I have a 4X4 because various activities require me to go off road, although I am not a recreational off roader.  I was driving on a woodland track yesterday when I came to an area where logging had taken place and the ground had been well churned up.  Interestingly, although the surface was dry, the churned up bits were semi wet and very sticky.  Anyway, when I returned to the road I suffered a severe vibration which started around 60 and was unbearable by 80.  I assumed that a wheel weight had come loose and that I would have to go in for rebalancing - it felt like the left rear.

 

This morning, as the left hand wheels were caked in mud, I decided to wash them before going to the tyre fitters.  I noticed a big lump of mud behind the spokes in the left rear and poked it out with a screwdriver.  Set off for the tyre place only to find the problem totally cured!  It seems the mud was unbalancing the wheel.  Has anyone else experienced this?  I have the standard 17" alloys that come with the Elegance and there is a big space behind the spokes so I wonder if they are prone to this?  Anyway, this might help anyone else who finds themselves in the same situation.

I've had this on Land Rovers a few times.  Not in the Yeti yet though.

Yes I've heard of this happening. I think someone else on this forum has had the same thing with frozen snow.

Very common for me with the mud here. Not so bad at the moment!

If you do a search back you will find that this very thing happened to me after a slip-sliding experience involving welsh farm collie avoidance techniques!

It also happened after deep snow.

The vibration and the clattering and clanging threatened to dislodge earwax apart from anything else. Most disturbing.

Be warned.

One reason why, before you return to tarmac, you should always check the condition of the vehicle, including any residual mud anywhere.

I had the same problem many years ago with a Range Rover. Kicked the mud off the steel wheel (that dates it rather!) and hey presto no vibration.

A few years ago we bought a 10 year old 20,000 mile one careful old lady owner vehicle. The more I drove it at normal speed limits, the more the steering wheel moved from side to side. Eventually we discovered that the original 10 year old tyres were delaminating. They had plenty of wear left. You could not tell they were a problem until it was lifted up and the wheels spun round. You could then see the tread was lifted away from the carcass. New tyres solved the problem.

It shouldn't come as too much of a suprise that a huge clump of mud could throw out the balance of the wheels, the wheel weights can weigh as little as 5 grams, I'm guessing wet mud weights quite a bit!?

One reason why, before you return to tarmac, you should always check the condition of the vehicle, including any residual mud anywhere.

It also avoids unconsciously launching missiles at any following vehicles.  

 

Fred

Yes, happens about once a year to my work car. Would be more often but usually when there is mud there is a big enough puddle on the way out to wash the lumps off.

Oh I have had this a fair few times on my Yeti.      First time with snow.  Thankfully someone on here had by then told me if you have these vibrations that it is just an unbalanced wheel due to snow or mud.  Otherwise my first thought would have been that I've broken or bent something by having been a bit too enthusiastic with the car.  

My thoughts exactly, Johann.  Hopefully this will have put a few minds at rest in future.