Vibration Q?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 247
Likes: 0
From: Ramona CA
Vibration Q?
I just had new tires mounted and balanced. I bought the BFG G-Force KDW's in stock sizes. It seems like the front, maybe the left front now has a oscillation type of vibration. Is there a chance the tire shop screwed up the balance on these? I thought that maybe since I brought them the wheels loose and not the car that they forgot to add weights but there are new weights on all the tires. I wouldn't normally complain about a vibration but it is pretty pronounced. If I idle the engine and coast at 70MPH it is still there. The left mirror vibrates every second or so.
It's been a dark day in my Chevy land. Along with my C5 woes, the wifey's suburban is now starting to use oil at 75K miles.
It's been a dark day in my Chevy land. Along with my C5 woes, the wifey's suburban is now starting to use oil at 75K miles.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,094
Likes: 4
From: The 7th layer of hell - Western Washington
just in case you didn't - make sure that you torque down the lug nuts in a star pattern, snug the first time around and then to spec a couple more times around. also you said you brought the wheels in loose, if they are new aftermarket wheels you need to re-torque them after 50 miles or so to make sure they are seated correctly.
it's also not uncommon for lazy tire tech's to only give a wheel a single spin on the balancer, and not make sure that it comes back to 0.00 oz of weight needed to be true. additionally tire techs (I can say this after working in a shop for years and seeing how hard it is to get good help) aren't always the sharpest tool in the shed and may have not set the balancer properly for your wheels.
it wouldn't hurt to take the wheels and tires back for a re-balance, stating that there was a vibration at highway speeds.
it's also not uncommon for lazy tire tech's to only give a wheel a single spin on the balancer, and not make sure that it comes back to 0.00 oz of weight needed to be true. additionally tire techs (I can say this after working in a shop for years and seeing how hard it is to get good help) aren't always the sharpest tool in the shed and may have not set the balancer properly for your wheels.
it wouldn't hurt to take the wheels and tires back for a re-balance, stating that there was a vibration at highway speeds.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,987
Likes: 18
From: DuBois PA
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Try a Road Force balance...
I had the same vibration only at highway speeds. I ended up finding a shop that had a road force balance machine and it showed a tire that was grossly out of Spec and the source of the vibration. A spin balance machine did NOT pick up the tire as being bad only the road force balance machine did.... BTW this happened right after I had new wheels installed, I can't prove it but I believe the tire shop must have messed the tire up installing it on the new wheels.
I'd find a shop in your area that has a Road Force Balancer and have them check your tires...
I'd find a shop in your area that has a Road Force Balancer and have them check your tires...
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 247
Likes: 0
From: Ramona CA
Thanks guys. I re-used my wagon wheels for these tires. I took them in loose because I didn't want the shop putting my car on a hoist and using an impact wrench to tighten the lugs. I guess I'm not all that surprised that the balance is probably wrong. I'll look into a different shop to balance them again.
