Jump to content
Do Not Sell My Personal Information


Wheel Vibrations


ratus9
 Share

Recommended Posts

Hi

I am having trouble with my car the steering wheel keeps vibrating at 70-80mph since new

The wheels have been re-balanced 5 times now and due to go back in to the dealer on the 24 June.

I have had new set of alloys fitted and 2 new tyres fitted so it is nothing to do with wheels.  Maybe it is suspension related????

Also at the moment the rears are now on the front and new ones are now on the back. I might change them back to see if they vibrate again too since new ones got re-balanced too.

Any help

Thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Hi

Hi,

I've had a similar problem since I put 17" alloys on my Celica.  I have been told that it might be the front shocks, they might need to be replaced?  Any info on this would be much appreciated?

Thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Low or incorrect tyre prssures CAN and DO cause vibration at certain speeds.. hope you get it fully sorted out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had a similar problem on a 2001 avensis when I replaced the standard steel wheels with a set of alloys (17" Artec). For 3 months I had a wobble in the front between 70 and 80mph. Alloy supplier said it was a Toyota problem and Toyota said it was alloy wheel problem.

Turned out that when the alloys were put on the supplier never put a plastic spacer behind the wheel which as I understand it centers the wheel on the hub. Alloy supplier ordered new ones and problem solved after they were installed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

Hi,

I'm glad I found this topic as I have started to experience exactly the same thing. Doing around 70mph on the motorway, I get a vibration through the steering wheel (just like running over the rumble strip). It worried me so much, I pulled off at the nearest junction and took the back roads home.

Thing is, it doesn't do it all the time and I've found the problem is worse when on a slight curve in the road, say if the motorway is bending slightly.

I'm wondering if there has been a definative solution to this, as I don't want to take the Yaris to Mr T and be fobbed off with incorrect advice/work and time wasting.

Many thanks! :thumbsup:

Caz.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


It might be worth getting the tyres balanced, failing that I have heard of sloghtly wear universal joints causign this... they are not worn enough to clank when accerlerating on full lock, but worn enough to pick up an odd vibration at speed!!!

The FTO does it too over 100.... Must be a FWD thing :blink:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'll keep that in mind Karma, cheers.

It's just that Ratus9 mentioned he'd had his wheels balanced a few times, to no avail so wondered if there was another solution to this before Mr T fob me off. I've got to get it checked very soon and can't be doing with having to go back and forth.

I'd be worried if the universal joints were worn though as the car is only 3 years old (sounds expensive) :wacko:

Thanks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The CV joints should be OK in a car of that age.

Does it vibrate all the time at a certain speed? (what i mean is.. if it does it at 70mph, does it always do it at 70mph).. can you drive through it?.. go faster and it goes away. This is most likely wheel balancing.. or if the tyres are slightly worn on the outer edge (common problem on cars with power steering.. esp passenger side) they can begin to go out of shape a little.. this will cause a slight vibration too. The tyres may also be very low on tread and need replacing.. when the get quite low, they can also loose there trueness and cause this.

Now the unlikely but possibles..

If you have hit anything on the road recently, you may have bent a suspension arm or even a driveshaft.

An engine mount could be worn.

Worn track rod ends and ball joints.

Faulty steering rack.

All of the above are very unlikey in my experiance.. if i was a betting man, i would bet on it being tyre related.. out of balance, worn to excsess, a twist or high/flat spot on the tread, bulge in sidewall (bulges, twists and high spots are usually caused by an impact of some sort.. large pothole or something).. the best thing to do is go to your local tyre dealer and get it checked out.. ask for a balance check, and while they are at it.. get them to give your tyres the once over.. be warned though, IF you go to S** Fit, if you are told you are needing this, that and the next thing.. take it for a 2nd opinion.. being a tyre fitter, i have had costomers come into us after a visit to THEM asking for 4 tyres.. only for us to tell them that their tyres have more than half the tread of a new tyre left on them. (I'm sure lots of you have heard some horror stories)

If i can help anymore, give me a shout :thumbsup:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Many thanks for your reply Davy :thumbsup:

The tyres are near perfect as they're less than a year old all round. I double checked them today and there doesn't appear to be any excess wear or bald spots. I thought about this as soon as it happened just in case too.

The vibration problem is intermitant, so it doesn't occur everytime I hit 70mph, which puzzles me. I can sometimes drive through the problem and it goes away.

I think I will get a balance check first as per your suggestion to either confirm or rule this option out. I didn't get all four tyres replaced at the same time although they were like for like to the ones before (Dunlop SP9000's) maybe this may have caused a problem which has become apparent over time?

Don't worry, I have NO intention of going to Kwik **** I know what they're like! ;)

Thanks very much!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry can't be bothered to read the whole post to find out if anyone has mentioned a buckled wheel. I had this problem on my celica I went through all sorts things and the problem still stayed. Eventually they said I have a buckle on three of the wheels so i replaced all four at a huge cost but it sorted out the problem. If it is not that then I also had a virbration a short while after fitting the new wheels and it was due to a small peice of plactic being inbetween the alloy and the hub (I have a feeling this was an old spacer that had not been removed when the mechanic replaced the wheels.) Toyota dealer spotted that one. It is probably something random like that, I wwould not think it is a bent axle or anything like that, Check and double check the alloys and all the hubs etc for the smallest thing which could be causeing the problem, it took three mechanics to spot the spacer issue on the wheel.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had this problem with my Avensis alloy wheels and it was driving me nuts, everyone and his mother balanced them UNTIL I visited a specialist steering geometry place. They stuck weights all inside the rim and further inside the wheel and they used a special centre adaptor device and lo and behold it totally sorted the problem....zero vibration at any speed.

So I would strongly suggest a tyre balancing expert is the way to go before you start spending money on tyres, shocks, wheels etc. ATS, Quick Fit, Toyota, National Tyres, and Motorway all tried and failed in my case.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Many thanks for your reply Davy :thumbsup:

The vibration problem is intermitant, so it doesn't occur everytime I hit 70mph, which puzzles me. I can sometimes drive through the problem and it goes away.

I think I will get a balance check first as per your suggestion to either confirm or rule this option out. I didn't get all four tyres replaced at the same time although they were like for like to the ones before (Dunlop SP9000's) maybe this may have caused a problem which has become apparent over time?

Don't worry, I have NO intention of going to Kwik **** I know what they're like! ;)

Thanks very much!

Buying the tyres at different times won't be a factor.. although i personally would prefer to buy them in pairs (2 front or 2 rear at same time) the only thiing buying at different times could possibly affect is the steering.. if yoou have a new tyre on one side at the front, and a worn tyre on the other front, the car may pull to one side slightly.. but shouldn't cause any vibrations.

Sorry can't be bothered to read the whole post to find out if anyone has mentioned a buckled wheel. I had this problem on my celica I went through all sorts things and the problem still stayed. Eventually they said I have a buckle on three of the wheels so i replaced all four at a huge cost but it sorted out the problem. If it is not that then I also had a virbration a short while after fitting the new wheels and it was due to a small peice of plactic being inbetween the alloy and the hub (I have a feeling this was an old spacer that had not been removed when the mechanic replaced the wheels.) Toyota dealer spotted that one. It is probably something random like that, I wwould not think it is a bent axle or anything like that, Check and double check the alloys and all the hubs etc for the smallest thing which could be causeing the problem, it took three mechanics to spot the spacer issue on the wheel.

Any good tyre fitter SHOULD check for buckled wheels when balacing them.. otherwise whats the point?.. if the wheel is buckled to excess.. it won't balance out properly.(OK his machine will say it's balanced ok.. but it will still shudder when its on the car.. any good fitter WILL know this)

As for the plastic bit.. these are called centralising rings, and won't be present if the car has standard fit alloys, these rings serve the purpose of matching the bore hole on the wheel to the same size as the hub. If there is aftermarket alloys on a car (OZ. Momo, TSW etc..) then centralising rings are required 99% of the time. If these rings are present when they are not required.. or if they are missing when they are required, the result would be wheel vibration.

Charis.. if you have standard Toyota alloys.. then centralising rings won't be rquired.. and shouldn't be there.. the garage should be checking everything when you go in and tell them you are getting steering vibration... but it could be worth reminding them to check for the other things mentioned here.. as Redwine said.. the simplest things are the most common overlooked. Good luck with it.

b52.. fitting 17" wheels to a celica shouldn't affect the shocks in any way.. if the shocks ARE goosed, then its just a coincidence.. or, the problem was there before and the 17" have exagerated the problem , making it more apparent (putting bigger wheels and lower profiles tyres on a car makes the car more responsive, and can give you, as the driver, more feel of what the car is doing) I hope you undesrstand what i'm trying to say .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

this is a known long standing problem due to the discs being warped due to the heat build up and amount of water in the uk

in japan the pads are a different spec

you can change the pads to uprated ones

but the discs need to be changed as well

toyota have had this problem for the last 10 yrs see the other sections ie carina e best fix is uprated discs i had this on my 1996 car in 1997 same symptoms and many re balance and skim toyota could not fix it but compare the pads and discs on the new avensis you can see the difference

i fitted up rated pads discs by a good indy

problem gone

did you know a slight vibration in the steering wheel meana a big vibration in the front suspension parts which means premature wear and tear good luck they told me its a charateristic ummm c£ap

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A rolling road break test will tell if the discs are warped.. any MOT station should be able to do this for you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


  • 1 month later...

known problem do not accept skimmind as the answer its the brake pad compound and heat transfer need up rated pads and discs

toyota are trying to come up with a fix

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

has your carina got alloys fitted? i had the same problem with my old carina 2

the steering juddered at high speeds and i found out why, maybe you have the same problem

there should be a spacer or something of the sort (which mine didn't have) that go into the small recess of the alloy and if they're don't fit exactly you get a very small amount of play in the wheels which is exaggerated at high speeds

i took my car to a store that dealed in alloys and had some spacers fitted and the juddering stopped

hope this helps

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...

Hello all ive just developed this problem myself so this has been a very good read :thumbsup:

New wheels (17" wolfrace drift) to be fitted to the car very shortly with new tyres (falken ziex) :D

Im going to ask about for a tyre specialist that can balance the wheels/tyres while on the car, anyone know any in the Doncaster or surrounding area?

Regards Mike

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 weeks later...

Problem sorted with the help of Andy and his information on the Haweka lug adaptor...

Got all my wheels balanced using the Haweka lug adaptor at my local tyre specialist (£8.00 per corner) and the vibration has totaly disappeared so now i can cruise along with no problems at 70-80 MPH..

Big thanks Andy (top info top bloke) :thumbsup:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sounds like its possible been a problem with..

1. The centre bore (outer edge) of your wheels are slighly off centre or out of shape, as there is a cone that inserts into it to hold the wheel centred on the Balancing machine.

2. the guy who balanced them didn't have the cone in place properly... used the wrong size of cone... or the cone is out of shape or the wrong size for the Balancer (ie - the hole through the centre of the cone is slightly bigger than the spindle on the Balancer.

The reason i say this is because the Haweka lug adaptor (which is most commonly used for balancing solid centre alloys like you get on some Peugot etc) removes the need for both a bore hole in the wheel AND a cone on the balancer, as it uses the stud holes to mount the wheel on the balancer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

hi

i have got a yaris 2001 1.5 tsport and wanted to know what the best size tyres to put on the standard 15 inch alloys. i get quite alot of tyres folding under the wheel when i go round corners too fast if you could help me out would be much appreciated

Link to comment
Share on other sites

195/50x15 or if its lowered or you are planning to lower it.. 195/45x15

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Hi sorry for hijackin the thread, didn't know exactly whether to start new thread or just jump on somebody elses, its sort of related to this anyways (I think)

I have a 2005 Yaris Blue 1.3. One day whilst negotiating a left bend, I accidently clipped the inside kerb of the bend on the left front wheel. Scars show all over the wheel. :crybaby: May have been doing 35mph at the time.

Car still moves forwards and backwards OK, has been to Blackpool and back home and I go to and from work in it. :rolleyes: But it never feels the same as before. Best way to describe it is it feels like driving in crosswinds all the time. Sometimes the car drives fine and level, other times tt feels a bit strange. At slow speeds sometimes feels like the car is going "sideways", and on motorway I seem to have to contantly make steering adjustments. Plus going straight I seem to have to hold the steering wheen pointing to the left a bit...

At my local Toyota place, after some warranty work needed carrying out for a squeaky clutch, I reported the problem, they gave it a visual check, and apparently gave it the all clear. But it still feels just wrong.

After further discussion with my local Toyota garage I've been advised I should have a Full Geometry Check or something, which checks some wheel stuff or something.... and may fix the problem as long as no new parts is required..... I need to find a time to book it in and it's going to cost £75, can't remember whether it incl VAT, prob doesnt (that's how much of a n00b I am, sorry)

I would appreciate if anybody had any experience of this kind of thing and give me an idea what I might expect. Thanks in advance.

ps, I'm a complete n00b to this forum, reading some other threads... but does "Mr T" mean "Toyota"???? Is it some kind of inside-joke or something?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi..

1st of all.. yes, the term "Mr T" refers to the local Toyota dealership.. now onto your problem.. you could have just knocked out the tracking by clipping the kerb.. tracking is also known as wheel allignment.. or, you may have bent something on the suspension, i know you said it had a visible check, but sometimes a slight bend in a component may not bevisable to the eye, this is why you have been told to get a Full Global Geometric check carried out... this checks 15 different angles on the car whereas tracking only checks the front toe settings (toe settings are the direction that the froint wheels are facing). £75 for a geometric check is a little steep to me, unless ot was quoted from Mr T (the toyota dealer) a local garage in my area does this for £45 - £50 so be worth shopping around, or you could getting the tracking redone at a cost of £15- £25 depending where you take it.. make sure the garage is useing a Laser Tracking machine, as this gives a more accurate result... and hope that this solves the problem.

The characteristics you describe with the car ARE consistent with the tracking being out.. but unfortunately its also consistent with something being bent.. so its either a geometric check to be sure.. or tracking, and hope it solves it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share





×
×
  • Create New...




Forums


News


Membership