Vibration at 55mph
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 432
Likes: 0
From: Manchvegas NH
Vibration at 55mph
When I drive my car, I get a vibration (like a lateral shaking) between 55 - 60 mph. Above and below that speed is okay. This has been happening for the last several seasons but I haven't done anything about it because I haven't driven the car all that much.
I am thinking it is the tires. They are 8 year old Eagle ST's and the car has sat on them for several winters, but not recently. Would old and flat spotted tires cause this? The tires are definitely being replaced, but I would hate to have the same problem when the new tires are on there. Or could it be something much worse?
I am thinking it is the tires. They are 8 year old Eagle ST's and the car has sat on them for several winters, but not recently. Would old and flat spotted tires cause this? The tires are definitely being replaced, but I would hate to have the same problem when the new tires are on there. Or could it be something much worse?
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,281
Likes: 927
From: Indiana
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Unmodified
If this is a feel in the seat of the pants then it might be broken belts or a tread starting to come off of a rear tire. There was a vibration in a car that I had let set for years. I checked the front tire balance and when that was ok I figured it was nothing. About 75mph the left rear tire tread flew off. Not good!
Ol Blue
Ol Blue
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,763
Likes: 0
From: Fayetteville NC
New tires should take care of the problem, assuming they're balanced. I had that problem and rotated my tires and the car drove better. Had the tires balanced and it improved even more. When new tires were put on later, it rode even better.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 10,362
Likes: 5
From: San Diego - Deep Within The State of CONFUSION!
Originally Posted by pra4sun
When I drive my car, I get a vibration (like a lateral shaking) between 55 - 60 mph. Above and below that speed is okay. This has been happening for the last several seasons but I haven't done anything about it because I haven't driven the car all that much.
I am thinking it is the tires. They are 8 year old Eagle ST's and the car has sat on them for several winters, but not recently. Would old and flat spotted tires cause this? The tires are definitely being replaced, but I would hate to have the same problem when the new tires are on there. Or could it be something much worse?
I am thinking it is the tires. They are 8 year old Eagle ST's and the car has sat on them for several winters, but not recently. Would old and flat spotted tires cause this? The tires are definitely being replaced, but I would hate to have the same problem when the new tires are on there. Or could it be something much worse?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 8,339
Likes: 24
From: I can walk to MA
Originally Posted by SanDiegoPaul
Tires are not to be driven on if more than four years old or so. Never six or eight.
Hey Dennis - maybe someone screwed up your front end during a rebuild.
Remember the Ferrari in Ferris Beullers Day Off ?
Maybe the paint shop guys had it airborn.
J/K Have you driven it since winter set in ?? Tsk Tsk
Good to see you are getting her up to snuff for our little vette-together in June.
A vibration at 55-60 is usually out-of-balance wheel(s).
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,036
Likes: 5
From: Raleigh NC
i have the same problem on the 69 i just bought. guy only drove it a few hundred miles a year so who knows how old the tires are :/
vibrates between 55 and 60. going to have them rotated and balanced and see what happens.
vibrates between 55 and 60. going to have them rotated and balanced and see what happens.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 4,883
Likes: 11
From: North Easton Mass
Originally Posted by pra4sun
When I drive my car, I get a vibration (like a lateral shaking) between 55 - 60 mph. Above and below that speed is okay. This has been happening for the last several seasons but I haven't done anything about it because I haven't driven the car all that much.
I am thinking it is the tires. They are 8 year old Eagle ST's and the car has sat on them for several winters, but not recently. Would old and flat spotted tires cause this? The tires are definitely being replaced, but I would hate to have the same problem when the new tires are on there. Or could it be something much worse?
I am thinking it is the tires. They are 8 year old Eagle ST's and the car has sat on them for several winters, but not recently. Would old and flat spotted tires cause this? The tires are definitely being replaced, but I would hate to have the same problem when the new tires are on there. Or could it be something much worse?
Rick B.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 16,100
Likes: 17
Originally Posted by pra4sun
When I drive my car, I get a vibration (like a lateral shaking) between 55 - 60 mph. Above and below that speed is okay. This has been happening for the last several seasons but I haven't done anything about it because I haven't driven the car all that much.
I am thinking it is the tires. They are 8 year old Eagle ST's and the car has sat on them for several winters, but not recently. Would old and flat spotted tires cause this? The tires are definitely being replaced, but I would hate to have the same problem when the new tires are on there. Or could it be something much worse?
I am thinking it is the tires. They are 8 year old Eagle ST's and the car has sat on them for several winters, but not recently. Would old and flat spotted tires cause this? The tires are definitely being replaced, but I would hate to have the same problem when the new tires are on there. Or could it be something much worse?
I had vibration that occurred at 70.But no lateral stuff.Turned out to be the clutch.
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 175
Likes: 0
From: St Louis MO
You should be able to have the tire shop put the tires on the spin balancer and look for runout on the tire and rim. If the tire has a bad belt it should not run true on the balancer. It could also be a bent rim, and they should be able to see that on the spin balancer also. Do you have a lot of balancing weights on a certain tire, sometimes they try to counteract runout with weights.
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 200
Likes: 0
From: Manahawkin NJ
When I bought my 81 It had the factory tires still on it. The guy had it sitting in storage since about 84 or so.
Imagine the ride to the tire shop in those? Only roughly 2 miles, I wouldn't have chanced it if it wasn't so close, but still. 24 year old tires?!
Imagine the ride to the tire shop in those? Only roughly 2 miles, I wouldn't have chanced it if it wasn't so close, but still. 24 year old tires?!
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 140
Likes: 0
From: Norco / Lincoln CA / NE
It is called harmonics: when all of the vibrations of the call come into sink at one constent wavelenght they produce a a stronger vibration and i be that is what you are feeling
it is a very comon thing and this kind of problem is always more evedent in older cars...... more things shaking leads to a bigger harmonic wave
for the most part nothing to worry about
Anubis76
it is a very comon thing and this kind of problem is always more evedent in older cars...... more things shaking leads to a bigger harmonic wave
for the most part nothing to worry about
Anubis76
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 432
Likes: 0
From: Manchvegas NH
Thanks for all of the replies.
I had it out last week, moving it to my parents house. I put the hardtop on it for the move, and the vibration (it is a shaking from side to side) was much worse than usual.
My plan this spring is to replace the tires, get new shocks, and an alignment. I hope I can find a place close by that can do all 3 competently.
Dave, I agree that it was probably the paint guy. No way did we screw anything up when we rebuilt it. Right?
I had it out last week, moving it to my parents house. I put the hardtop on it for the move, and the vibration (it is a shaking from side to side) was much worse than usual.
My plan this spring is to replace the tires, get new shocks, and an alignment. I hope I can find a place close by that can do all 3 competently.
Dave, I agree that it was probably the paint guy. No way did we screw anything up when we rebuilt it. Right?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 8,351
Likes: 75
From: Tampa Bay FL
Have you run over any large objects or are you aware of any damage to the steel wheels? You may want to have the wheels checked for 'trueness'. Probably less of an issue with steel wheels than with aluminum wheels. I had to replace my Left Rear aluminum wheel on my '80 L48 after running over a block of wood. Actually, I finally replaced it after a pulling a 180 back in 2004 and slamming into a curb; that pretty much ended that wheel.. but that's another story...
LOL No more vibration once I switched it out!
LOL No more vibration once I switched it out!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 8,339
Likes: 24
From: I can walk to MA
I remember that story Ted ... could have been much worse.
So Dennis, I take it you are starting to move out of the house in
Manchvegas and into the new one ? Good luck - hope it goes smoothly.
So Dennis, I take it you are starting to move out of the house in
Manchvegas and into the new one ? Good luck - hope it goes smoothly.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 432
Likes: 0
From: Manchvegas NH
Originally Posted by NHvette
I remember that story Ted ... could have been much worse.
So Dennis, I take it you are starting to move out of the house in
Manchvegas and into the new one ? Good luck - hope it goes smoothly.
So Dennis, I take it you are starting to move out of the house in
Manchvegas and into the new one ? Good luck - hope it goes smoothly.
A hint to anyone who is doing a similar move: Find a place close to you that rents 18 wheeler trailers (not those expensive Pods things, but a real 40 footer) and move your stuff with that. Move all of your stuff into it, move it to storage for 6 months, then unload it at your new address. All for a helluva lot less money than moving into several mini-storage units, or the $400 a month they get for Pods.
