AKTUNG

Had a couple of new rear tires installed today. I had the installer re-balance my fronts. It shakes at 55mph. Ok before and after that speed. Any suggestions? Machine showed OK when tech rebalanced it. The tires have been on for a number of years but have about 80% of tread remaining so there was no reason to replace the fronts.I plan to take it back for redo. Any info would be helpful. Thanks.

e9stibi

How do they behave at 70+ mph? Might be tired control arm bushings.

Ed Hughes

Define "number of years" for the front tires. As much as you think tires don't age, they do.

But, this is classic symptom of worn control arm bushings, as E9 pointed out.

1pcarnut

+1
Yup, at 46k miles, this is exactly how mine behaved.

Quadcammer

meh, if they didn't shake before rebalancing, and do now, its most like the balance.

Have them do it carefully, use the appropriate weights, and clean the wheel before applying the weights.

Ed Hughes

If they didn't shake before, then certainly a bad balance occurred. But, I cannot determine from the post, if that is the case.

Bonster

The "55 MPH shimmy" often makes me think a wheel weight is off or missing. I would go with the bushing idea usually, but since the wheel was re-balanced, I would suspect a wheel weight.

Question for those that know ... could it be that the wheel is in fact balanced, but that the contact patch is being adversely affected and causing the shimmy?

AKTUNG

Rock steady.

Bonster

You know ... it may be kind of rare, but a wheel weight may have fallen off. Hmm ...

AKTUNG

How could the contact patch be affected?

Bonster

Okay ... clearing up at 70 is so pointing to wheel balance. I may be wrong, but from my experience, that's where I would check first. Did you keep your receipt? Any reputable shop will attempt to re-balance the wheels.

AKTUNG

It had a minor shake before at a lower speed but now the shake is worse. Could there be a slightly bent wheel that cant be seen?

Bonster

I know it was an out there question, that is why I asked. I thought maybe (and a big maybe) if the weights weren't right, the load on the tire could ne different, and maybe cause a vibration. But like I said, it was an out there question. I sometimes ask weird questions that involve tires because I am a track rat.

Ed Hughes

The question on whether they were fine prior is still not answered. My car shimmied a bit only at about the 55 mark. Over that, it was fine. In my case, new bushings did the trick.

AKTUNG

Oh yes. I have a lot of faith in this shop and will take it back in for a re-look.