Steering Wheel Vibration - LotusTalk

paulhastings · 05-30-2005, 07:26 PM

At 80mph+ the steering wheel has vibration. This must be a wheel balance issue. Has anyone encountered this problem? If so, was it something other then wheel balance?

pinmagic · 05-30-2005, 07:38 PM

After my wheels were powdercoated, I had this problem. Criswell Lotus did a "Road Force" balancing, which helped some, but didn't eliminate it. They then tried to tell me that I had a belt separating in the tire.

So I took it to the local tire dealer, and the asst. mgr. told me a vibration at 80+ wasn't even a symptom of a separating belt. He said it was the balancing, so he spent a TON of time balancing it. Basically, he kept shifting the tire on the rim (for each front wheel), in an effort to get the imperfections in the tire to counterbalance the imperfections in the rim. That's what "Road Force" balancing is supposed to do, using computerized balancing, but he was able to do a better job by hand, the old-fashioned way. He got the vibration WAY down. There's still a touch, but not much.

He told me that the powdercoating may have done it -- some paint got in the bead where the tire meets the rim, and he said that could be enough to change the dynamics of how the tire seats in the rim. He also said that, if the dealer didn't use enough lubricant on the tire, they might not have gotten the tire to seat properly in the rim, which could also cause the problem.

There's a real science to this.

If you're in the DC area, I can give you the name of the guy who helped me. He's really great at this stuff, and willing to take the time. (Of course, it didn't hurt that he was enamored of the car!)

paulhastings · 05-30-2005, 07:57 PM

I am in Southern California so it would be quite a drive to go to your guy. At first I thought the sport package really picks up all the grooves in the highway but, only at higher speed wouldn't make sense.

jtanner · 05-30-2005, 08:05 PM

Separating tires can cause balancing issues--it's happened to me with half of the Pirellis I've ever owned.

Jim

Jack · 05-30-2005, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paulhastings

I am in Southern California so it would be quite a drive to go to your guy. At first I thought the sport package really picks up all the grooves in the highway but, only at higher speed wouldn't make sense.

If you can make it to West Los Angeles, I can refer you to a great place that can do the "road force" balance on your wheel/tire assemblies. The Hunter 9700 Road Force machine in the hands of a knowledgeable operator will reveal whether you've got simple imbalance issue or a more serious wheel/tire issue.

05-30-2005, 07:26 PM	#1 (permalink)
paulhastings Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: San Diego native Posts: 604	Steering Wheel Vibration At 80mph+ the steering wheel has vibration. This must be a wheel balance issue. Has anyone encountered this problem? If so, was it something other then wheel balance?

05-30-2005, 07:38 PM	#2 (permalink)
pinmagic The Only Sane One Here Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Arlington, VA, USA Posts: 1,119	After my wheels were powdercoated, I had this problem. Criswell Lotus did a "Road Force" balancing, which helped some, but didn't eliminate it. They then tried to tell me that I had a belt separating in the tire. So I took it to the local tire dealer, and the asst. mgr. told me a vibration at 80+ wasn't even a symptom of a separating belt. He said it was the balancing, so he spent a TON of time balancing it. Basically, he kept shifting the tire on the rim (for each front wheel), in an effort to get the imperfections in the tire to counterbalance the imperfections in the rim. That's what "Road Force" balancing is supposed to do, using computerized balancing, but he was able to do a better job by hand, the old-fashioned way. He got the vibration WAY down. There's still a touch, but not much. He told me that the powdercoating may have done it -- some paint got in the bead where the tire meets the rim, and he said that could be enough to change the dynamics of how the tire seats in the rim. He also said that, if the dealer didn't use enough lubricant on the tire, they might not have gotten the tire to seat properly in the rim, which could also cause the problem. There's a real science to this. If you're in the DC area, I can give you the name of the guy who helped me. He's really great at this stuff, and willing to take the time. (Of course, it didn't hurt that he was enamored of the car!) __________________ My other car is an MR2 Spyder. My other other car is a Segway.

05-30-2005, 08:05 PM	#4 (permalink)
jtanner Registered User Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Atlanta, GA USA Posts: 643	Separating tires can cause balancing issues--it's happened to me with half of the Pirellis I've ever owned. Jim __________________ 2005 Ardent Red--Sport Pack--Hard Top

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05-30-2005, 07:57 PM	#3 (permalink)
paulhastings Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: San Diego native Posts: 604	I am in Southern California so it would be quite a drive to go to your guy. At first I thought the sport package really picks up all the grooves in the highway but, only at higher speed wouldn't make sense.

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