Driving vibrator!!!

[Pulse]

Now I have your attention...

A friend of mine bought some cheap Chinese copy BMW style wheels from eBay, brand new. As soon as they were fitted, the whole car was vibrating. The wheels have been re-balanced twice, but this hasn't resolved the problem.

It vibrates between 40-100mph, and really badly at 60-70mph. Before 40mph and after 100mph, it doesn't vibrate.

Anyone have any ideas what could be going wrong?

[Marf]

Pulse said:

cheap Chinese copy BMW style wheels from eBay

I'd say that's your problem right there.

[OnTheOverrun]

They aren't round. Wheels are generally better when round. He got what he paid for.

[Papa Hotel]

You said it yourself, cheap Chinese copy. I'd imagine no amount of balancing weights will make up for alloys some monkey knocked up with a homemade sand mould.

[_Batty_]

do they need spigot rings?
otherwise are they round?

[Mini1275]

Marf said:

Pulse said:

cheap Chinese copy BMW style wheels from eBay

I'd say that's your problem right there.

[KieronGSi]

Just tell him not to drive between 40-100mph. Job done.

[CypherP]

Please elaborate on 'BMW style wheels'. I agree, it sounds like he got what he paid for. Shirley it would have been better to find some genuine second hand ones from ebay, ideally ones that have been refurbed or at least ones that match the model.

[Papa Hotel]

KieronGSi said:

Just tell him not to drive between 40-100mph. Job done.

It's tickled me that they were vibrating at 40 but tested to 100!!

[Killer2005]

KieronGSi said:

Just tell him not to drive between 40-100mph. Job done.

Or everywhere at 100

[KieronGSi]

Papa Hotel said:

KieronGSi said:

Just tell him not to drive between 40-100mph. Job done.

It's tickled me that they were vibrating at 40 but tested to 100!!

Well if it's a female driver i'm sure it's not just you who got tickled.

[Bernard80]

Where can I get some of these?

[richcy]

Bernard80 said:

Where can I get some of these?

I can sell them to you :P

[Pulse]

Didn't realise my friend had a profile!

[Flood]

The balancing weights on one of my front wheels feel off recently, only produced a very gentle vibration but if I held it about 82 for a few minutes, I'm convinced it was generating 'The brown note'.

Managed to avoid any expensive valet bills fortunately.

[TonyRPH]

_Batty_ said:

do they need spigot rings?

This.

I had an E34 with aftermarket wheels, and that needed spigot rings to locate the wheels on the hubs.

[anonymous-user]

Got a link to the ebay ad? I fancy a chuckle.

On a side note, if China hasn't yet advanced past the wheel then we needn't worry about them for at least another 10000 years