Hot Rumble/Vibration Action at 80MPH...

[We Are Ninja]

I recently got new wheels and tires. From what I understand, the stockers are 215/45/17's mounted to 17x7 wheels with a 50mm offset. My new wheel/tire combo has 205/40/17s mounted to 17x7's at a (I'm guessing) 40mm offset. With the new wheels and tires, I get a very pronounced vibration through the steering wheel when I hit 80. Not before, and not after, but at 80, and 80 alone when it happens. It's not consistent, though. Sometimes it's there, sometimes it's not. It's similar in feel to when your tires are hella worn and the wheel wobbles, but this is "tighter" and more controlled somehow. I don't think:

1.) the tires are worn, because they're brand new.
2.) the tires are unbalanced, because WheelsNext claims that they're "Roadforce Balanced" and I can see the little weights glued to the wheel.

I can't help but think that if it was the wheels/tires at all, that it'd always be present to some degree regardless of speed. Perhaps it's just enhanced feedback due to the smaller tires? It's only at 80mph, but I only hit 80mph on the same freeway.

Does it sound like the road surface or does it sound like a wheel/tire issue??

[Mazda_Tech]

First try and rotate your tires front to back, if that doesn't fix it they need to be rebalanced.

[mr2 II]

I would say to rebalance it too.

[We Are Ninja]

Much appreciated. I'll get them rotated this weekend.

[msp35]

What kind of tires are they? I bought a set of wheels 6 or so years ago that came with shitty Nankangs. Felt like I was driving on the bare rim. After re-balancing it was better, but
over 40mph was unbearable.

[TheMAN]

I don't want to know anything about your gf's hot rumble/vibration action!













anyway, if you don't have hubcentric wheels, then that is the problem
aftermarket bullshit FTL

[We Are Ninja]

^ LOL. But it's hot and vibrate-y...

The wheels did come with some funny ring things that didn't fit over my hub, so I didn't bother with them...

[TheMAN]

well then, looks like you know wtf to get then

[fr0st]

i had a vibration i couldn't get out.. on snow tires and steelies (15") it wasn't there but the oem wheels with brand new balanced 3 times yokos it wqas present at aroun 80 mph or so..

turns out it was my rotors.. the pads were ok

when i when to EBC all around it stopped vibrating

[We Are Ninja]

Well, I got them balanced this weekend, and nothing has changed. :(

I'm going to rotate the tires like someone else suggested and see if the problem is wheel/tire specific. If that doesn't do it, I'll look at the rotors. I SINCERELY hope it's not the rotors; I replaced both the pads and rotors with aftermarket pieces a couple of months ago and can't recall standing on the pedal since then...

[We Are Ninja]

**BUMP + UPDATE = BUMPDATE**

The rotors are fine; I checked them while I was rotating the tires. The tire rotation didn't change month, except now, the wheels vibrate slightly at lower speeds...(hand)

My final attempt at fixing this (before breaking down and taking the car to Mazda... :( )will be hub-centric rings. Turns out the wheels came with rings that fit the wheel, but weren't even close to fitting the car's hubs (so I assumed they weren't necessary...).

I was advised to try Discout Tire; I called them and they said they should have what I need. I'm praying this does the trick; I can't take the tires nervousness and funny noises much longer...

[crashkelly]

if that isnt the problem you have all the symptoms of a bad bearing. Try turning the wheel to the left or right very quickly while driving and see if the rumble subsides. If it does then the hubs bearing is toast...if it doesnt then it might not be a bearing, OR it could be BOTH of them. I had rumbling so load from a pair of busted bearings that it even droned out my catless exhaust.

[We Are Ninja]

I sincerely hope that's not it; that sounds expensive.

[crashkelly]

I sincerely hope that's not it; that sounds expensive.

nope its actually very cheap....new bearings are about 40 bucks a piece...now if the hubs themselves have gone bad(the bearings go inside the hubs) then you are looking at 150 or more per hub assembly.

[We Are Ninja]

Well. I tracked down the appropriate hub-centric rings. The rumble-y vibrations are completely...






Unchanged.(ughdance) They took out some of the slop in the steering, but the wheel still pulses/rocks/rumbles in my hands at speed...

The most recent advice I've received suggest

1.) wheel bearings
2.) drive axles
3.) worn tie rods
4.) Busted motor mounts

By the time I track down this gremlin, my car will be bullet-proof...

[1moreMPH]

i was also gonna suggest wheel bearings...but i feel like that is so rare on newer cars.

in all honesty, if it only happens at 80 then it could just be your car's (or new shoes) natural frequency. Most vehicles' natural frequency to vibration is around 80, so that very well could be it. I know mine does this at ~85...then smooooooth sailing beyond and below. it NEVER did that before?

[mikeski]

rebalanced.

[We Are Ninja]

i was also gonna suggest wheel bearings...but i feel like that is so rare on newer cars.

in all honesty, if it only happens at 80 then it could just be your car's (or new shoes) natural frequency. Most vehicles' natural frequency to vibration is around 80, so that very well could be it. I know mine does this at ~85...then smooooooth sailing beyond and below. it NEVER did that before?

Never, ever. That's why it's so unnerving. Nothing has changed but the wheels/tires. Maybe I have an out of round tire on both ends... I thought for sure that the rings would be the answer. (scratch)

@ mikeski: I've had them balanced twice, to no effect. I can't see a third time changing anything... If it does, the first two balancers need their 455es kicked.

EDIT: I had been getting a mild "rumbling" through the chassis/pedals at low speed. I'm usually braking when I'm at low speeds so I thought they were connected. It felt like the brakepads were overly worn. I got new pads/rotors up front a few months ago, so I knew they were fine, but I didn't change the rears so I assumed it was them. I checked them and their worn, but they've still got several thousand miles in them. Then, yesterday, I was coasting at very low speeds, and the rumble was there, even though I wasn't braking at all. I think it actually may be bearings...

[We Are Ninja]

(cabpatch) *Problem Solved* (cabpatch)

It was a bad motor mount (or three...).

Eventually, aside from the wheel shudder, the car became sluggish, steering feedback weakened substantially, braking took a hit, acceleration took a hit, my exhaust, doors, and interior pieces began to rattle, and it became difficult to shift into fifth gear...

Turns out I had 3 FUBARed motor mounts. They front and rear were destroyed; the passenger side mount was gone too, and had to be replaced as well. The rubber inside all 3 was torn to shreds and wasn't holding the engine at all. The engine was just resting in the mounts free to move under load, under acceleration, under cornering, under braking...

I got AWR front and rear mounts and a stock side mount and side inserts installed Tuesday. It's the best thing I've done to the car so far. The new mounts are a 1637% improvement... ZOMG.

[Packerfan]

Dude your kidding right it took you all tis time to notice broken motor mounts very scarey LOL(breakn)

[D-rock240]

(cabpatch) *Problem Solved* (cabpatch)

It was a bad motor mount (or three...).

Eventually, aside from the wheel shudder, the car became sluggish, steering feedback weakened substantially, braking took a hit, acceleration took a hit, my exhaust, doors, and interior pieces began to rattle, and it became difficult to shift into fifth gear...

Turns out I had 3 FUBARed motor mounts. They front and rear were destroyed; the passenger side mount was gone too, and had to be replaced as well. The rubber inside all 3 was torn to shreds and wasn't holding the engine at all. The engine was just resting in the mounts free to move under load, under acceleration, under cornering, under braking...

I got AWR front and rear mounts and a stock side mount and side inserts installed Tuesday. It's the best thing I've done to the car so far. The new mounts are a 1637% improvement... ZOMG.

Did you also have some hesitation when accelerating at low rpms in first or second? I think i'm starting to have this on my car. I noticed the passenger top mount was bad a couple weeks ago. It's been acting strange since.

How much of a difference was the AWR vibration-wise?

[We Are Ninja]

Dude your kidding right it took you all tis time to notice broken motor mounts very scarey LOL(breakn)

I had no idea. Up until I had them replaced, I couldn't have even pointed the motor mounts out... I'm no mechanic, but I'm learning. Slowly. (ughdance)

Did you also have some hesitation when accelerating at low rpms in first or second? I think i'm starting to have this on my car. I noticed the passenger top mount was bad a couple weeks ago. It's been acting strange since.

How much of a difference was the AWR vibration-wise?
My car hasn't been vibration/gyration/rattle-free in a while, so it's not enough to bother me at all, but compared to a stock, civil, heavily damped car, it's very noticeable. There's lots of feedback now. The fiance does not like them at all... (laugh)