Suspension Front End Vibration

cdurbin · Aug 19, 2013

Looking to get some advice or direction for some of you gurus on here. I have a slight vibration at low speeds and it feels like it is coming from the front end. It's almost like a bouncing feeling if that makes sense. I only notice it at low speeds and it seems to only happen when I drive the car after it has been sitting a bit. After I drive it for a while it seems to level out on it's own. Not sure where to start troubleshooting on this one. Any ideas? Thanks

stykthyn · Aug 19, 2013

does it feel engine related like low rpm bucking?

MFE92 · Aug 19, 2013

Your tires are flat-spotting due to being parked for extended periods. It takes a while to get them warm and flexible and rounded out again.

jAEded · Aug 19, 2013

MFE92 said:
Your tires are flat-spotting due to being parked for extended periods. It takes a while to get them warm and flexible and rounded out again.

+1

cdurbin · Aug 19, 2013

stykthyn said:
does it feel engine related like low rpm bucking?

Not really. Feels more like something drive train or suspension related.

cdurbin · Aug 19, 2013

MFE92 said:
Your tires are flat-spotting due to being parked for extended periods. It takes a while to get them warm and flexible and rounded out again.

How long would you consider "extended periods"? It's my daily driver so it doesn't sit for that long.

jAEded · Aug 19, 2013

It would need to sit around a week or more. My car would do it after sitting a few weeks.

cdurbin · Aug 19, 2013

jAEded said:
It would need to sit around a week or more. My car would do it after sitting a few weeks.

Gotcha. In that case, I doubt that is the issue. The car only sits overnight or maybe a couple of days during the weekend at most.
Thanks for the info though. I learned something which is always a plus.

cdurbin · Aug 19, 2013

Found this chart online. Seems fairly handy for future reference.

MFE92 · Aug 20, 2013

It depends on the tires, and the time they take to normalize depends on temps. I've had extreme-performance summer tires that would flat-spot noticeably just being parked over night, and they'd be back to normal in a mile or two unless it was very cold out, in which case it could take several miles. Some tires won't do it til they've been parked for weeks.

flyinhigh90 · Aug 21, 2013

you can always balance your tires or rotating even the smallest weight that fell off cant make that vibration... warped rotors even not applying the brakes can make that vibration ... driveshaft loss of weights that can be a problem also loose ball joints out of round wheels... its a proses of elimination those are sum hints good luck

cdurbin · Aug 21, 2013

flyinhigh90 said:
you can always balance your tires or rotating even the smallest weight that fell off cant make that vibration... warped rotors even not applying the brakes can make that vibration ... driveshaft loss of weights that can be a problem also loose ball joints out of round wheels... its a proses of elimination those are sum hints good luck

I appreciate the input. I don't think it's the brakes because I just put new rotors and pads all around about 3 weeks ago. Plus the vibration was there before I changed them. The U-joints are about 5 months old but that doesn't mean they couldn't be bad. I think I will start with a rotate and balance and go from there. Thanks again.

RealSpeed · Aug 21, 2013

When did it start doing it? sometimes rotors are not perfect even when they are new

BANGERSTANGER76 · Aug 21, 2013

I would also recommend balance and rotating your tires or if it fits the budget new tires all together. Your description definately sounds like a tire or tires could be the culprit. Also recheck that driveshaft. Sometimes if you remove them and dont put it back exactly where it was it can cause vibration. Good luck with it.

cdurbin · Aug 21, 2013

BANGERSTANGER76 said:
I would also recommend balance and rotating your tires or if it fits the budget new tires all together. Your description definately sounds like a tire or tires could be the culprit. Also recheck that driveshaft. Sometimes if you remove them and dont put it back exactly where it was it can cause vibration. Good luck with it.

Yeah I'll probably have the tires looked at first. I don't think I need to replace them. They are only about 11 months old and have tons of tread left. I only drive back and forth to work (15 miles) and around town. I've got an aluminum driveshaft I bought used but I want to get it checked for balance before I install it. Maybe that will be next in line. Thanks

MFE92 · Aug 21, 2013

The fact that the problem goes away after a while points away from mechanical problems. What kind of tires are they, what size, and what inflation pressure?

mikestang63 · Aug 21, 2013

wheel balance problems normally don't show up until the 50-60 mph range.

Jack up the front end overnight and see if the problem goes away. Then you will know it's the tires flat spotting.

cdurbin · Aug 21, 2013

MFE92 said:
The fact that the problem goes away after a while points away from mechanical problems. What kind of tires are they, what size, and what inflation pressure?

They are Cooper Zeon RS3-A, 245/45/17, I think they are set at around 35psi but I'm not positive.

7991LXnSHO · Aug 21, 2013

cdurbin said:
Looking to get some advice or direction for some of you gurus on here. I have a slight vibration at low speeds and it feels like it is coming from the front end. It's almost like a bouncing feeling if that makes sense. I only notice it at low speeds and it seems to only happen when I drive the car after it has been sitting a bit. After I drive it for a while it seems to level out on it's own. Not sure where to start troubleshooting on this one. Any ideas? Thanks

Here are a couple of temp related guesses you may not have thought of.
1. If it can be felt mainly through the steering wheel, it could be an old PS rack with morning sickness. Does it get worse in the cold, how is the fluid condition and how many miles are on the rack and pump? Every Fox body I have owned needed a rack eventually, and they can do some weird things while warming up. There are not many things that go away when warm like this.

2. It could have to do with a cold misfire condition - see diagnostics from the computer to test the cylinder balance.

Suspension Front End Vibration

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