New tyres balanced twice - still vibrating
Discussion
Had a pair of replacement tyres on our Mazda CX5 family car. They were done by Halfords (Tyres on the Drive, as was).
On first driving on the motorway it was clear there was a vibration that wasn’t there before - through seat and steering wheel.
The guy installing fud say the balancing machine in his van was playing up.
So I’ve since had them back to have another go at balancing the wheels and still have vibration from 50-70mph (and presumably above).
Nothing else has been changed on the car and there was no vibration needle the tyre ch as age. So, if the wheels are balanced and nothing else has been changed any idea what it could be?
Thanks!
On first driving on the motorway it was clear there was a vibration that wasn’t there before - through seat and steering wheel.
The guy installing fud say the balancing machine in his van was playing up.
So I’ve since had them back to have another go at balancing the wheels and still have vibration from 50-70mph (and presumably above).
Nothing else has been changed on the car and there was no vibration needle the tyre ch as age. So, if the wheels are balanced and nothing else has been changed any idea what it could be?
Thanks!
I have had many similar issues with new tyres and the crap balancing machines most tyre fitters use.
Find a garage with a Hunter Road Force Balancer. It works differently to a normal balancer and simulates the tyre on the road (I think).
https://www.hunter.com/wheel-balancers/road-force-...
This has always cured the problem for me.
Find a garage with a Hunter Road Force Balancer. It works differently to a normal balancer and simulates the tyre on the road (I think).
https://www.hunter.com/wheel-balancers/road-force-...
This has always cured the problem for me.
Some cars just don't get on with certain tyres either, blackcircles had to replace all the tyres they recommended for my old A class as they caused serious wheel hopping and skipping while parking and full lock turns. It didn't go away no matter the temperature, having been worn in etc. Fitting the manufacturers approved tyres fixed it right up. I just thought I'd add that sometimes certain suspension setups dislike certain tread patterns and sidewalls. It's probably not your issue but I thought I'd add that even tyres of exact size, quality, speed and load rating etc may not guarantee similar results.
Sounds like in your case they are fine and not worn in to your possibly out of whack alignment like the previous set, or there is a defect.
Sounds like in your case they are fine and not worn in to your possibly out of whack alignment like the previous set, or there is a defect.
Two incompetent acts of balancing? here's some left field suggestions.
Spigot ring adaptor lost during tyre fitting?
You're not on aftermarket alloys that came with a spigot ring adaptor? some cars have same PCD and suitable offset but different wheel centres so aftermarket wheels sometimes come with spigot rings for cars with the smaller centre hole.
Did you watch the balancing being done, wheels and tyre absolutely true? You could jack each corner up and spin the wheels to check everything is true yourself.
Back in the dark ages when i was tyre fitting generally Michelins barely needed any balancing and were perfectly round, the same could not be said for all makes, are the new tyres known reputable brands.
Have you had a particularly hard pot hole strike recently on our third world roads, could a wheel be slightly buckled or bent, this is a thing with some larger wheels, should be visible when spinning the wheels by hand.
Lastly, rotate the wheels when its quiet, unlikely but wouldn't be the first time something like a wheel weight founds it way inside the tyre during fitting.
Spigot ring adaptor lost during tyre fitting?
You're not on aftermarket alloys that came with a spigot ring adaptor? some cars have same PCD and suitable offset but different wheel centres so aftermarket wheels sometimes come with spigot rings for cars with the smaller centre hole.
Did you watch the balancing being done, wheels and tyre absolutely true? You could jack each corner up and spin the wheels to check everything is true yourself.
Back in the dark ages when i was tyre fitting generally Michelins barely needed any balancing and were perfectly round, the same could not be said for all makes, are the new tyres known reputable brands.
Have you had a particularly hard pot hole strike recently on our third world roads, could a wheel be slightly buckled or bent, this is a thing with some larger wheels, should be visible when spinning the wheels by hand.
Lastly, rotate the wheels when its quiet, unlikely but wouldn't be the first time something like a wheel weight founds it way inside the tyre during fitting.
Edited by Smint on Sunday 19th May 06:31
Hi all - thanks for the inputs..!
Geometry, while I think needs a tweak, isn’t changed from before/after fitting.
Tyres are the same as were fitted OEM (not the first set on this car front or back) - Goodyears, so premium brand.
Wheels are OEM - no changes there.
Sounds like the culprit may well be egg-shaped tyres..! I’ll get back on to Halfords today.
Thanks all..!
Geometry, while I think needs a tweak, isn’t changed from before/after fitting.
Tyres are the same as were fitted OEM (not the first set on this car front or back) - Goodyears, so premium brand.
Wheels are OEM - no changes there.
Sounds like the culprit may well be egg-shaped tyres..! I’ll get back on to Halfords today.
Thanks all..!
Mobile van balancers aren't the best things in the first place. Any rocking of the van whilst balancing can upset their measurement.
In my experience wheel balance issues appear at a certain speed and normally you can drive through it and it'll disappear as you get past that certain speed.
If you've got it all the way from 50mph+ then it's more likely an out of round tyre or something else amiss.
In my experience wheel balance issues appear at a certain speed and normally you can drive through it and it'll disappear as you get past that certain speed.
If you've got it all the way from 50mph+ then it's more likely an out of round tyre or something else amiss.
Kawasicki said:
RFV, radial force variation.
Some tyres aren’t round, or act as if they aren’t round.
Tyre companies know this, they accept warranty returns for it.
As above. Also, what brand of tyres did you have fitted? Budget brands are far more prone to this type of issue.Some tyres aren’t round, or act as if they aren’t round.
Tyre companies know this, they accept warranty returns for it.
Any how, go back to the supplier
TSS said:
I have had many similar issues with new tyres and the crap balancing machines most tyre fitters use.
Find a garage with a Hunter Road Force Balancer. It works differently to a normal balancer and simulates the tyre on the road (I think).
https://www.hunter.com/wheel-balancers/road-force-...
This has always cured the problem for me.
^ This. Road Force Balancing is excellent, although it can be a little expensive in some places because it's time consuming. Find a garage with a Hunter Road Force Balancer. It works differently to a normal balancer and simulates the tyre on the road (I think).
https://www.hunter.com/wheel-balancers/road-force-...
This has always cured the problem for me.
Alternatively, you could just get regular balancing done at a place that has a Road Force Balancer on the hope that their machine would be kept better calibrated?
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