2D
Radial Tire Lead Description
“Lead” is the deviation of the vehicle from a straight path on a level road even with no pressure on the steering wheel.
Lead is usually caused by the following conditions.
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Incorrect alignment.
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Uneven brake adjustment.
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Tire construction.
The way in which a tire is built can produce lead in a vehicle. An example of this is placement of the belt. Off center belts on radial tires can cause the tire to develop a side force while rolling straight down the road. If one side of the tire has a little larger diameter than the other, the tire will tend to roll to one side. This will develop a side force which can produce vehicle lead.
The procedure in the figure (Lead Diagnosis) should be used to make sure that wheel alignment is not mistaken for tire lead.
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Part of the lead diagnosis procedure is different from the proper tire rotation pattern currently in the owner and service manuals. If a medium to high mileage tire is moved to the other side of the vehicle, be sure to check that ride roughness has not developed
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Rear tires will not cause lead.