Major Wheel 'wobble'!

sgchap3 · June 28, 2008

Hey guys. I just had my inter. med. steering shaft replaced about 2 months at the dealer and they said my tires were looking pretty bad so I dropped a good amount on some Goodyear silent armor 20/275/55's and they are awesome! HOWEVER, I now have a major problem in the form of a horrible and annoying wobble at 65 - 75 mph! I've been back to the Goodyear dealer 3 times for new balancing and stuff and they said they are as prefect as they can get them.

I difinitely think there is now something else going on! I'm taking it to the dealer this Wed. to have them look it over. I know my shocks are starting to really feel 'soft' (feeling ever little bump or crack) and I'm about to replace them. I did also 'upgrade' my tie rod ends, idler arm and ball joints about a year ago with MOOG replacements. I also have upgraded sway bars front and rear...

The truck has just now got 40k miles

So I'm VERY much wanting to get rid of this 'WOBBLE' too and the Goodyear guys feel horrible too since they put these new badass tires on and now I'm having problems...

Also there is a clicking, tapping 'electiric' snapping noise coming out from under the truck somewhere. Hard to pin point. Just started noticing it too and was going to point it out to the dealer too...

I'm going to ask the dealer to check the following:

1. Tie rods

2. Hub assy.

3. Steering arm(s)

4. Bearings

5. Bad tire(s) Goodyear says no

6. Bad rim(s) Goodyear says no

7. U-joints

Anything else anyone can think of???

hubbycap · June 28, 2008

65-75 mph doesn't sound like bend or balance. Sounds more like lateral runout harmonic (wobble.) I recommend further investigation by spinning the wheels on the truck under power while on a lift and observe.

sgchap3 · June 28, 2008

Ok hubby is that something the dealer can do and what can/would be causing that?

65-75 mph doesn't sound like bend or balance. Sounds more like lateral runout harmonic (wobble.) I recommend further investigation by spinning the wheels on the truck under power while on a lift and observe.

hubbycap · June 28, 2008

Any shop with a lift could do it. You may want to get a second opinion this way you may discover an unmentioned tire defect by your tire dealer. The fact that you have no vibration at higher speeds means that the tires are balanced, so what's left is possibly a wobbling wheel (bent out of 90 degree plane with the spindle,) or a defective tire that has lateral (side to side) movement. Both of these conditions could balance, but exhibit vibration harmonics at various speed ranges.

On a lift the rotation speed could be reached and you would see the effect and location of the vibration, as the wheel should bounce. If you have 4WD you could spin all wheels at high speed without dismounting any from the vehicle.

Typically, if you can feel it you can see it in the movement of the wheel. A lateral runout of .010" - .020" should be fairly easy to see. If your technician is game, a dial indicator as is used to check rotor runout on the vehicle could give you a good idea of where the culprit is.

BTW, do you feel the problem in the steering wheel?

BigJayDogg3 · June 28, 2008

Minor thread jack. Hubbycap, you're the one that does wheel repair, correct?

tobias · June 28, 2008

Minor thread jack. Hubbycap, you're the one that does wheel repair, correct?

He is, he's helped me out before. Great guy to deal with.

hubbycap · June 29, 2008

I sent you PM BDJ3. Thanks for the kind words Tobias.

sgchap3 · June 29, 2008

Yes Hubby I do feel it in the steering wheel and it very annoying and almost scary to drive cause it shakes so bad it feels unsafe... I'm going to ask the Chevy dealship to do what you said here first then the tire or garage I get my work done at too...

Any shop with a lift could do it. You may want to get a second opinion this way you may discover an unmentioned tire defect by your tire dealer. The fact that you have no vibration at higher speeds means that the tires are balanced, so what's left is possibly a wobbling wheel (bent out of 90 degree plane with the spindle,) or a defective tire that has lateral (side to side) movement. Both of these conditions could balance, but exhibit vibration harmonics at various speed ranges.

On a lift the rotation speed could be reached and you would see the effect and location of the vibration, as the wheel should bounce. If you have 4WD you could spin all wheels at high speed without dismounting any from the vehicle.

Typically, if you can feel it you can see it in the movement of the wheel. A lateral runout of .010" - .020" should be fairly easy to see. If your technician is game, a dial indicator as is used to check rotor runout on the vehicle could give you a good idea of where the culprit is.

BTW, do you feel the problem in the steering wheel?

anealysr · June 30, 2008

Check the idler arm my blazer did the same and that was the problem, I'm not sure what yours is but I would check that or the pitman arm/

sgchap3 · June 30, 2008

Just something else to add:

So something else I have noticed the last weeks or so watching this 'problem'. In the morning it's much worst when I first drive, it's about 3 miles from my house til I jump on the highway and go 65+ and sometime in the afternoon or early evening when it's warmer out or the truck has been driven it's almost not there...

sgchap3 · July 2, 2008

So I went to Goodyear today and they pulled off my 2 front tires. They said the one was 'hopping' around on the machine and they replaced it with a new. An hour later I jumped on the highway, hit 65 and still 'wobbling'...

The truck is going to the dealership tomorrow all day and I told them to look over EVERYTHING! Let's hope they fine somthing or I all already told the Goodyear guys I'm not liking this whole thing...

hubbycap · July 2, 2008

sgchap3 · July 3, 2008

Thanks I'll see whats up with the dealer tomorrow and go from there. I was also thinking these tires might be alittle to 'tready' for my truck and looking at something else they have (Goodyear) Fortera Triple Tred ove the more aggressive Wrangler Silent Armors I got...

bbwb · July 3, 2008

Is there any change in the wobble if the wheels are swapped between the front/rear?

bbwb

sgchap3 · July 3, 2008

Dealership confirms it's the tires... Said they aren't balancing right and they tried and still got the 'wobble' plus the one is hopping. They said get different tires or road force balance these and I'm thinking new Fortera Triple Tred's cause the Goodyear guys already offered...