[DrFix2Fly]

After starting my 5,000 mile tire rotation at 20,000, I got poked by metal strands coming out of my right front tire. I'm just the latest '04 owner to experience this but I feel lucky that I found it before a blowout. I already had a set of ADR 9 X 18 w/45mm offset wheels waiting for rubber and so my choice had to be made soon. I chose the Bridgestone REO50A Pole Position 245/40/18. These are the best tires I have ever driven on and I was out the door for under a grand which is less than tirerack.com. This size wheel and tire combination clears the fenders well and the only rub I have seen is not where it used to rub on the corner of the tread and sidewall, but rather the raised rim rub guard. I will solve this with 1/4" spacers since I can't reduce the backspacing. In any event, I recommend the rubber in whichever size fits your wheels. Finally, I am working with Pontiac and my dealer to resolve the '04 problem before someone gets killed.

 

[rwilson831]

Please let me know if you get anything solved. I recently experienced the problem and had to get new tires myself. I had the alignment adjusted to "0" camber, (I think that is what they said) and I was told I have 1/8 inch clearance, which doesen't seem like much to me, but according to the service rep. is in accordance with pontiac. I still feel it rub when I turn my car sharply. I plan to upgrade my suspension eventually but I think this is a problem they should address.

 

[J.E.T.]

Glad you like 'em. I've got four new Firestone Wide Ovals waiting on my Ronal rims to come in.

JET

 

[DrFix2Fly]

After changing tires and wheels and speaking to my dealer about this problem, he wanted to get the car up on the alignment rack to see if it was within normal parameters even with the new wheels. It turns out that the right/front wheel had too much camber, .9 deg. We brought it to .3 to match the left/front. I still remain unconvinced that the alignment was the problem, just a contributing factor since the left/front tire also rubbed, but was not as significantly damaged. I am forwarding my findings to pontiac.