Not Alignment or Balancing - what else is shaking?
Large Impressive Member
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From: Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die
St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'06-'07
Originally Posted by MrRenoman
A wheel out of true will do this. No amount of balancing or alignment will fix a bad wheel. You have to spin each one against a reference point to see a wheel that is slightly bent.
Very true, jack the car up and set up a dial indicator w/ magnetic base on a jack stand or some other suitable steel base. Check it near the outer diameter of the rim. I would not like over .010-.015 on a car wheel. It would probably take a bit more than that though before you could feel it at normal speeds. If you detect more run out than this, remove the wheel and perform the same check on the hub. It would be less, being closer to the center but you still wouldn't want much. You may be able to find a spec on it. I recently cured a like problem on a 24.5 truck wheel. The poor guy had replaced the wheel, tire and obviously been through numerous balancings, etc. A new hub solved the problem, it just wasn't true enough.
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From: Exit 89 GSP,Lakewood,NJ The Land Of Mojo
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St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2003
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From: Prattville, AL. My Dog Thinks I'm Cool!
I just talked to a guy that is the manager of a drive-train specialty shop. I told him about my vibration and asked about balancing my drive shaft. He told me that drive shaft vibrations happen at around 20-35 mph. and at higher speeds it smooths out. He said it sounded like a wheel balancing problem. I'm going to put my saw blades back on this weekend and try that.( I have 17x11 AFS all around on the car right now) I'll let everyone know what happens. 
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2003
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From: Prattville, AL. My Dog Thinks I'm Cool!
I just talked to a guy that is the manager of a drive-train specialty shop. I told him about my vibration and asked about balancing my drive shaft. He told me that drive shaft vibrations happen at around 20-35 mph. and at higher speeds it smooths out. He said it sounded like a wheel balancing problem. I'm going to put my saw blades back on this weekend and try that.( I have 17x11 AFS all around on the car right now) I'll let everyone know what happens.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2002
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From: Bahston Mass.
Originally Posted by pletner
I just talked to a guy that is the manager of a drive-train specialty shop. I told him about my vibration and asked about balancing my drive shaft. He told me that drive shaft vibrations happen at around 20-35 mph. and at higher speeds it smooths out. He said it sounded like a wheel balancing problem. I'm going to put my saw blades back on this weekend and try that.( I have 17x11 AFS all around on the car right now) I'll let everyone know what happens.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2002
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From: Bahston Mass.
Originally Posted by Corvette Kid NC
One more time... Alignment in and of itself CANNOT cause a vibration!
Relax there - no need to get all stressed over this.
I realize that, but the car needed to be aligned anyways(new wheels/tires) , then it started pulling to one side after about 2 weeks, so I brought it back in... So it wasn't brought in FOR that.
Le Mans Master
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From: Waukesha WI
St. Jude Donor '15
I had a similar vibe on my 90 from 65-75 and it would seem to smooth out a little at 80+. When I pulled the rear end apart for other reasons I found one u-joint on each halfshaft was just starting to fail. There would have been no way to find this without taking the shafts out. I replaced all 6 joints and now all is well in the world.
Food for thought.
Dale
Food for thought.
Dale
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2002
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From: Bahston Mass.
Originally Posted by Dale1990
I had a similar vibe on my 90 from 65-75 and it would seem to smooth out a little at 80+. When I pulled the rear end apart for other reasons I found one u-joint on each halfshaft was just starting to fail. There would have been no way to find this without taking the shafts out. I replaced all 6 joints and now all is well in the world.
Food for thought.
Dale
Food for thought.
Dale
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Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2002
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From: Bahston Mass.
Originally Posted by HammerDown
JB666, have you hit anything in the past year that might have bent something in the front end? Can you remember a point at which this all started?
Sad, but my "winter beater" cruises perfectly smooth, while my Vette's shakin' - GO FIGURE!!
Le Mans Master
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From: Waukesha WI
St. Jude Donor '15
Originally Posted by JB666
I'm thinking of going the U-Joint direction next. I have a small "clank" noise coming from one of them now when I'm backing up. It's been like that for about a year now - Maybe that's tossing it out of whack?
Large Impressive Member
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From: Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die
St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'06-'07
Originally Posted by JB666
Relax there - no need to get all stressed over this.
I realize that, but the car needed to be aligned anyways(new wheels/tires) , then it started pulling to one side after about 2 weeks, so I brought it back in... So it wasn't brought in FOR that.
I realize that, but the car needed to be aligned anyways(new wheels/tires) , then it started pulling to one side after about 2 weeks, so I brought it back in... So it wasn't brought in FOR that.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2003
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From: VA
If the balancing was not on a road-force machine, you need to get that done.
I had a similar vibration, had the front tires rebalanced by the original place with no effect, then finally took it to Discount Tire and got them road force balanced and that fixed it.
I had a similar vibration, had the front tires rebalanced by the original place with no effect, then finally took it to Discount Tire and got them road force balanced and that fixed it.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2002
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From: Bahston Mass.
Ok, I just got back from my buddy's shop, and he did a VERY thorough inspection of my front end.
First off, he agrees that I should just do all of the u-joints on the car, that it's a good thing, since one is clanking.
Next, the front end is VERY tight, except (key word here!!) the driver's side inner tie rod. I'm REALLY glad he found something, because now I don't feel like I'm insane.When you grab the tie rod and rock it up/down you can see some movement and hear a slight 'knock' from inside the boot. The only part that pisses me off is I'll have to pay for another alignment......
I'll pick the part up tomorrow, and he'll put it in for me Monday night. Are standard front end parts (NAPA) fine?
First off, he agrees that I should just do all of the u-joints on the car, that it's a good thing, since one is clanking.
Next, the front end is VERY tight, except (key word here!!) the driver's side inner tie rod. I'm REALLY glad he found something, because now I don't feel like I'm insane.When you grab the tie rod and rock it up/down you can see some movement and hear a slight 'knock' from inside the boot. The only part that pisses me off is I'll have to pay for another alignment......
I'll pick the part up tomorrow, and he'll put it in for me Monday night. Are standard front end parts (NAPA) fine?
Large Impressive Member
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From: Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die
St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'06-'07
Originally Posted by JB666
I'll pick the part up tomorrow, and he'll put it in for me Monday night. Are standard front end parts (NAPA) fine?
Large Impressive Member
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From: Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die
St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'06-'07
Originally Posted by JB666
Excellent!! why? Because I picked up my Moog part today! $45.. Not too bad!!
As far as I know, unless there's been a change in recent history, Nascar stock cars have always used over the counter, factory replacement Moog ball joints in their chassis. I doubt you could find a better testimonial than that to the quality of their products.
Pro
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Savannah GA
high speed vibrations after tires are round and balanced on a C4 over 50Kmiles is VERY likely half-shaft u-joints.
You should get the correct u-joints since the aluminum can corrode. They aren't that expensive and can be changed at home in way less than a day. They can be knocked out with a couple sockets since they are held in with clips.
Don't worry about changing the driveshaft u-joints. It doesn't move so they don't wear out. (At least the 200k mile ones I pulled out looked new)
Oh, also take a look at the wheel bearings, if they are loose it will follow road ruts bad, but they won't cause the vibration.
JS
You should get the correct u-joints since the aluminum can corrode. They aren't that expensive and can be changed at home in way less than a day. They can be knocked out with a couple sockets since they are held in with clips.
Don't worry about changing the driveshaft u-joints. It doesn't move so they don't wear out. (At least the 200k mile ones I pulled out looked new)
Oh, also take a look at the wheel bearings, if they are loose it will follow road ruts bad, but they won't cause the vibration.
JS
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2002
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From: Bahston Mass.
Well mine follows the road ruts, but I just credited that to the 275's that are up front - We checked the bearings last night, but they appeared to be fine. I'll look at them when I put the slotted/drilled rotors on that I have coming 
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2003
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From: Prattville, AL. My Dog Thinks I'm Cool!
Well today I took the wheels & tires off of my C5 and put them on the 92. Man what a difference! I took it up to 90 mph and it was smooth as a babys butt! So my vibration is definitely tire/rim related. I bought my 315x11x17's from The Tire Rack so I checked on-line to find a local installer they recomended.(the first three times I didn't use the recomended installer) Soooo... tomorrow morning I'll be at this shop at 7:30 to see if they can balance them. I'll let you know! 
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2003
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From: Prattville, AL. My Dog Thinks I'm Cool!
Well I got my wheels rebalanced today and these guys did the best job! They took their time and showed me how the hunter balance machine worked.Turns out my rear tires are begining to cup. The car rides much better but I still have some vibration. I want to put a set of 335's on the back but the Sumitomo's I've got on there sure didn't last very long. Does anyone have any recomendations on a tire brand that comes in that size?