2017 Yamaha PTV Extreme Tire Wear

[sho305]

I don't know about those tires only stock cart tires, those we ran about 15psi in but that was a long time ago before the cart was lifted.

[olson boy]

I've got customers putting thousands of miles on carts with the loadstar 205/65-10. We reccomend to run 22 psi front and 25 psi rear on gas carts. 30 psi all around on electric carts.

[sho305]

If true then most likely high wear with high pressure is more from alignment issues than high pressure.

[AFBob]

After reviewing posts and videos on tire alignment, I measured my 20" tires (front to front, 10" off the ground) and well as doing the the same for the back of the front tires. My measurements are: Front center to Front center was 34-2/16". Measurement on the rear of the front tires (center to center) was 35-13/16. I'm told the difference should be 1/8" but mine is 1 and 11/16" toed-in. I also counted the threads on the tie rods (Driver side shows 9 threads while the passenger side shows 5 threads). I am assuming that since my toe-in is so bad and the threads on the tie rods are so different, that I can't simply start adjusting each one by the same amount.

My question: Should I start by adjusting both tie rods so the threads are equal (i.e., 7 threads visible on both [versus 9 and 5) and then start making equal adjustments on both until I obtain a 1/8" toe-in? I'm not sure how to approach this and I don't have a hitch on my car so I can't even rent a trailer to bring the cart back to the dealer.

[sho305]

I would turn the steering wheel all the way both ways and count turns, turn it back to the exact center. The wheel should be straight or close. From there I would look closely at the tires and see if one is turned in more than the other, if so turn that one so it is more straight ahead. Get them close and measure again. Right, you want minimal toe in like 1/8 or something. It should be very close.

[AFBob]

I have a question if anyone can help. I adjusted my tie rods until I had 1/8" toe-in, and it rides GREAT! No more jumping side to side. I'm hoping the tire wear problem is solved. My question, however, is: How do I know if one tire is perfectly straight and the other tire makes up the 1/8" toe-in? Measuring the center of the front tires (front and rear) only show the difference--not the amount of each.
I watched a video of someone adjusting a car toe-in and he connected a 40+' string between two jack stands. Both stands were about 2-3' in front of the car and the string went around all 4 tires. I think he adjusted the jack stand so the string just touched the front of the REAR tires. Then, me measured the distance between the front of the front rim and the back of the front rim to determine the toe-in of each wheel. Since I had plastic hub caps on (and they're not on perfectly straight), I was afraid to make adjustments. I measured the distance between the widest bulge on the front tire (front and back) and tried to estimate the toe-in that way. I am not at all comfortable using that string & jack stand method and wonder if there's another way to make sure both of my tie rods are adjusted correctly. I know the toe-in is 1/8" now but I have no idea how much toe-in comes from each tire. If the total toe-in is correct, should I just forget about it and be happy? Like I said, the difference in driving it now that I changed the toe-in from 1 & 11/16" to 1/8" makes a NIGHT and DAY driving difference.

[sho305]

Normally the toe would be half for each tire, however if one side is loaded (only a driver for example) that tire will have more traction and thus more steering, so more of the toe will go to the other tire while the weighted tire goes more straight with the vehicle. However with a tiny amount of toe the tire hardly slides anyway because of the flex in the rubber of the tire can absorb a tiny amount of misalignment. So with a tiny toe like you should have, it really does not matter because its so little both tires are virtually straight anyway. Whatever the toe the tires will find the balancing point and you will change it to what you want by steering. If the toe is way off the unweighted tire will slide sideways.

The string thing only works if you know your front and rear are exactly the same width, on many vehicles it is not. Another way is to put a straight edge against each tire extending forward a couple foot. If you measure the diameter of the tire (say a 18 or 22 tire is common) and mark right ahead of the tires then your tire size further out in front of the tires. Then measure between the marks just in front of tire, and the marks 18" (tire diameter) ahead of the tires, the difference is your toe. For example you would want 1/8" less 18" ahead of the tires as you get in front of them for a 1/8 toe in. If you have something straight you can prop it up against the side of the tires to do this.

You can fine tune your toe if the cart is still darty or sensitive at high speeds on the road move the toe out just a tiny bit. If it wanders then toe it in a little more. Make sure you have proper air pressure in the tires as that will affect how it steers also. I left mine loose and drove up and down a road moving them little at a time until it drove like a car, calm and steered as I expected, no wandering, then I tightened the locknuts and double checked, never have touched it again.

[LimitedEdition]

As far as adjusting the toe you can make the adjustment on one side but the steering wheel will be out of alignment if it was set to center from the factory. On a rack and pinion steering you should try to balance the adjustment equally on both sides to have equal turning radius in both directions and keep the steering wheel straight.

The method I use to align my wheels is with two lengths of nylon string with fish hooks on each end. I hook the string on the front of the front tire at axle level then stretch it to the rear tire and hook it to the rear of the tire at axle level. This gives me a straight line from front to back across both wheels. If the wheel base front and rear is the same it is simple to keep the steering wheel centered. If there is a difference between the front and rear wheel bases I use wooden spacers between the string and the tire to make them equal.