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-   -   Front tyres bulging at the bottom - Is this normal? (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/tyre-alloy-wheel-section/238666-front-tyres-bulging-bottom-normal.html)

Hi Guys, I have a swift vxi 2013 model , run 55k kms and I had replaced the front tyres with the Bridgestone tyres a year and a half back. Every time I look at the tyre with the naked eye it feels like the tyre pressure is low and they are bulging at the bottom. I always check the pressure and it comes out to be normal (around 32) and I have shown this to a couple of mechanics and the tyre shop I got it from - they all tell me it's normal but I see so many other cars on the road and their front tyres don't bulge like this.

The issue now is that the car wobbles at medium and high speeds, the ride is not stable and I feel each and every bump on the road. Are the front tyres to be blamed for this ? There is no vibration on the steering though

Last week, I got wheel alignment, wheel balancing done and also changed the front complete struts and Link Road and changed the rear shockers as well from MASS but there is hardly any difference in ride quality. The clutch and brake calibers were also replaced.

Now, I am not sure what to do next to improve the quality of the ride? I have already spent INR 40k plus on the suspension and clutch overhaul. The rear tyres are stock oem jk tyres and I am planning to change them tomorrow - but can just the rear tyres be the culprit or is there anything I am missing and need to do to get the car stable again?

Any inputs will be greatly appreciated, many thanks!

The tyre bulge at the bottom is actually normal and a characteristic of radial tyres. I must admit, even I get the doubt of tyre being low on the pressure but that is not the case.

I was about to suggest wheel balancing/alignment but since you have done all of it and even more, perhaps you could try driving another Swift and see if they all feel the same. Has the car been with you all the time or are you new to cars? Just wondering if this was a pre-owned vehicle, would there be something amiss with the structural integrity?

Did you get the suspension work done AFTER the alignment was done or before? If After, please get the alignment checked from a reputed Tyre Shop (not ASS) again.

Before changing the rear tyres, do a small exercise - since the rear tyres are OEM (JK Tyres), why don't you swap the rear wheels to the front and put the Bridgestone at the rear and take the car for a drive. If there is an issue you can check during the test drive post the swap.

This is there in my 2012 Swift VDI too. Once I also thought the lower part is bulged and I too went to check tyre pressure and it was higher than normal and they reduced it. I am also having Bridgestone tyres. So I believe it's normal.

Thank you guys for all your inputs :)

I am the first owner and the car has always been with me and I am driving it since 8 years and there has not been any major damage apart from the a few hits on the bumper and a few times the tyres going into the potholes at fast speeds. I insisted the MASS guys to even open up the bottom chasis but they said it looks fine and need not be open

Alignment and wheel balancing were both done after the suspension overhaul.

Yea that's a good idea - I will try that. I was gonna put the new tyres in front and then put the Bridgestone ones at the rear.

I wanted to know should I put the same brand and model Bridgestone in the front or is it okay if I go with some other brand? I am getting a better price on CEAT and Goodyear and they are coming with better warranty. Will it make a big difference if I change the brand and also since Bridgestone ones are radial tyres do the new tyres need to be radial type too?

Also, any recommendations on which tyre model to get will be really helpful :)

This model Swift came standard with very thin JK tyre tornado or good year duraplus IIRC, 165 section, at correct air pressure would look under inflated. But this is okay, you should ideally run on 185 section tires for this car.

If you have replaced the link rod - which I think connects the front lower arm to the anti roll bar and then the car is dancing around , it probably means the anti roll bar bushings are worn out, they are inexpensive and you must get them replacement.

Hi Guys,

Thanks once again for all your inputs.

Quick Update: I installed CEAT Milage X3 Tyres in the front and shifted the Bridgestone tyres to the back. The ride has not improved much but now the bulge in the front tyres has reduced and it is not as steep as it was with the Bridgestone tyres.

So I want to know what is the main culprit for the bad ride quality - here is the list of exact items I was billed for that has been replaced by the service center.

1. Strut Set, FR Suspension LH (PET) - Rs 3382
2. Strut Set, FR SUSP RH (PET) - Rs 3382
3. Absorber Assembly Rear Shock - Rs 1375 each for both sides
4. Joint Comp, FR Stabalizer Bar - Qty 2 - Rs 378 each
5. Mount, Front Stabalizer Bar - Qty 2 - Rs 28 each

I have read other threads on suspension on Team Bhp and I am sure the MASS guys have missed or omitted a few things and that is still causing the ride to be bumpy and bouncy at even slightest uneven roads.

Can someone please guide me what all parts need to be changed additionally?

Also, they never opened the bottom chasis and I have seen YouTube videos where people who have done suspension overhauls have changed a few bushes in the chassis. So should I insist them to open the chasis as well?

You have put in new tyres, new shock absorbers, new link rods and stabilizer bushes. The wheel alignment and balancing is also done. The wobbling must vanish; there is nothing more to change.

Wobbling is mostly related to unbalance in the tyres or uneven wear on a tyre. With the new balanced tyres, there shall not be any wobble. Do you feel any vibrations on the steering wheel above a certain speed (typically above 60 - 70 kmph)?

Also get your wheel rims inspected for any damage / bend. Usually while changing the tyre, the mechanic shall inspect the rim.

Also check the lower arms for any cracks in the rubber bushes. Minor cracks are ok. On Swift, these bushes cannot be replaced and you need to change the lower arms if the cracks are long. Each lower arm costs around Rs. 1500 for Swift. Normally, the service center will inspect the lower arms while changing the front shock absorbers. Bad lower arms won't give you wobbles but these may cause uneven tyre wear and steering problems. Considering your milage, these shall be inspected and replaced if necessary.

What is the opinion of the service center about wobbling? Compare with some other Swift of low milage. With all the new parts you have put in and the new tyres too, the car must not wobble.

If that is an 8 year old JK tornado, then look no further, that should be the culprit. Also, newer tires should go in the back. Since you already have newer bridgestone's in the front, suffice to say, to get your new tire installed in the rear.

You have two different issues - Bulge at the bottom of the front tyre and Bumpy ride quality over undulations.

First thing about the bulge. Do not worry over it. It depends on the sidewall strength of the tyre and various other tyre construction parameters. As long as you maintain the right tyre pressure you should be fine. Just ignore the bulge thing .

Regarding bad ride quality, you have changes all the suspension components that affect the ride quality - Strut, Spring, Stabilizer bar bushes. One component missed out is Link rods, but that is OK, they do not degrade the ride quality that much. Besides, they make noise when they go bad. You have also installed a pair of new tyres at the front and have shifted the relatively new tyres to the rear. So the tyres are also good. Which leaves only one thing - Bend in rims. This can be diagnosed during wheel balancing where the bent rim would wobble during rotation.

Also, I suggest you try experimenting with the speeds at which you travel over undulations. Some cars drive well over undulations at higher speed and some at lower speeds. Say for example, if you are going over undulations at 20 kmph, try increasing the speed and see if the ride quality is still bumpy. Or try reducing the speed lower that what you usually do over undulations and see if the ride quality improves.

As many of the other members have suggested, get the rims inspected. Get the WHEEL BALANCING done. That is the process where they take the tyre and rim and check if the weight is uniform all along the circumference, and stick weights on the rim to balance it.

For alignment and balancing, go to a reputed tyre shop. They deal with tyre problems all day and will have the correct equipment and personnel. Any ASC may or may not have the same, and the technician may be some part time chap who is anyway overburdened with other jobs, and will do a namesake job.

One more suggestion:
Where did you check the tyre pressure? Most local 'puncherwala' and petrol pumps will have gauges that are way off mark. One suggestion is get it filled with nitrogen. Deflate fully and inflate with nitrogen. My personal experience is that the nitrogen machines are somehow more accurate.

As for your rear tyres, if they are the OE tyres from 2013, please change them ASAP. They are eight years old, and the rubber would have degraded, irrespective of kilometers run or tread depth. They are no longer safe. Chances of bursting are also high.

Bridgestone's, (apart from the Potenza series), usually have a slightly narrower profile and on any rim looks a bit "pinched at the bottom" compared to radials of other make.
If the car in the picture is your's, can you swap the rear wheels with the front please and drive around a bit?

I have a feeling it's more to do with the steel rims rather than the tyres. Over time steel rims tend to "run-out" more compared to alloys and exhibit some of the symptoms you have described.

That's a big expenditure you have incurred.

How come you have a 9 year old tires still sticking with the car. Regardless of the mileage they get hard and ride rough. Could be the reason for that wobbly unsettled ride. You should have first replaced those 9 year old tires, replace it with the ones in the front and add a new set at the front. This would have given a clear idea on what needs a replacement.

Those bridgestones are not soft runners and you have got yourselves CEAT, assuming Good Life(?), they are not going to run smooth either.

Were you confident that, these parts needs to be changed and you were not fleeced by MASS.

The front tyre is expected to have more load on it given the engine and hood weight added to it. I would assume with the extra weight the front tyre flattens more than the rear, causing it to get a bulge at the bottom..