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Michelin Latitude P2 245 60R18


Burgundy17

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Michelin Latitude P2 245 60R18 tires original equipment on my new 2017 Ford Edge SEL 3.5 FWD with trailer hitch and pano roof. Last weekend took the SUV out on the interstate for the first time. I noticed it rocking back and forth at times doing 70 to 75 mph. This concerns me. Are the original equipment tires a good choice for interstate driving? Do they provide stable handling? I don't go over 75. Many rural interstates are 70 so going a little bit above that to pass is not that unusual a driving situation.

 

I took the vehicle into my selling dealer to look over. They said the suspension was fine and if it was a belt separating I would feel that sensation at low speeds. They more or less said this is just how the suv drives. They said the Edge does not have a history of flipping over. They also said Ford only tests their vehicles at the speed limit. They don't test at 80mph for example. For further input I also took it to discount tires to get their opinion. They said Michelin Latitudes are good tires and the Edge is a good vehicle. The advisor suggested it was a windy day and maybe that caused the sensation I noticed.

 

We have had a Ford Windstar and Ford Focus and I have not noticed this sensation before. Is this just a matter of everything is fine and I just have to get use to how it drives?

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Ok, today I took the Edge out on a different interstate roadway. The tires are inflated to 36 on drivers side and 35 on passengers side. These reading are taken when cold and are according to dash display and came from the factory like that. I have not added air or checked pressure with my own separate tire gauge. The wind today was less 10 mph. At spots I noticed the side to side sway. I also noticed there were thin grooves in the roadway surface going in the direction of the road and parallel to the road edge. These grooves look to be put into the road surface on purpose. This surface is 3 years old and looks in good shape. I also noticed these lines on the other interstate I tried. I think I am experiencing tramlining.

 

I feel in control of the Edge but the sway is annoying. I read wide tires are more susceptible to tramlining. Why are they putting these grooves in the road surface? I am guessing it is a safety feature for large semi-trailer trucks to help prevent them from going off the road. The question is what to do about this in my Edge?

Do I need to go back to the dealer and say I think I am experiencing tramlining and ask for an alignment? Should I inflate my tires differently? Should I get different tires in a different width? with a different pattern?

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The only tramlining I've ever experienced was with seriously staggered tire sizes on the front (245)/rear (285) of a front engined Porsche. Even then it was only noticeable on seriously truck worn interstate pavement or sometimes on concrete pavement commonly grooved for better rain traction. Unless you had a suspension component failure (doubtful on a 2017) it's hard to understand why it would sway. Sometimes excessive toe-in can cause issues resulting in a slight jerkiness in the steering wheel. Are your tires wearing normally in front? How many miles on them? Why would anyone want lower tire pressure on the passenger side although I doubt 1 psi would really make a big difference? Tire pressure should be the same.

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