What could cause symptoms exactly like an unbalanced wheel but is NOT an unbalanced wheel? vibration is strongest right after alignment and settles down a little over time

11/7/2007 8:17:16 AM

strongest after alignment?? as in 4 wheel alignment, or balancing?

as in... there is a break in period then it stops vibrating?



i swapped out my driver side axle. the boot had no grease and it has symptons of unbalanced wheel.

which tire is this?

11/7/2007 8:34:34 AM

one of the fronts on my 240sx. I looked up wheel bearing symptoms but got nothing.

this is after 4 wheel alignment. I'm *guessing* that the vibration dies down after the suspension misaligns itself again. It doesn't stop vibrating and is still pretty annoying. The problem's been going on for over a year now but I just never looked too far into it.

As far as balancing, I don't remember if they were static or dynamic, but they are the stick-on types. The car (and suspension arms, I'm sure) has 240k miles on it

11/7/2007 8:46:59 AM

i would start off simple.

take that wheel off and get it balanced first.

it could be the actual tire also, if they are crappy

11/7/2007 8:50:26 AM

I had some problems with a tire that had been misformed or something like that. So, even though it was aligned 3 times in a row it still had a bad pull. Maybe the tire could have something physically wrong with it?

11/7/2007 9:51:33 AM

i have a similar problem

even after replacing tires and having a 4-wheel alignment

[Edited on November 7, 2007 at 10:32 AM. Reason : planning on checking wheel bearings tonight when i change the oil]

11/7/2007 10:32:05 AM

first thing you need to do is get a dial indicator and check the end play, top to bottom, side to side play of the hub and also the lateral runout of the hub and the wheel, easiest way to pinpoint the problem, and jack the car up with the tire barely off the ground, spin it and check for high or low spots

[Edited on November 7, 2007 at 12:40 PM. Reason : compare the bad side to the good side and you should be able to quickly find it]

11/7/2007 12:40:04 PM