UPDATE: Possible solution to vibration at high speeds?

[Jenn D]

I posted last weekend that my trac had started vibrating harshly at 65mph and I also noticed that my front wheels had thrown their weights (all after a schotty-at-best job from Walmart). I took it back to the place that sold me the tires to have them rotate and balance and so far so good. I took the trac up to 65mph briefly on the way home and it was smooth. The real test is going to be tonight when I drive the highway across town. However, I'm pretty sure my main problem was the balancing.



For those of you looking for new tires, let me give you a hint of advice. I researched for about a month and found out a few things. First, they may be "cheaper" online....but you have to pay someone per tire to install (some places are less expensive than others granted). They are also a "you get what you get" thing and returns are a PITA. With an actual tire shop you can have them replace a tire in an hour if one of the purchased tires is out of round. Secondly, it is actually cheaper in the long run to call around. I saved about $100 getting my tires done at a place here in Orlando.



For those of you who are looking for a good place in East Central FL to do tires. Let me reccomend Discount Tire Company Inc. on Alafaya. Call ahead, make an appointment and they'll have you in and out in no time for a competative price. For me, my work is free now since I bought my tires there. And yes, I should have had them do my last rotation and balance....I know....but walmart is the devil of convenience. It was just too easy one day. I learned my lesson.

 

[Richard L]

Jenn,

Some of the hacks at places like WalMart, etc do not know that here are different style of weights for alloy wheels than are used on steel wheels. If you put wheel weights made for steel wheels on alloy wheels, they fly easily. There is is difference in the shape of the lip on the different wheels and they require different style clips on the wheel weights



I found out about this when I bought some neat alloy wheels for my 1978 Regal. For several years I would spend money to get the tires/wheels balanced only to have the weights fly off on my way home. I finally went to a good tire store and was told that the weight were the wrong kind for alloy wheels. If they use the right kind of wheel weights, you will elimiinate the problem with throwing off the wheel weights.



...Rich

 

[Gerald Pierce]

Ditto on Walmart. I was in there the other day and still have free rotate and balance policy with them (bought when I had OEM tires, now have new wheels and tires) so I said what hte heck, I'll see if they can do it. When I asked if they had the stick on weights vs the clip on style, the manager of the shop said "we only have the clip on style"...... so needless to say, they are not doing my wheels.



I can say that I bought a set of Goodyear Viva's for DW's Sable. Son hit something and wacked the alignment to he11, cupped the RR tire real bad. I took it into them after the alignment, since that is where I bought the tires, they replaced the tire for 30.00 under the road hazard deal.... it had 35-40k miles or so on it and was destroyed since DS drove it like that for quite sometime.

 

[EddieS'04]

My Dad had walmart to balance his recently. The dum-a$$ jockey didnot even take the old wieghts off first...:wacko:

 

[Jenn D]

Took the Trac across town last night and I'm conviced it rode smoother than the first night I brought it home. I am a HAPPY girl. The best part ---> the fix was free!

 

[Richard L]

Gerald,

There are clip on weights for alloy wheels. Alloy wheels have a thicker squared lip, while steel wheels are thinner and a rounded lip.



The Stick on wheel weights are not the best solution for balancing tires. The stick on weights that go on the inside of the rim usually don't allow for as good a balancing as the clip on weights and often interfere with the calipers forcing them to be moved from the ideal location and don't allow the tire/wheel to be balanced from side to side. Stick on weights are more for cosmetics and many Tire stores don't carry them, or charge a premium price and you will often get an inferior job.



...Rich