Speed Related Vibration

[NineNails]

Getting a fair old vibration through the car which starts getting very noticeable at around 50mph but I suppose gets too fast to feel as bad after about 65mph.
Ok, so I went and got all the wheels balanced which also ruled out a bad tyres or wheels... And the vibration is still there.
Is there a likely next thing to check? There's no noises from anything and I'm not feeling anything from the brake pedal on application.
The car has been feeling a bit vague on steering for a while. I suspected lower ball joints or maybe track rod ends but I can't find any play in anything and I've had a 4 wheel alignment done about 6 months ago that showed no issues.
I'm a bit stuck on what to look at ??
Hope you all had a good Chrimbo
Cheers

 

[ex911driver]

Driveshafts OK?

 

[NineNails]

I think so... I had a good look at them and there were no impact marks on them (which I think I would have known about had I banged one) Gave them a good shake about, no play, and put a metal ruler on them in a bit of an attempt to see if they are all straight.
I did the 6 o'clock and quarter to 3 shake on the road wheels, no play.
I'm stumped ??

 

[Bradderz_1988]

Is it through the car or steering ????Try switching the wheels round front to rear see if anything changes, have you checked gearbox/diff mounts/prop hanger etc ????

 

[CHEZ]

buckled wheel!
same thing happened to me! damn pot holes

 

[NineNails]

I've had wheels balanced Chez so that would have thrown a buckled wheel up but ta anyway mate. Bradderz, it's hard to say really. Its up me **** and through me feet and through the steering too, so I'm kind of favouring the front end I spose. Cant get that far under the car (with me back at the mo') to check.
Guess I was hoping someone would say "Oh yeah its such & such" Might have to go to the garage after new year (Hate garages with a passion)
If I really think about it, I think it's a thing that has got gradually worse rather than has happened all at once... if that's any help lol
Ba$tardin cars. ****** skint as well

 

[CHEZ]

I've had wheels balanced Chez so that would have thrown a buckled wheel up but ta anyway mate.

sorry but no mate you may be wrong!
i had my wheels refurbed, and then rebalanced twice before taking to a specialist!
he put my wheel on his machine and explained that even though buckled the rim will balance on a balancing machine!
if you actually watch the rim on the machine as its spinning you can see if it is buckled!
a normal tyre place are only balancing your wheel so dont pay attention to this and yes a buckled wheel will balance up.. but it still will be buckled!

 

[CHEZ]

also, generally an unbalanced rim will reverberate from 60mph to around 70mph but roughly at around 63mph, above this and the effects disappear, but with a buckled rim these speeds vary! mine used to disappear when going over the speed limit which was not safe or practical and a pain in everyday life!
i swapped wheels as i was getting crazy vibes from the front, and then i got crazy vibes from the rear, so singled out the problem rim and had it straightened........................even though balanced!
a tip to watch for is, if you have lots of balancing weights on a rim compared to the others, are a possible pointer to a buckled rim!

*edit* try another set of wheels to rule this out first imo!

 

[Broken Byzan]

driveshafts loose or Propshaft centre bering

 

[Tom_B]

I don't know if this is at all helpful but: my 1.9 developed a low speed vibration and a high speed vibration just like you described. I swapped the wheels over from one car to another and the high speed vibration was still there. When I replaced all the tyres a month ago the high speed vibration disappeared - no idea why - might be becuse neither set of wheels was in fact balanced correctly or some fault in the tyres was causing it. It also transpired that the track rod end on the LHS was very worn and conributed to the lower speed vibration. I think my learning was that what feels like one set of symptoms may be caused by various factors all manifesting at once.

 

[Bradderz_1988]

Mine vibrates alot but i have track g/box mounts so just put up with it lol it seams to vary some days but ill just sort it out if and when something falls off lol going to tackle the engine mounts and centre diff at some point and prop support. Currently in no financial situation to though at the minute as i need to clear some debts so the car will be being dis-owned for a couple off months well not end of Jan anyway as the new tubby CHRA and comp housing will be ordered

 

[aragorn]

wobble/vibrations at ~50mph that vanish by ~60ish are very typical of tyre/wheel balancing issues

I'd be checking the wheels out carefully.

The vibrations from engine/gearbox mounts are very different, much higher frequency and much lower amplitude.


Its worth checking all the arms, as on our old car i had wobble due to worn upper control arms, which wore the tyres egg shaped.

 

[NineNails]

Thanks for the additional info Chez. I use a good indy tyre/exhaust place and the lads are usually spot on there. As its the easiest fix I guess there's no harm getting a second opinion on the wheels somewhere else before I start taking things to bits.
Thanks for all the input lads