Hi
I was having a bit of steering wheel vibration at 60-65mph, so took the car to get the wheeels balanced. However since this has been done the vibrations is harsher and comes in at around 50mph now.
Should I take the car back to the garage that done the balancing or will there be an underlying problem? The car drive, brakes, corners etc all fine with no noises or clunks so I dont think there is any probs with my steering or suspension.
Cheers
Flatcap
|
It took the pink fluffy dice tyre fitters three attempts at my front wheels after they fitted new tyres - and it's still not as good as before they had it!
Curiously, mine's also an Almera. Is yours on alloys?
|
Does you car have alloy wheels?
If it does then go back to the garage and demand that they rebalance the wheels using stick-on weights only.
Whenever I buy tyres now, or just have the wheels balanced, I always demand this now as I've had so many balance problems in the past when they've tried to do the balancing with clip-on weights and I've had balance problems immediately afterwards. This has then necessitated returning the car to the garage or tyre place and asking them to do it again!
Now I just ask straight away, and I've never had it refused. If they did then I'd just buy my tyres somewhere else where they would use stick-on weights.
You're not supposed to use clip-on weights on alloy wheels, anyway, because it damages them. Plenty of places do, though, including the manufacturers! My Ford Mondeo came supplied brand new with clip-on weights on the wheel rims.
Clip-on weights aren't accurate enough; you can only put them on the wheel rims. Stick-on weights can be placed within the wheel in exactly the right place where they should be, so are much more accurate.
|
There are clip-on weights suitable for alloys, they seem to have a plastic coating on the clip. I've no objection to these on the inside of the rim.
I certainly insist on stick-on rather than clip-on if anything's required on the outer side, but I don't know why after I've seen the damage they do to the lacquer, fitting the tyres - and I've been so careful not to kerb the blasted things.
|
|
|
Hi
Thanks for the replies, I dont have alloys on the car. Took the car back to the same garage yesterday who rebalanced them saying that the balance was way way out!!! Same person too! So today the situation is that I am back at square one with the vibration coming in at 65-70mph.
The bloke at the garage said if that doesnt fix it, take it to another branch of the same chain. Prob is I am no where near any other branch!
Dont think I'll ever use any of these national chains again.
Cheers
Flatcap
|
>>The bloke at the garage said if that doesnt fix it, take it to another branch of the same chain.
That says it all really, it seems he doubts his own competence.
I'd suggest you take it to an independant tyre place and tell them the whole story. It'll cost a bit more, but, if you want it sorted.............
It may not be a balance problem, could be an iffy tyre.
|
Years ago when I owned my Ford Capri, at one time, I was convinced that I had a wheel balance problem. I took the car to about three different tyre places to have the wheels balanced on the car, but the problem was still there.
So, in desperation, I took it to my local garage. They carried out a thorough inspection of the suspension and steering joints and came to the conclusion the problem was being caused by wear in the track control arm bushes.
These were duly changed and, the garage were right, the problem disappeared!
Edited by Galaxy on 10/12/2009 at 11:30
|
|
|
|
|
