***Car help needed***update 04/03/10

markw08

markw08

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Just purchased a Ford Focus and have wheel vibration through the steering wheel when going 60mph+

Taken back to dealer who have changed front tyres and balanced them..

Still vibrates, seems to be different amount on different roads :cuckoo:

Any ideas...

Thanks

Mark
 
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So can worn shock absorbers/steering arm joints etc!
 
Thanks for the replies...

Distorted brake discs... Would this be constant vibration ??

Shocks... i have tried pushing car down and it seems to slowly return to original position... No bouncing...

Alignment.. let go of steering wheel and car stays in straight line...

Feels one minute left wheel bouncing, new road feels right wheel bouncing.. :cuckoo:
Seems to feel every wavy bump on the road surface...


Its just bugging me as last car was smooth...

:thumbs:
 
Did they not balance the rear wheels?
 
If they have changed and balanced the front tyres then I would move onto the brakes next as suggsted above. Get the disks checked for warping and make sure the pads are returning back to position after braking and not rubbing on the disks.
 
Thanks

I will get them to check the brake discs...

Read on another site about pushing in the clutch pedal at speed to eliminate any drivetrain problems...

:thumbs:
 
Check to make sure the wheel bearings are ok. Had a similar issue with my MGF, took it to a garage 3 times for wheel alignment and tracking. Then to a MG specialist and they told me it was the wheel bearing. £250 later not a happy man.....
 
markw08 said:
Not sure...

Vibration feels more from the front..
Click to expand...

You would be suprised. Rear wheels out of balance coupled with wear to the suspension bushes at the front can do this.

Although brakes are well worth checking too.
 
3 years old...

:thumbs:
 
AKA just outside warranty :-(

Disk warpage can be detected by jacking up the front wheel and turning it by hand. Depending on the wheels you have you will be able to see any disk warp by looking at the way it passes through the caliper.

While the wheel is up, put one hand at 12 and one hand at 6 o'clock and try to wobble it (repeat at 3 and 9 o'clock). Any play will indicate bearings. Bearings this worn will also often make a rumbling noise.

If it is feeling bouncy then my guess is suspension. Also if the car was stored for a long time stationary then the tyres may actually be deformed.

Good luck !
 
A quick thing to try would be swapping the front and rear wheels, see if the vibration changes or goes away
 
Can you drive through it at about 80 -85?

Steering wheel vibration around 55-60 is classic sysmptoms of wheel balance.

Have the wheels balanced on the car for complete confidence.

Might have been posted above....but I was too lazy to read it all.
 
get the rear tyres checked, daughter had similar problem and it was a mis-shapen rear tyre, yet we all swore it was the front
 
digitalfailure said:
Can you drive through it at about 80 -85?

Steering wheel vibration around 55-60 is classic sysmptoms of wheel balance.

Have the wheels balanced on the car for complete confidence.

Might have been posted above....but I was too lazy to read it all.
Click to expand...

It was done, but front wheels only.
 
Yes, front tyres have been replaced and balanced...

Going to nip to garage later....

As FITP said swap tyres front to back
also get them to check brake discs....

:thumbs:
 
how many miles has it done ? :)
 
Are you tyres pressures right? sounds daft but having them uneven can throw things off.
 
+1 for tracking.
Cheapest next option, too! :-)
 
I'd be very very surprised if the wheels were balanced on the car, that method is usually the realm of performance specialists and not dealerships.

Balancing the wheel while on the car will remove harmonic resonance from the rotating mass, that being the wheel/tyre, hub and brake rotor.

I've balance hundreds of wheels on a standard wheel balancing machine over the last couple of decades and there have been times when the car still vibrates, balancing on the car never fails.
 
Got it booked in tomorrow for a check up, i will have a word with the mechanic and explain what is happening...

40,000 so not alot...

Tyre pressures have been checked...

Not sure about tracking, i will ask if they have done this...

Balancing was done on machine, i will see if someone will come out with me so that i can show them...

I will make a list and ask them to check them..

Thanks for your help

Mark
:thumbs:
 
Ignore this one
 
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Update:

Rechecked the balancing found there was 10g throw in one of the wheels..
Set both to exactly zero..

Seems good on quick trial this morning..

Maybe one of the wheels are slightly buckled ??

:thumbs:
 
No. The idiot that balanced them the first time didn't know what he was doing.
Sorry. got my employers head on.

Correct version..
Its obviously an intermittent problem that didnt show up on the first balance...

Jeez. incompetent staff really do **** me off..

Kev.
 
My brother just bought a Focus, got new tyres and balanced, turned out wheels were buckled slightly which caused vibration around 70mph!

New alloy from Ford is £250each!
bought replica ST alloys from
alloywheels.com - bought whole new set for same price as one from Fords, and they transferred the new tyres over.

Matt.
 
kevshore said:
No. The idiot that balanced them the first time didn't know what he was doing.
Sorry. got my employers head on.

Correct version..
Its obviously an intermittent problem that didnt show up on the first balance...

Jeez. incompetent staff really do **** me off..

Kev.
Click to expand...

some people just can't balance wheels :bang: we have a pair of garages that can and they get more business than those that can't
 
MattKlik said:
My brother just bought a Focus, got new tyres and balanced, turned out wheels were buckled slightly which caused vibration around 70mph!

New alloy from Ford is £250each!
bought replica ST alloys from
alloywheels.com - bought whole new set for same price as one from Fords, and they transferred the new tyres over.

Matt.
Click to expand...


The problem with that is you now have after market alloys fitted so you'll need to tell your insurance company so the premium will increase.

When I changed the wheels on my XK8 I rang the insurance company and they asked me if they were OE Jaguar wheels which they are so it didn't increase but she said if I change them for non jaguar wheels the price would go up, in the event of an accident they may check the stampings on the wheels.
 
MattKlik said:
My brother just bought a Focus, got new tyres and balanced, turned out wheels were buckled slightly which caused vibration around 70mph!

New alloy from Ford is £250each!
bought replica ST alloys from
alloywheels.com - bought whole new set for same price as one from Fords, and they transferred the new tyres over.

Matt.
Click to expand...

Why didn't he just get the wheels straightened? A workmate just had one of his alloys straighted out (buckled it on a deep pothole) only cost £40.00.
 
Have you swapped the wheels round?
i.e front for backs, and backs for fronts?

It could be that you have a slight buckle in the wheel!

I had this with my astra, endded up putting a new set of wheels and tyres on, and it cured the problem.

If not, see if someone has a set of wheels you could borrow, see if that helps at all.

After that check wishbone bushes, ball joints.
It could be anti-roll bar bushes too.

If theres no play there, check suspention struts.

Again, if no play there, check the discs, easiest way to check for warping, is get a steel engineers rule, place it across the disc, and see if its stright (do it in many places not just one).

If its none of the above... check you drive shafts.
 
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