Wheel balancing question

[Dave G]

Before going back to the shop where I bought my new tires to complain, I wanted to run this by you all and see if my reasoning holds water:

I'm getting a bit of shaking at high speed, which I feel in the steering wheel. Not all the time, though. Some of the time there is no shaking at all, but it always comes back.

My theory is that BOTH front wheels must be somewhat out of balance, and both out of balance to almost exactly the same degree. When there is no shaking, the imbalances must be working against one another - that is, the right side is shoving in on it's tie rod with the same force that the left is shoving in on it's rod. Then as I go around a bend one gets ahead of the other and they no longer cancel out. A few more miles and a few more bends and they get back in sync and the vibration goes away again.

Whaddaya think? Plausible?

And another thing - could it be that the little 12" wheels don't register on the balancing machine with the same force as normal wheels, thus explaining why the shop might not have done a very good job of it?

[mechanicaldj]

whew!!!!!

got any other theories????

on the Big Bang? JE Hoover? Kennedy assassination?

your are thinking a little too much :roll:

they could of mis-balanced it
or your rim is slightly bent
or there is a tire imperfection, broken belt...etc...

[gdawgs]

Dave, you nailed it right on the head. That's exactly what's going on.

With everything being so small(wheels, tires, steering and suspension components) any little bit of wheel imbalance is noticeable. I have had the exact same thing that you are describing happen to me several times,

Either go back to the shop and have them do it again, or I've done them myself. The shop equipment can do a good job, but I think it also depends on who is doing the work. Seems like some guys do a better job than others. Anyway, if you want to try doing it yourself, jack up one side of the car(front end) and put it on a jack stand, then get in the car, put it in 4th or 5th gear, and slowing take it up until the speedo reads 40mph(being that only one wheel is spinning, the wheel is actually spinning at double what the speedo says, so it's actually doing 80 mph). If the wheel balance is right on, you won't feel any vibration in the car. Most likely in your case, you will feel it. Then what I do, is just take off the wheel weight and move it an inch or so, then try again and it's either going to get better or worse. If it gets worse, you went the wrong way so move the weight the other direction. Like I said, the shop machine will usually get it very close, so sometimes all it takes is to move the weight a little bit. Once you get one side done, jack up the other side and repeat.

However, in your case, I'd just take it back to the shop and have them do it again. Be sure to tell them that the tiny wheels are very sensitive.

[DontFearTheReaper]

The out of balance theory does sound good. But I like playing the Devil's Advocate... :twisted:


Now my line of thinking. Check your passenger side drive axle. Does it have a vibration dampener on it??? (close to the middle of the shaft it is round with rubber inners and a metal type material outer ring.) IF... IF there is not a dampener on it there is a slight possibility that one of your front end components could be going bad...like inner or outer tie rod ends, ball joint, hub bearing.

I really hope it is just a tire out of balance... :twisted:

GOOD LUCK

[Dave G]

Follow up: I swapped front for back on one side and the shaking is gone... works for me :-)

[25Horseplay]

Bent rim?

[DontFearTheReaper]

pieces of Jimmy Hoffa rolling around in side of tire???

[Dave G]

Bent rim?

Nope, they are all good.

[Dave G]

pieces of Jimmy Hoffa rolling around in side of tire???

Hummm I'll have to check :roll:

[Whittey]

[edit]Never mind[/edit]


-=Whittey=-