caunyd

Hi guys. After switching to aftermarket wheels with new tires, I have noticed a very strong vibration in the steering wheel when driving on the freeway (there is no way that this steering wheel shaking is normal). I had the tires balanced with a hunter road force machine, but I still feel the vibration. What do you think is wrong? Thanks.

LexVan

Not normal.

Either bent/damaged wheel. Or tires are not properly balanced. The tire shop should have done a run-out on the wheels prior to mounting & balancing. They would/should have seen if the wheels were out of spec.

Recheck torque on bolts (96 ft.lbs.) and tire pressures.

extanker

take it back to the shop that did the work

awrryan

Make sure tires were balanced using road force variation. It's part of balancing to make sure the tire is mounted on the wheel in such a way that it creates the most perfect circle possible before weights are applied. Also, if the tech doesn't know how to use the machine to balance using road force variation, tires wont be balanced properly even if machine says they are. I've had that happen and had to take my tires it a different shop

LexVan

Only to ask for a credit/refund.

Find another better shop.

Fred R. C4S

Are the aftermarket wheels hubcentric? Are you running large spacers that aren't hubcentric? If so, your wheels are "orbiting" around the the hub centerline rather than spinning about it. No amount of balance weights can cure that problem.

slicky rick

What he said is as very big possibility.

semicycler

I had a similar problem with spacers installed up front on OEM wheels. Ended up switching spacer brands to a version with a lip to keep the wheels centered properly. If you have spacers, remove the Porsche logo center caps when installing your wheels and visually check for gaps/play with and without the spacers.

Little Green

I had an identical issue when I did a wheel switch on my old Cayenne S. Got another set of wheels, got another set of tires. Nothing. On my 6th or 7th call to the wheel manufacturer I was asked what wheel bolts I was using. Stock I said. Well there is your problem. Our wheels use a different bolt seat than stock wheels. You have to buy a different seat type (conical vs round) they tell me.
You could not visually tell the difference in the bolts by looking at them but sure as hell the vibration (Undrivable over 65-70) was gone in the 10 minutes it took to get all the studs off and replaced.

Ask your wheel manufacturer what the bolt seat (conical or round) on the wheel is. It may be different than your OE bolts.

Good luck

caunyd

It's a Porsche Replica Wheel, so shouldn't it already be hubcentric? I don't think it's bent, because wouldn't the Hunter Road Force Balancing Machine detect if something was bent or out of shape?

Is there any other way to check if my spacers are hubcentric or properly centered/aligned? Thanks for all of the input guys!

LexVan

Not all wheels created equal.

Not all Mechanics can equally operate a Hunter RFB.

Take off a wheel and post a pic of your spacer. Should have a lip in the center.

semicycler

Many thin spacers in the 5mm to 7mm range do not have a lip to keep the wheel hubcentric. Most 10mm+ spacers do have a lip. It varies by vendor.

See the thread over at 6speedonline: http://www.6speedonline.com/forums/9...c-spacers.html

caunyd

Thanks for the input guys!

Little Green

My wheels and tires were perfectly balanced. Had them balanced later on the car. Still had a vibration. Call the wheel manufacturer ask about the bolt seat type. Seriously.

PhilD

If it is a hub centric issue it can just be from sloppy install. Make sure all the lug nuts are snugged down very well in the appropriate star pattern before lowering the vehicle to the ground and lower the vehicle very gently, then torque them up.