Hey guys, real quick question-

I'm having major vibration in the steering wheel, mainly on roads that are already bad and would cause some vibration anyways - and I'm wondering if it's because I have one set of tires on the front that are a bit older and a new set of tires on the back. Both sets are obviously different tred patters - would this be the cause?

Thanks.

 

Different tread patterns shouldn't cause vibration. Is the vibration in the steering wheel or throughout the vehicle? Are your wheels OE or aftermarket?

There can many reasons for vibration:

1. Improper tire balance
2. tire defect (i.e. shifted belt)
3. wheel defect
4. worn suspension components
5. drive line imbalance
6. wheel bearing problem
7. wheel not seated on hub

Running aftermarket wheels requires that you ensure that the wheel stud clips; installed on the assembly line to aid in assembly but not required thereafter; are removed. If not, see item #7 above.

 

Since March, I had had my tires balanced 5 times. Each time, the problem is completely fixed. For a month. Then it comes back all over again... over and over.. always at about a month interval.

I have come to the conculsion it's the tires.. or, at least 1 of them. I thought I was losing weights so this last time I had it balanced, we taped over them. All the tape is still there and its doing it again. I suspect, without even knowing if it's possible, that the tire gets balanced, then, due to its imperfection, becomes unbalanced over the course of a month from wear (rubber loss). I drive it almost daily thru that part of the year so it gets miles 15k in 10 months. I can't solve the issue cause its down for the fall/winter but I will be buying new tires when it comes back to life.

Just something to think about in your quest for a smooth ride again.

 

Any chance you hit a pothole in the road and slightly bent one of your rims?

 

If it is snow covered roads are you getting ice buildup on your wheels? Just a thought but happens here all the time. A trip through the car wash could fix it. Worth a try.

 

So could getting out and kicking that ice block out of the fender well. Done it many o times in the DD.

 

Ice in the fender well comes off with a kick but the ice and mud in the barrell of the rim usually needs a pressure washer to fix. Don,t drive my stang in the winter but it happens on my truck especially when it is slushy out.

 

Had it checked out, don't know why I didn't ask them to do this when putting on the new tires - the old ones were swapped to the front and were NOT balanced so they are balancing them now. I assumed when they rotated they balance but since it was "under the table" they didn't "rotate AND balance". Sigh. Will post an update after I feel the ride.

 

Rotate the tires, if the vibration goes from the steering wheel to your butt, it's a wheel/tire issue. If not, it's a suspension component and given the year of the car it's either the Strut Bearing plates or the front lower control arms. Both have TSB's issued.

 

Balance solved the issue, thank goodness. Thanks for the info guys!