Tire Wobble

[L8knight]

I want to solicite your ideas... I have been told by a friend who went with me when I picked my car up, and a passer by on the road...that my right rear tire wobbles. I feel nothing in the car, it drives smooth and there is no sound, vibrations or shake. My friend who first saw it said maybe the tire is on the rim wrong or the rim is untrue (which I hope is the extent of the problem).
Are there any other ideas of what it could be that could be quickly spotted? I'm thinking I'll take the wheel off this weekend and take it somewhere to have it checked. I just hope its not something more serious, but I don't know how it could be since I don't notice anything while driving. Just to be safe, I've left the car in the garage until I can find out what is wrong.

 

[ForceFed70]

Does it have hubcaps on it? I've seen where a hubcap on wrong causes it to look like the whole wheel that's got a whobble.

Otherwise, I'd guess that you have a bent rim. Try swapping the wheels around and see if the whobble moves to a different location, or stays the same.

 

[WORTH]

jack the car up, spin the tire and see if the rim is traight and the tire is straight.

 

[Bdharn]

not to scare you but just went through the same thing on my 67 it has a 9 in and it was the axle bearing. got new bearing on both axles and new seals as well as pinion bearing replaced for about 80 bucks including labor.

 

[L8knight]

I've jacked it up and didn't really notice anything. The tire bead around the rim looks uniform. I didn't have much time, but I meant to go back and jack it up and mount a stick on stand, up against the tire, and see if it gets pushed out on a rotation... but I like the idea of simply just switching the back tires and see if the wobble moves with. Such an obvious quick check (and hopefully the wobble does move). I imagine its the rim... Then I'll just have to find somewhere out here that can true a rim (which will probably be the hard part of all this).

 

[L8knight]

not to scare you but just went through the same thing on my 67 it has a 9 in and it was the axle bearing. got new bearing on both axles and new seals as well as pinion bearing replaced for about 80 bucks including labor.

Were you hearing anything though? I mean, when I've had bearings go they usually are noisy. That is the only reason I haven't gone that route in thinking... I don't hear/feel anything. But still, $80 isn't bad. I think it'll be about $30-$50 to have the rim trued, but I'm not sure... thats going by the ol' someone who knows someone who knows someone who's had it done.

 

[Bdharn]

yeah i had some noise not a lot but some my seal broke and i was losing gear oil thats why i changed the bearing though but I did have some wobble as well thats why the seal broke i guess. just h/u incase the rim is not it. either way it's not going to be to bad though

 

[HistoricMustang]

This is one of those funny things that happen.

Before I race on cooler mornings I jack the rear end up and start the car and run through the gears to get some heat in the driveline. I let it run for 5 to 10 minutes in fourth gear. While out of the car I would swear that the tires "wobble". Fifteen minutes later I am running 145 and feel no vibration from the tires/wheels. It is strange but true.

Your ride will "talk" to you when something serious is happening. If you feel nothing, I am betting nothing is wrong.

HistoricMustang
www.historicmustang.com

 

[skywalker]

This is one of those funny things that happen.

Before I race on cooler mornings I jack the rear end up and start the car and run through the gears to get some heat in the driveline. I let it run for 5 to 10 minutes in fourth gear. While out of the car I would swear that the tires "wobble". Fifteen minutes later I am running 145 and feel no vibration from the tires/wheels. It is strange but true.

Your ride will "talk" to you when something serious is happening. If you feel nothing, I am betting nothing is wrong.

HistoricMustang
www.historicmustang.com

Ditto.

Trust me, I've had a wheel that was not tightened down all the way, and that my friend is a vibration you will NEVER forget. If your tires are wobbling, you will feel it.

 

[L8knight]

My thought exactly. The lady that said something to me at a stoplight acted as if my car was going to burst into flames. My friend on the otherhand said it is slight...saying at first he thought it was just some dirt on the tire making it look like it was wobbling... but later realized it was wobbling slightly. Tonight I will be swapping them and checking... so we'll see what gives.

 

[L8knight]

Well, I guess it isn't the tire/rim. I switched them today and had my neighbor follow me...still wobbles on the pass. side. Dang it. So now I guess its something in the axle or something on that side. Never anything easy.