car vibrating/shaking please help!

[pimping]

hi i have a 99 focus 2.0 petrol which i recently bought. when driving at about 60 mph in 5th the car vibrates/shakes quite badly. i at first thought it was the tracking or the wheels requiring balancing so i got them done pronto but this solved nothing.

it seems to be the front right wheel if i was to guesstimate. another shot in the dark is it might be the driveshaft thingy connected to the front right wheel. had a peek around the area with the wheel off on the front right wheel but i could not spot anything loose or out of place.

any help greatly appreciated as previous advice from members of this site has been spot on numerous times.

[OnTheOverrun]

First thing I'd check is a buckled wheel. It can be barely out enough to see but nearly shake the car apart.

[pimping]

yep my first thought too. popped a new wheel and tyre on the front right and it still happens but at a different speed.

[davemac250]

Rotate that wheel around the car.

Don't rely on balancing - the wheel are only balanced up to the speed the balancer spins at.

It the car has stood for any time you may have a tyre that has deformed - try over inflating it to force it true - remember to put it back to standard pressure before driving!

Check the torque settings on all the wheels.

[The real Apache]

pimping said:

yep my first thought too. popped a new wheel and tyre on the front right and it still happens but at a different speed.

ah, in that case it's fine.........the other 3 are knackered, on a serious note does the wheel move if you grab it and shake it from side to side?

[pimping]

no tried grabbing it and pulling it back and forth on all wheels and there was no give. also over inflated tyres to 50 psi for a short period to 'push' tyre out.

it's the fact that the new wheel/tyre made no difference. the vibration is worst at 60mph in 5th so i pu the car in neutral and it was perfect which makes me think it's the drivetrain but from that point i am lost.

[davepoth]

Drive to 60, put it in neutral and then rev it to where the engine would be at 60. If the vibration is there you have an engine or gearbox mount problem, if not it's the driveshaft.

[pimping]

i'm gong for driveshaft. off the scrappy. any idea what years will be ok for a 99? actually a quick look on wiki will solve this.

[pimping]

thinking about it can the driveshaft be re-aligned/balanced/tightened (apologies for lack of knowledge) or will it require a new one?

[scoobster999]

Wheel bearing worn, or buckled wheel/out of round tyre all day long.....probably pothole damage? Have you checked the alignment too? Tracking etc?

Had the same on my alfa a couple of months back which was buckled alloy - not even massively noticable but similar symptoms,driveshafts dont generally go out of true in terms of getting bent, more that the CV joints wear and you end up with a knocking noise if you turn the car on full lock - not same symptoms. Wouldnt even say engine mount either as that would happen at all speeds?

Oh, and check the wheel nuts for tightness - an Alfa specialist in Bucks lent me an alloy and fitted it whilst waiting for my new wheel. Had a horrid vibration then Alfa turned into Robin Reliant as the tossers hadnt done the nuts up fully. Luckily no damage or injury but again, a nasty vibration.

Edited by scoobster999 on Thursday 29th July 15:40

[pimping]

is the driveshaft for all mark 1 focus's the same or do i need to get a particular one?

[Twincam16]

Definitely a buckled front wheel or two. Sounds almost identical to a problem I had on an MR2 once.