Wheel Vibration
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 262
Likes: 0
From: Jefferson City Missouri
Wheel Vibration
I just purchased and mounted a new set of tires and wheels on my 02. I have a significant vibration. Is it easily felt and seen on the steering wheel. I do not feel it in the seat. I took the front wheels off and put my originals back on... no vibration. I then took both the front wheels to a Road Force balancer. They checked them and said the wheels are .005 which is about as near perfect as he sees any wheels. The tire roundness is near zero. The operator said.. "This set is about as good as it gets, I don't know why you would get ANY vibration out of these". The bottom line is I do have vibration with them on but none with the originals.
I just took them to a second shop which also has a ROad Force balancer. The guy came up with the same thing also saying they are all good and he does not know why there should be any problem. SO new tires and wheels on vibration... old ones on NO vibration. WHERE DO I GO FROM HERE?????
Mike
I just took them to a second shop which also has a ROad Force balancer. The guy came up with the same thing also saying they are all good and he does not know why there should be any problem. SO new tires and wheels on vibration... old ones on NO vibration. WHERE DO I GO FROM HERE?????
Mike
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 4,549
Likes: 30
From: Shenandoah Valley Virginia
To the shop that sold you the tires. If the wheel is concentric with no run out and everything balances fine, you have a defective tire. There could be a problem with one of the radial belts or tire internal structure that only shows up when there is weight on it. You did not say if the vibration seems to be coming from one side or both. If one side, swap the tires side to side and see if the vibration moves.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,302
Likes: 1,583
From: Western NY
Are these original equipment wheels, or aftermarket? It's always possible that the second wheels aren't hubcentric, and giving you a slight amount of "wobble".
I'd check to see if you need "hub centric rings", and/or loosen the lugs, lift the car with a jack, snug the wheels with the load off the wheel, so the lugs can draw the wheel in squarely, then lower the car and torque the wheels to spec.
I'd check to see if you need "hub centric rings", and/or loosen the lugs, lift the car with a jack, snug the wheels with the load off the wheel, so the lugs can draw the wheel in squarely, then lower the car and torque the wheels to spec.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 16,376
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From: Should this thoughtful, valuable contribution meet with no acknowledgement or 'thanks' this post----
sounds like there is an echo in here...myself and many others have run into the identical situation. I put on new Hankooks and new aftermarket sypders last fall...we went through additional tires, and 2 new wheels. It got better, but at 75-80 mph I have steering wheel nibble. Stock set on yields no nibble...go figure. Here's the clincher...stored for the winter, and now the issue seems to be lessened by tire pressure. I am thinking now it is also a combination of things like the position of each front wheel after you have gone through a turn where the relation of each wheel to its opposite changes. Also, the type of pavement seems to affect how severe it is. My tire tech even drove the car after all the stuff we went through and felt it...he stated I could probably dial it out with tire pressure, which I did this month. I am running 2 pounds higher in the bad wheel and it seems to be helping...give it a try and let me know what you get. He also mentioned, since I have coilovers, I could play with the shock setting making them different for each front wheel to minimize the forces coming up to the steering wheel.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,479
Likes: 36
Have you checked to see if your rotors still have the push-on clip on one of the studs. These clips are installed at the factory during assembly to keep the rotors from falling off. These usually fit within the openings in the oem rims. But, sometimes this is not the case with aftermarket rims and if you don't remove them, your rim will not sit flat on your hub causing vibration. Ask me how I know.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,302
Likes: 1,583
From: Western NY
Have you checked to see if your rotors still have the push-on clip on one of the studs. These clips are installed at the factory during assembly to keep the rotors from falling off. These usually fit within the openings in the oem rims. But, sometimes this is not the case with aftermarket rims and if you don't remove them, your rim will not sit flat on your hub causing vibration. Ask me how I know.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 262
Likes: 0
From: Jefferson City Missouri
Thanks for all the suggestions. To respond... first, the road force balancer does put pressure on the tire. In doing so the tries checked out perfect as well as round and lateral checks on the wheels. Second, the new wheels are hubcentric, made for corvettes. Third, I have run the wheels with one new and one old. On either side it the vibrations is the same. I have 35 lbs of air in each tire. Forth, I have not checked the push on clips are still on but will tomorrow. What a pain in the A?? just to upgrade my wheels, spending over $2500 and be worse off than when I started.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 262
Likes: 0
From: Jefferson City Missouri
8VETTE7.... DON'T TELL ME THAT!!!! At $400 a wheel I can't stand the thought of not using them. It just makes no sense to me that a wheel and a tire that are found to be round, balance, no wobble, and then the things won't run on the car? Naturally I have not heard of such a thing before I spent $1600. I am SICK.
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 262
Likes: 0
From: Jefferson City Missouri
I am coming to tears just thinking about it. I am far from a wealthy person and the thought of throwing away this kind of money makes me ill. It just makes no sense to me. Your friend and I need to meet and cry in a beer together.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,302
Likes: 1,583
From: Western NY
Sorry to say that but it is 100% true. He worked with the original tire shop through which he bought the tires and rims, and at least 2 other tire shops that tried without success to get rid of the vibration. We tried my front wheels and tires on the front of his car (problem gone) before he finally went back to the factory wheels. He also comes to tears every time he opens the door of the shed and see's big bucks stacked over in the corner.
Just a question...did your friend use a credit card to purchase the wheels? Is it too late to dispute the charge?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 262
Likes: 0
From: Jefferson City Missouri
As was suggested by CYBERMIND I did take a look at the studs and still have two push on clips on each wheels studs. I also felt them and they obviously stick out a bit. I have taken them off and I notice that the hub itself had quite a bit or rust build up between studs so I sanded all of that off also. I looked at my replacement wheels and see that on the back the wheels hub is flat to the stud hole while originals are recessed around each stud hole. This could certainly allow the clip to hold the wheel out a bit at the clips. Anyway I have them remounted on the car. As soon as the weather clears here I will take it for a drive to see if I have accomplished anything.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,302
Likes: 1,583
From: Western NY
As was suggested by CYBERMIND I did take a look at the studs and still have two push on clips on each wheels studs. I also felt them and they obviously stick out a bit. I have taken them off and I notice that the hub itself had quite a bit or rust build up between studs so I sanded all of that off also. I looked at my replacement wheels and see that on the back the wheels hub is flat to the stud hole while originals are recessed around each stud hole. This could certainly allow the clip to hold the wheel out a bit at the clips. Anyway I have them remounted on the car. As soon as the weather clears here I will take it for a drive to see if I have accomplished anything.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 262
Likes: 0
From: Jefferson City Missouri
Cybermind, If you were in my area I would buy you a beer! I did check each front hubs and found that the push on clips were in place. I removed them and have driven the car about 50 miles today on several types of road surfaces. VIBRATION IS GONE. This amazes me in that it was way to much vibration... I thought... for it to be those clips. I was obviously wrong. I took the clips off and now the car feels fine. I certainly hope that anyone else having vibration problems check and remove the clips before giving up on it as a lost cause. Thanks everyone!
ps. 8VETTE7, I sure hope your friend removed the clips before he gave up on his wheels!
ps. 8VETTE7, I sure hope your friend removed the clips before he gave up on his wheels!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,479
Likes: 36
Cybermind, If you were in my area I would buy you a beer! I did check each front hubs and found that the push on clips were in place. I removed them and have driven the car about 50 miles today on several types of road surfaces. VIBRATION IS GONE. This amazes me in that it was way to much vibration... I thought... for it to be those clips. I was obviously wrong. I took the clips off and now the car feels fine. I certainly hope that anyone else having vibration problems check and remove the clips before giving up on it as a lost cause. Thanks everyone!
ps. 8VETTE7, I sure hope your friend removed the clips before he gave up on his wheels!
ps. 8VETTE7, I sure hope your friend removed the clips before he gave up on his wheels!
