Vibrations on the Highway

MikeD

MikeD

N/A All The Way!!
With new wheels and since buying the hubcentric rings, I still have a little vibration on the highway...anything over 70 gives the car a slight vibration in the steering wheel but it seems to settle after a while (weird, I know). Its not the worst thing in the world, but with new wheels and tires with one summer on them, its not good. I checked the pressure in the tires and its fine on all corners along with tight lugs. I might have thrown my allignment off on the mini group drive we had a couple weeks ago (with my winter tires and wheels)....but I would like to rule out some other stuff before I go and get a 4-wheel allignment. The tires were mounted and balanced at Don Foshay's in Augusta, its a good shop and I trust the guys there. Any thoughts?

 
Could have thrown a belt in one of the tires. Where did you buy your tires? If some where local stop by and let them see if they can figure out what tire it is. Or if somewhere like tirerack give the a call. I know tirerack is pretty good about returns as long as you bought the warranty.

 
You could have knocked one of the weights off also. Vibrations from the driveline when moving are usually one of the following

1) Rotation

2) Alignment

3) Balance

4) Thrown belt in the tire. Which is usually all the way from around 35 mph up if it is bad. I have had a couple of thrown belts in tires through the years. Sometimes you can rub your hands over the tread of the tire and feel the problem

If you have vibrations during braking usually worn and/or warped rotors.

 
Thanks for the information, but I don't think that I was clear on the OP. When I went on the group drive, I had a totally different set of wheels and tires. This is what leads me to think that its an alignment issue...which isn't the end of the world. I had the summer package on for about 2 hours before I took it on the highway and first noticed the vibrations. I think that what I'll do when I have a second is head back to Foshay's and ask them to check the balance on the set and see what happens.

The tires were purchased from my brother's shop (Davies Tire) in Portsmouth, NH.

Thanks again for the suggestions!

 
Im going to guess bent wheel or balancing out of whack. Typically a poorly balanced wheel will present it self at a certain speed, then diminish once you go above that speed or below that speed.

I know you bought used wheels, but were they used tires also? Might have a slightly out of round wheel, or bent belt in the tire.

Try rotating both front tires to the rear and see if it stops. I would think with the shimmy happening in the steering wheel that the issue is with one or both of your front tires. Typically running an only slightly off wheel in the rear, you will never feel it.

 
centering rings or not, aftermarket wheels that don't have factory spec hubcentric fitment will often give persistent vibration issues. see if you can feel where the vibe is coming from, then jack that side, dismount wheel and bolt it back on being very particular about a cross-hatched tightening pattern. this may well fix the issue.

if you din't have the vibe issue before switching wheels, it's not likely alignment.

 
Thanks guys, I have a couple other things I'm going to try, including these suggestions, before I schedule an alignment.

The tires were bought new and as far as the seller of the wheels said, the wheels were never mounted...I know that I can't always take people at their word...but three out of the four wheels were still packed up in their original boxes. I'm not too sure if I had the problem before I changed the wheels and tires over because I didn't hit highway speed inbetween the time I went bombing around Rangeley and when I made the switch.

 
You could try putting your old setup on the car and run down the road to see if it does it still. If so then alignment if not then someting is up with the rim or tire like wrxnate said.

 
does the car wheels have centers over the axle nubs...?

if not .. try them back on.

I went 2 years ..same exact

symptoms it stopped at 78 exactly, started at 70.

I made some centers for the

extinct

wheels.. miraculous. it even saved fuel..noticably.
default_biggrin.png


I also associated a physic

to this, but will not mention it.

 
I took the wheels to the shop where the set was done and they balanced all 4 again...problem solved. Thanks guys for the advise and suggestions. I'm glad things are the way they're supposed to be!

 
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