Alignment issue after a flat tire

[AZStang]

I had a flat and when I got the tire replaced today I noticed the car pulling to the right during moderate acceleration.

I don't think they put nitrogen in the replace tire. Could that be causing this? Do I need an alignment as well?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions. Everything is closed and I'm freaking that somethings wrong with my car.

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[brandonsmash]

Inflating a tire with nitrogen (or not) will cause no pull. The air used to inflate a tire is already 78% nitrogen. The idea behind using nitrogen solely as an inflation agent is because nitrogen is less reactive to temperature relative to atmosphere, and (nominally) provides better control over pressure changes due to temperature fluctuation.

Inflating a tire with nitrogen or air to the same psi will reveal no difference, just as inflating a leaky nitrogen-filled tire with air will yield no difference either.

(Personally, I don't believe in the nitrogen-filled tires myth of utility except for, perhaps, in active track and race vehicles.)

If your flat was on the right, it's possible that the new tire was simply not inflated to the same level as the other three. You can check this with your TPMS from the dash.

Alignment should also not be an issue, so long as your flat didn't cause an impact to the suspension components.

If the flat was on the left side and you're pulling to the right, it's possible -- particularly if you have a lot of mileage on your vehicle, which seems unlikely -- that the tire is physically larger in diameter.

Another possibility is that the new tire isn't "broken in" yet and you may be experiencing some wheelspin on that tire (if it's in the rear) relative to the other.

My guess, though, is that it's likely a normal pressure differential.

 

[AZStang]

It is the right rear. I was driving to the tire shop with around 16 pounds of pressure and could feel the car pulling from side to side. It was a short distance so I thought I would be okay. I was told the mustang is a 4 wheel alignment so I'm hoping an alignment will fix it.

 

[GT Pony]

Make sure all the tires have the same air pressure. A new tire if the same shouldn't change the way the car drives unless your other tires are pretty worn already. How many miles on the car?

 

[AZStang]

Make sure all the tires have the same air pressure. A new tire if the same shouldn't change the way the car drives unless your other tires are pretty worn already. How many miles on the car?

Only 2300. I'm sure as I was driving the 2 miles on low pressure it changed something because I have a new tire and stills like it did on my there.

Before the flat and 2 mile drive the car was perfect.

 

[brandonsmash]

It is the right rear. I was driving to the tire shop with around 16 pounds of pressure and could feel the car pulling from side to side. It was a short distance so I thought I would be okay. I was told the mustang is a 4 wheel alignment so I'm hoping an alignment will fix it.

That's a dangerous thing to do, driving to the shop on low air pressure. The Torsen differentials in performance pack-equipped cars can be very sensitive to differences in diameter between the rear wheels, and at 16psi you're definitely skirting that line. You'd do well to fill up a leaky tire before driving it anywhere.

If I may ask, was this from picking up road debris? I live in the Phoenix area and would like to know of spots I should avoid!

 

[AZStang]

That's a dangerous thing to do, driving to the shop on low air pressure. The Torsen differentials in performance pack-equipped cars can be very sensitive to differences in diameter between the rear wheels, and at 16psi you're definitely skirting that line. You'd do well to fill up a leaky tire before driving it anywhere.

If I may ask, was this from picking up road debris? I live in the Phoenix area and would like to know of spots I should avoid!

I filled the tire up to 40 psi and drove less than 2 miles

 

[AZStang]

That's a dangerous thing to do, driving to the shop on low air pressure. The Torsen differentials in performance pack-equipped cars can be very sensitive to differences in diameter between the rear wheels, and at 16psi you're definitely skirting that line. You'd do well to fill up a leaky tire before driving it anywhere.

If I may ask, was this from picking up road debris? I live in the Phoenix area and would like to know of spots I should avoid!

Now I'm scared something could be seriously damaged

 

[GT Pony]

I filled the tire up to 40 psi and drove less than 2 miles

You said in post #3 that it had ~16 psi in the tire while driving to the tire shop. Did it start at 40 and bleed down to 16 after the 2 mile drive?

Maybe it was just the road you were on. Does it repeat this pulling phenomenon on multiple road surfaces?

 

[stangbro]

Sounds like the tire is causing the car to pullto the right

 

[AZStang]

Sounds like the tire is causing the car to pullto the right

I'm taking it to the dealer in the morning. Whatever is wrong has to be fixed. I'm not a good grandma type driver.


I'm just going to hope for the best

 

[AZStang]

You said in post #3 that it had ~16 psi in the tire while driving to the tire shop. Did it start at 40 and bleed down to 16 after the 2 mile drive?

Maybe it was just the road you were on. Does it repeat this pulling phenomenon on multiple road surfaces?

Yeah it dropped air pressure during the short drive from 40 to 16 when I pulled into there shop.


It happens on all types of surfaces.

 

[Kahboom]

While most roads are banked one way to let water wash off not to puddle up in the road. If you blew a tire while driving it could be either shocked the IRS cradle out of alignment which dont see that happening but its possible or toe rod is out of alignment, my right toe rod always moves, going to replace mine soon with BMR toe rod and lockouts. Also could be differences in tire tread height. I don't thing an unbalanced tire would pull but maybe.

 

[GT Pony]

Yep, check tread depth difference, and also check all 4 wheel alignments.

 

[jasonstang]

Make sure all four tires had equal pressure.
I have had tires with an offset belt in it causing some weird pulls.

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