Vibration Questions

[ksoze]

EXCELLENT idea! Any responses from anyone who's replaced their wheels? Any flat-spotting or other vibrations post-change?

How is a wheel change going to effect tire flat-spotting?

 

[goochylittlepig]

How is a wheel change going to effect tire flat-spotting?

As it has been mentioned, there are two issues being discussed: the tire flat-spotting which can happen on many types of cars and goes away after a few minutes, and the persistent highway vibration. It seems like several types of tires have been tried, and the main issue still exists. Therefore, it may be another culprit, or a combination of factors. It would be logical to suspect the wheels next, so I was curious about any experiences with that.

 

[mdsbuc]

70 respondents/27.15% with unresolved vibration problem

 

[TeeJet]

There are 6 reports from the poll that the problem was corrected with replacement tires. But I have not seen any postings that indicated this. I suppose it is possible that these people only completed the poll and never posted. I sure would like to know more details. I am beginning to think that additional replacement tires will not be the fix for my car. Thoughts?

 

[ckon]

As it has been mentioned, there are two issues being discussed: the tire flat-spotting which can happen on many types of cars and goes away after a few minutes, and the persistent highway vibration. It seems like several types of tires have been tried, and the main issue still exists. Therefore, it may be another culprit, or a combination of factors. It would be logical to suspect the wheels next, so I was curious about any experiences with that.

FYI, I just replaced my wheels and there was no change in the flat-spotting symptoms.

Another thing has occurred to me: I'm guessing that there could be more people having the flat-spot issue without even being aware of it. It could depend on the driving conditions most frequently encountered when the car is first driven after it's been sitting.

For instance, when I leave my neighborhood in the morning, I drive at 20 MPH or so for about .4 miles and then turn onto a very smooth road where I quickly reach about 45 MPH and the symptom is readily felt as soon as I reach speed every time. This makes me wonder if people who drive on rougher roads early on may never feel the symptom even though it could be present in the car. Any thoughts?

 

[mdsbuc]

FYI, I just replaced my wheels and there was no change in the flat-spotting symptoms.

Another thing has occurred to me: I'm guessing that there could be more people having the flat-spot issue without even being aware of it. It could depend on the driving conditions most frequently encountered when the car is first driven after it's been sitting.

For instance, when I leave my neighborhood in the morning, I drive at 20 MPH or so for about .4 miles and then turn onto a very smooth road where I quickly reach about 45 MPH and the symptom is readily felt as soon as I reach speed every time. This makes me wonder if people who drive on rougher roads early on may never feel the symptom even though it could be present in the car. Any thoughts?

I think that's a possibility, and I also think it possible that there is another group of drivers (probably a small percentage) that are just totally oblivious to the issue, even though they might have it.

 

[mdsbuc]

There are 6 reports from the poll that the problem was corrected with replacement tires. But I have not seen any postings that indicated this. I suppose it is possible that these people only completed the poll and never posted. I sure would like to know more details. I am beginning to think that additional replacement tires will not be the fix for my car. Thoughts?

With a good number of posters making multiple posts on this thread, including myself, I'm sure that there are quite a few who have responded to the poll without making any comments at all. It would be nice for those folks to "chip in" with more details about their experiences with the issue.

 

[ksoze]

This makes me wonder if people who drive on rougher roads early on may never feel the symptom even though it could be present in the car. Any thoughts?

I suspect those who have never driven soft-walled, low profile tires may be more susceptible to noticing how these tires can react when cold. This issue may also rear up more in the winter months, as the overnight cold conditions can exaggerate the flat spotting inherent in many tires such as these.

 

[reddogva99]

I think that's a possibility, and I also think it possible that there is another group of drivers (probably a small percentage) that are just totally oblivious to the issue, even though they might have it.

My only issue with the car at first was the sunroof rattle. I had the same issue in the sonata hybrid. My rattle went away after the weather warmed up the same week I had it in for service for them to look at the problem. Now with all of these posts I do feel like the car sometimes vibrates more than normal but I'm not sure I would have really felt like it was an issue. I have noticed when breaking downhill somewhat hard I feel a lot of vibration and can hear it as well.

 

[ckon]

I suspect those who have never driven soft-walled, low profile tires may be more susceptible to noticing how these tires can react when cold. This issue may also rear up more in the winter months, as the overnight cold conditions can exaggerate the flat spotting inherent in many tires such as these.

I've never noticed a greater or lesser tendency with changes in temperature. I really don't think it's an issue of tires at all. I think it's in the car's drive or suspension. Maybe someday we'll actually know what's causing all this drama for us.

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[ksoze]

I really don't think it's an issue of tires at all. I think it's in the car's drive or suspension. Maybe someday we'll actually know what's causing all this drama for us.

But, if it gets better as the car warms up, that would seem to negate a suspension or drive problem, no?

 

[ckon]

But, if it gets better as the car warms up, that would seem to negate a suspension or drive problem, no?

That's why it's been called flat-spotting - because it mimics a tire problem - but, IMO, all of the other evidence is pointing to some other cause. That's why it's so puzzling.

 

[TroyK]

i'm scheduled to get my hankooks swapped out for the michelins late next week. i wasn't gonna do it, but have read that the michelins are better in snow...and winter is just around the corner! anyway, i ONLY have the temporary flat spotting with the tires on my car. i haven't noticed any other major issues with vibration/noise from the tires/wheels. will be interesting to see how it turns out!

 

[ksoze]

i'm scheduled to get my hankooks swapped out for the michelins late next week. i wasn't gonna do it, but have read that the michelins are better in snow...and winter is just around the corner!

Not knowing where you live, isn't August a little early for snow? If the Hankook's are working for you, would it make more sense to get every mile out of them. For most of the country, snow is many months off - take advantage of the gift and use those Hankook's until snow is in the forecast.

Also as a sidenote, Tirerack shows the Hankkook's as having better light snow traction and the same heavy snow traction as the Michelin's.

 

[TroyK]

Not knowing where you live, isn't August a little early for snow? If the Hankook's are working for you, would it make more sense to get every mile out of them. For most of the country, snow is many months off - take advantage of the gift and use those Hankook's until snow is in the forecast.

Also as a sidenote, Tirerack shows the Hankkook's as having better light snow traction and the same heavy snow traction as the Michelin's.

i live in the northern plains, snow starts flying up here pretty early! plus, the nearest dealership is nearly 3 hours away. so, car needs its first oil change, and therefore might as well as get the tires too! i don't put a ton of miles on my cars, so the next oil change probably won't be til late winter or next spring. as for traction, going by what others in the forum have said.

 

[mdsbuc]

Update: with 75 respondents, 28% have an unresolved vibration problem

 

[ckon]

UPDATE: I have replaced my tires and wheels and still have intermittent high speed vibration, most often noticeable around 80 mph.

It seems to be coming from the same area that I feel the flat-spotting vibration coming from. It feels like the right front, but I can't even really tell why I think that's the source.

 

[mdsbuc]

UPDATE: I have replaced my tires and wheels and still have intermittent high speed vibration, most often noticeable around 80 mph.

It seems to be coming from the same area that I feel the flat-spotting vibration coming from. It feels like the right front, but I can't even really tell why I think that's the source.

I presume that the new wheels and tires were road force balanced?

With 75 forum members responding to the poll, and with 28% having unresolved problems, I think these numbers are pretty significant. When I mentioned feeling the vibration on two test drives at two different dealerships, there seemed to be worried looks on the faces of the sales people involved. I think the dealers know there's a real problem.

 

[ckon]

I presume that the new wheels and tires were road force balanced?

With 75 forum members responding to the poll, and with 28% having unresolved problems, I think these numbers are pretty significant. When I mentioned feeling the vibration on two test drives at two different dealerships, there seemed to be worried looks on the faces of the sales people involved. I think the dealers know there's a real problem.

Yes, they were road force balanced. It's been definitely proven that my old wheels were damaged, but they don't seem to have been totally responsible for the vibration I was experiencing - the vibration was only somewhat reduced by changing the wheels, not eliminated.

These two vibrations seem to have the same "signature", meaning they both seem to originate in the same area of the car and feel the same. Is that making sense?

I know it's very difficult to actually know where a vibration is coming from, but has anyone else suspected a relationship between the early morning flat-spotting vibration and any other vibration, high speed or otherwise, they've experienced? EDIT: Also, if you are experiencing this similarity, please state whether your car is AWD. TIA.

 

[CanukV6]

Had my car in to the dealer again last week for Road Force Balancing of the third set of Michelin tires. This does seem to have almost eliminated the High-Speed vibration, although I can still feel some minor shaking. It has not made any difference to the flat-spotting and nor did I expect it to. I'm still not happy about the tire-swap as the Michelin's are noisier and not the same performance rating or load rating as the original Hankooks, but at least the vibration on the highway is tolerable.