xkape

OK, so I buy this car in February and the whole ride home from SC the wheel vibrates.. I am about to spend money blindly trying things until someone mentioned trying to get the wheels balanced. So, I did that.. check.. no more vibration. Now, it starts doing it again and I look and notice that it appears some of the the weights have come off on a wheel so I go to get it rebalanced... check ..um.. sort of but not really. So now I just don't know where to go..

The steering wheel vibrates left to right and it only kicks in at about 60mph. It gets worse upto 70 or so then seems to tame itself out a tad at 80+. Heres the odd part, it doesn't do it all the time. I can drive 50 miles on the same highway at the same speed and for 20 miles it vibrates, then 5 miles it doesnt the 10 miles it does.. and so forth. It's about an 80/20 mix in favor of vibration. I have no idea what to start with. All I can tell you is that my wheels are balanced and my rotors are not warped. Any help please? Also, do you need more info? I have no idea on this one.

steel pony

and how many miles are on the car?? was it stored? daily driven? weekend queen? you could have flat spots or cupping in the tires from sitting or improper storing
same thing happened with my 07 when i bought a set of rims off a friend...vibrating until they were re-balanced, then slight vibrating at irregular intervals until i bought new tires...problem fixed!

xkape

SO how would I check something like that? A set of tires for my car are $1300 so I would like to be sure if it's possible..lol

23k miles on the car. It is daily driven this time of year so it hadn't been sitting when this started happening again.. um, to my knowledge (I've drank a beer since then) But, it is stored during the winter and the previous owner, by mileage alone (bought it at 16k miles) I can tell he garaged it and barely ever drove it. 16k miles in 5 1/2 years.

Norm Peterson

Tires that are flatspotted from storing ought to return to round after being driven a bit.

Tires that are flatspotted due to lockup under braking will not recover just by driving around on them (though this should not be an issue as long as the ABS has always been functional).

Tires that are cupped are not the reason for vibration, they're a consequence of having vibration and ignoring it for too long. This would be visible uneven wear, and short of finding a place that can shave the tread down to the point where the cupping is cleaned up, you're in for new tires as well as for some steering & suspension maintenance.


But I doubt that flatspots or cupping (yet) is the problem. You'd notice the vibration over a wider range of speeds.

I'd start by checking the tierods for any signs of looseness (a rubber mallet may help here). If it's not that, then the ball joints. Then the hubs for play in the wheel bearings.


Norm

Argonaut

Not all methods of wheel balancing are equal. Check this out: http://blog.tirevan.com/2012/01/27/road-force-balance/

With only 16K on the clock its very doubtful there is an issue with ball joints, wheel hubs or tie rod ends, all of which can cause issues. Might as well check - raise one corner at a time and grab the tire at 9 and 3 and attempt to move it back and forth. Then at 12 and 6. If there is any slop you will feel it and it would indicate some parts are wearing out. Also inspect the tie rods and suspension arm for any damage.

Norm Peterson

Agreed about the road-force balance.

Let's just say I have some very recent diagnostic experience involving a rubber mallet with my '08 that doesn't have all that many more miles on it (maybe 25,000?).


OP - have any unusual noises occurred when taking a fairly sharp/hard turn (particularly if the outside front tire hits a bump while you're in such a turn)? If so, can you feel it in the steering wheel?


Norm

xkape

nope.. no noises. Oddly enough, when i am turning (like on a wide highway exchange where I can keep up the higher speeds) the wheel quits vibrating. I decided to just let go of the wheel on different roads to see what the car would do today. Every time it went left. But not immediately.. very slowly. Like, um, I could let go, grab my pop, take a drink and put it back in the cup holder and grab the wheel and at that point, my tire may have made it as far as the double yellow line.

BlackBetty

I've noticed a similar issue with my 130,000 mile 2006 for a few months now. Just a slight vibration that definitely goes away on some roads. I'll be replacing the hubs for another reason shortly and after that will go to tie rods as the ball joints are the GT500 upgrades as of last year.

I did just pick up a set of new wheels and tires so when those go on I will rule out tire imbalance as the issue.

Norm Peterson

xkape - does it matter which way you're turning or do both directions do an equally good job of killing the vibration?


Norm

xkape

both directions kill it I am suer. I will test that tomorrow though. My driving has been forfeited tonight by Leinenkugel.