with Bridgestones.
I promised myself never to go with Firestone or Goodyear after that experience..

 

[Jon_Herr]

Are you getting the Bridgestones replaced or putting them on?

Bridgestone makes Firestone. You're still buying Firestone.

 

[91'explorer 2wd]

sure bill

the wrangler at/s were on my replacement list.

 

[01EB5.0]

PLLBEAR,
How do you like those cross terrains? I still have yet to use mine in snow or off road, but so far in the rain they have been excellent. WHat have your experiances been?