Driving Fast Issue

[thebluedream]

Just the other day on a long trip, the highway was all cleared up and decided to gun it! I realized that once I hit 100 mph, the B9 wouldn't stay centered on the road, it felt like it was wandering left right.

Maybe it was the wind, although it was pretty clear, or the tires.

Any suggestions on what the issue was????:confused:

[Magic Marker]

You may need an alignment. Tire balanced? I'm sure it's a very simple fix.

[snork]

Most roads are pitched/crowned which will cause any car to drift too. If you drift continually at low speeds, it probably needs an alignment.

[thebluedream]

It drives good at low speed. I face the drift issue when I go like around 90.
I don't drive that fast all the time, so I was a little surprised when this happened. I had my 15k service done and everything was fine. guess it was just the road like Snork said, Or wind gust.

[crazycanuck]

are you running winter tires by chance or the stock goodyear tires?

I find different tires will track the road better at high speeds. Does your car wander from left to right or does it pull to one side consistantly?

[thebluedream]

I'm running the stock good year ls2 rubber. And at higher speed, it goes left and right

yea and i was thinking that too, the tires must be qrap.

[snork]

Another thing to consider, as with most SUVs they were never designed to actually go that fast. There is probably considerable aerodynamic lift at that speed that will actually "float" the car and make it more prone to drifting since it seems to go both left and right.

Also FYI, the most obvious way to check your alignment is to see if your tires are wearing evenly. But that may not be definitive b/c if they're only recently out of whack, the tires may not show uneven wear yet.

[thebluedream]

yea i gotcha thanks for that.

I did assume that lift could be an issue considering the fact that cobb tuning lowered their B9 2 inches.

[Magic Marker]

Hmmm. I never thought of an SUV lifting off the ground due to speed. Good point!

[crazycanuck]

hmmm 100mph is fast but really, its a modern vehicle, its been tested in a wind tunnel and for an SUV of this style to wander at that speed shouldn't really happen. I had a new pair of goodyear tires put on my old pontiac montana and because one had a bad belt, the van wandered all over the place on the highway. I would check the tires... tire pressure, alighment, and then look into suspension compoments, you could have some worn bushings. I seriously doubt that a 2007 Subaru Tribeca was not designed to go to 100mph.

[njjuliano]

I agree with crazy, tire pressure, alignment then suspension. Tire pressure is a cause of lots of "alignment" issues in my Subarus more than my other vehicles.

Also, its fairly wide at 255. Switch lanes (very carefully, better yet, in mid runs) and see if its the same.

[SGT Goltz]

I have had my B9 up above 100 up to 120 on two ocasions. And never had any issues.... Felt like I Was going 60.

[Magic Marker]

I've never done over 85mph.

[bdieffenbacher]

Just a quick point - any issues with tire pressure, wear, mis-allignment etc will be much much more noticable at higher speeds.

[njjuliano]

On a separate note, why is this thread specifically not able to be viewed when I am in visitor mode? This happened once before at another thread. Usually I can read them all, and log in when I have something useful to say.

Forum bug? Mod decision since it talks about speeding?

[Kamkze]

I regularly reach speed at and above 100mph and have had no problems with control of the car or "floating".

[thebluedream]

yea this problem happened a while back, I had the tires rotated, balanced and the whole bit and have not had any more problems like this

[Subiesan]

Know I'm reviving this thread, but you front lower control arm bushings are likely torn/compromised. Had this on my 05 LGT Wagon and the rubber was torn in two places (rubber forms a "cross" between the outer and inner bushing components) and tears very easily. That in turn allows the steering geometry to change without steering input, leading to vagueness and getting pushed all over the road.

Replaced them with AVO poly offset bushings (to gain additional positive caster too) and the problem is gone. Tracks firmly and steadily despite cross winds, big rigs and road undulations.