Front-end vibration?

[mr.utility at highstream.net (David Utley)]

Quoting Jim Jarrett <jarrett@rpa.net>:


kit, and had the car
> re-aligned.
> 
> I'm thinking it's something still with the alignment, or a tire balance
> issue. 
> Thing is, I had the tires balanced last year.  
> 
> So before I have it checked for things I can't check (alignment/tires), any
> suggestions of things I CAN check?  And how?
> 
> TIA.
> 

Has this car been sitting long?  If so, you may have some flat spots on the 
tires...  The best way to get rid of them is by driving for an extended period 
at highway speed (speeding optional :-))...  Sometimes increasing the air 
pressure also helps, but I would suggest caution with either approach...

If it has not been sitting long, it is some sort of balance issue.  Something 
that spins is out of balance, ie., the tires/wheels, axles an issue, or there 
is a high spot on the rotors/drums, or the bearings are bad...  At highway 
speed, if it were the axles giving you trouble (ie slop), you should feel a 
difference between full acceleration and full deceleration (using the engine 
as a brake)...  If it is consistent between the two, the axles are not the 
cause (when the inboard CVS fail, they can cause this).  Next, at highway 
speed, carefully engage the emergency brake.  If it gets worse, you now can 
reason there are high spots on the drums which are causing the vibration.  If 
not, it may be the fronts.  Does it get worse when you mash the brake pedal?  
Can you feel pulsing when you press it hard (at highway speed)?  If none of 
these are the culprit, try the following.  Get on a 2-lane highway without 
other drivers, and at a speed above 45, zig-zag between the two lanes and see 
if it increases or decreases with each z-z.  If it gets louder/worse when 
turning left, it is the right w/bearing, and vice-versa...  I offer this last 
bit because some can confuse a vibration with noise, and versa-vicey...  
Besides, it is hard to describe the real world when all you have is a bunch of 
keys to press...  :-)

Let us know what you find, it can be fixed...




David Utley
-----------
Cable Volkswagen
405-470-3129
1-800-522-6793