Hey guys, I'm hoping some of you more knowledgeable guys can help me decipher what may be wrong. I'll give you info on the problem, and all that has happened prior to it as clues to maybe figure out what is going on.

On relatively sharp left turns, i'm getting what feels like a rubbing noise or resistance from an area that feels like my right (passenger) rear wheel. The turns aren't thaat sharp, but a bit aggressive. It seems to only happen on turns and not bumps. Regular left turns are fine, only aggressive ones do i have this.

I've taken these curves many times (they are on my way to work) and never had issues. The car is far from sliding, but i will say it 'feels' sort of like something is interfering- whether its the computer (dsc) or something physical I can't figure out. I am NOT getting a flashing dsc light but it sort of feels like dsc.: EDIT, I AM GETTING THE LIGHT FLASH (CAR WITH SQUIGGLY LINES)

I've checked the tire/wheel and there seems to be no evidence of rubbing. Rubbing was my first suspicion. edit (rubbing seems like NOT the issue).

Info on car:
I just put on my summer wheels this past weekend which I had last summer also. they are 19x8.5 et 38 on all 4. I have the full MS suspension (sways too). I had no rubbing last year at all, and never have, even in the sharpest curves.

On my winter tires (stock rims w/winter tires) i never had this issue on these curves (sharp turns, not full hairpin, but exit ramp style i take everyday, recently last week just before mounting summers).

When mounting them last week, i did jack up the car in the rear, at using a floor jack at this point (per mazda maniacs diy thread on putting an exhaust on, so figured it was okay).

I used that point opposed to the differential , as that made my floor jack seem a bit close to the exhaust and I was concerned, so I check the forum and used the above point pictured that.

I also have hubcentric rings on the new rims. The right rear one i had to really jam in the hubcentric ring (as I was mounting) but it mounted fine. I had these last year also again w/no issues whatsoever.

those are all the variables, so I have no clue what is going on. Regardless, something has happened between this year and last, and seems isolated to the switching from oem rims (with winters) to my new rims. But i had no issues last year.

any clue on what's going on? Thanks for reading.

 

anyone?

while it feels like I'm rubbing, there's really no explanation as to why I should be, as last summer i was completely fine. Plus there's no physical evidence of rubbing that i can see.

while it also feels as if it could be dsc, i dont' feel as if im pushing the car hard enough to trigger it as I took the same turns with my winter wheels and it was fine.

could it be that my suspension has settled too low?
or could it somehow have been damaged (had some rough potholes this winter)

I recently got an alignment prior to installing summer wheels also.

thanks for reading..

 

i changed tires before that had a softer side wall and cause the trac cntrl to kick
in on sharp turns kinda felt like what your saying, rubbing feeling during sharp
turns . check that but wait to here from some other that might have more experience....
tOm

 

on my way home i did some more very rough tests. i figured, if its dsc, it would kick in regardless of direction that I'm turning.

i took some very hard right turns, with no issue. the issue is only on left turns and seems isolated to the right rear.

Now, some random facts- i had issues 1) with a stubborn hubcentric ring on the right rear, but the wheel seems very flush and secure back there.

still no evidence of rubbing but it sure feels like it.

could i have somehow messed up my alignment/camber by the way I jacked up my car as pictured above? what could be causing what I can best describe as 'interference'. If it was rubbing i'm sure i'd see some evidence of it but nothing. If its DSC why is it only working on left turns, and isolated to one tire/wheel?

 

i had somthing like this happen with my 240. In my case it was a hub bearing

 

pull the hup centric rings and put the wheels on without them.. it will be ok.

tq the lugs to 108 ft lbs. see if the problems goes away..

beers

 

^ good advice

also if you think it is the traction control, first reproduce it, then shut off dsc and make the same turn again, does it still happen?

 

thanks for the tips and reading. I will try that later tonight. Should I then remove all hub rings on all 4 wheels?

Based on all the 'evidence' i'll definitely try this as I had issues jamming that hubcentric ring on on that particular wheel.

 

i had this problem as well, turns out the plastic wall lining behind the wheels popped loose and the wheel was rubbing on that, i just pushed it back in and put those black screw things back in the holes

 

What do you mean by 'black screw things back in the holes'?

 

u know on the inside of the wheel, on the body of the rx8. theres like plastic panels that are held together by these black plastic screw things. somehow it popped out and it was rubbing against my tire. This happened the same day i put my new aftermarket rims on so i thought that the tires were rubbing. just turned out it was the plastic panel. its like when you install clear corners u have to get behind the front plastic panel. like that

 

ahh, gotcha. Mine seem secure though i'll triple check tonight (took the wife's truck in to work). Based on me having to 'jam' the hub centric ring on the wheel I'm hoping once i remove that and the wheel and investigate, it'll be better.

 

9.5 +38???

you didn't state the tire size, but that size/offset with a wide tire sidewall may be rubbing lightly on the rear wheel lips .... with a 265/35 Yokohama Advan Neova AD07 tire it will definitely rub at that offset (search for Polak's thread)

 

I'm 19x8.5 (+38). On 245/35/19 Ps2s.

I removed the right rear hub ring this morning. Am going for a spin now to see how it fares...

 

my bad, never mind ...

 

Okay, so i took the hub ring off that wheel. I took the same exit ramp like i normally do, and the same thing happened- though, i was able to take the turn a bit more aggressively. I tested it twice, and am pretty sure im not imagining it (i.e., i can take the turn a bit faster w/o hub ring)...but the problem is still there,...just has a more tolerable limit. HOWEVER,...because it was dark I found that I am seeing the TCS/DSC light which is a nice nugget, but it still leaves me confused for a variety of reasons.

I took turns just as hard making right turns, and no light. Something is haywire with my rear right that seems to trigger DSC when i make sharp left turns. What could it be? I know its abnormal cause i take these turns every single day and had no issues prior to re mounting my summers.

I checked tire pressure, the right rear is lower by 1.5 psi. I had my alignment done a month ago. Be it, that was on my winter rims/tires, but my rolling radius is virtually the same with my summer setup.

I hit a very big pothole, at maybe 3mph in a parking lot 3 weeks ago, on my right side only. Could it be that? Could I have f'd up my alignment enough for some reason that its confusing DSC isolated to the right rear? I'm just not sure what it is and am willing to do whatever it takes to fix it, just want to head down the right path. Is there a way to just 'reset' DSC if you will?...i know you can shut if off but it almost seems if i just need to tell it to 'refresh' and recognize my summer setup (that i had no issues with last year!). My alignment 'seems right'...i.e. i track straight, and toe seems accurate.

Again, i had NO ISSUES last summer with this. All that is different this summer is that i rotated tires when mounting, after painting my calipers last weekend! Any help is appreciated.

 

no worries, thanks for any input...but, see update above.......thoughts?

 

check your tire pressures. i know that sounds stupid, but if one is at 27 and the other at 35. dsc can happen..

beers

 

i checked them after the tests. Right rear is 33.5 while all others are 35. (tires were warm and sticky).

To me that seems minimal. Do you think its alignment? The only (and this is really me brainstorming) thing I can think of is I hit a big dip/pot hole in a parking lot the other week, but i was not going any faster than 3-5mph.

 

I also have this problem. I have found that if the DSC is off, I no longer get the weird rubbing or whatever it is. No solution from me, but just wanted to let you know you are not the only one.

 

wow,

had to reread the whole thing again

i would get the alignment checked.. sounds like the dsc is doing its job..

the car might be yawing quicker in one direction if the alignment is off..

does it make any noise with the dsc off?

beers

 

thanks for re-reading the essay

I'll get the alignment done Monday...

I'm baffled as to why it only happens on left turns (exiit ramp style 270 degrees or so). I tried testing today after disconnecting battery, checking the abs wheel sensors, and it seemed almost worse...a bend I can normally have an exit speed of like 55-60 i now have to crawl thru at like 35. If my rotating tires 'confused' DSC it would seem that it would at least it happen on turns regardless of direction. But that's not the case here.

I haven't turned DSC off yet simply because Im seeing the light flash (car with squiggly lines) on the turn as soon as I hear/feel the rubbing/abs brakes kick in so it seems as if DSC/TCS is working but confused.

When i rotated tires for this summer i followed the guidleines on tire-rack, putting the old fronts on the opposite rear. if i have time, tomorrow i may re mount them in 'last years' position, and do some tests. Again, no issues last summer, only maybe 4k miles on tires.

 

Just trying to compare our variables...what's your setup like? I.e., rim size/tires/etc.

and when did it occur?

 

our tire diameters are the same.

but, you have the same size wheel on all four corners? correct. you are not staggered.

the one time it happened to me it was very low air in one tire.. 27 on one side and 35 on the other..

the only other thing that comes to mind is you are just more comfortable turning in one direction so you perceive the dsc coming on early..

beers

 

I'll triple check air tomorrow and plan on remounting my summers in last years position. Only thing I can think is maybe last year my alignment was off by a pinch, created slight uneven tread on the fronts, and now that the fronts are on the rears with slight wear differences, its creating confusion.

I see your point but i've done numerous tests and I really feel its just on left turns.
I've never ever triggered it making right turns and i have tried many very aggressively. I can't even make semi- aggressive left turns.

I measured the ground height to my frame and the right side of my car is a bit lower. I know that's somewhat common, but i'll toss it out.