When doing some logging recently at *cough* mph I noticed vibration through the steering under load. Car was in for 2 front tyres and alignment so put it down to needing that, but it is still there. Quite noticeable at motorway speeds under acceleration 3rd 4th 5th gear. No noise, no knocking, and nothing below 70mph. Was worse on way out this morning, not as bad on way home it seemed...

Driveshaft? Or could my 2x new front wheel bearings not be seated quite right? Had a couple of issues since garage did those, they put my alignment out for starters, could this also be connected?

Maybe the wheel balancing was done badly, or a weight has come off since.

Have you checked the Tyres Pressures as they were set & adjusted, 

& check the Wheel Nut / Bolt Tightness.  

 

Yes if there is wear and tear that can be an issue,

but be sure first on the tyre pressures.

Maybe the wheel balancing was done badly, or a weight has come off since.

Have you checked the Tyres Pressures as they were set & adjusted, 

& check the Wheel Nut / Bolt Tightness.  

 

Yes if there is wear and tear that can be an issue,

but be sure first on the tyre pressures.

Will double check pressures etc. It felt the same before and after balancing/alignment though and it's worse under load. Could do without another fair sized job on the list at the moment...

Mine was doing this a while ago but front and back. As I'd had all four tyres fitted at the same time a couple of years before, every wheel had threw a weight off. But after that you'd need to check for suspension wear as in struts snapped springs etc. How's your ball joints rear wishbone bushes stuff like that? Wheel weights will be the easy thing to begin with.

Never a good idea to go 'testing' cars if you do not do the very basics first like choosing your own tyre pressures.

 

So were the old tyres getting replaced because the wear worn from bad alignment, wrong pressures,

or just wear and tear. (wheel spinning.)

 

?

What tyres are fitted now, and at what pressure are you running them?

Mine was doing this a while ago but front and back. As I'd had all four tyres fitted at the same time a couple of years before, every wheel had threw a weight off. But after that you'd need to check for suspension wear as in struts snapped springs etc. How's your ball joints rear wishbone bushes stuff like that? Wheel weights will be the easy thing to begin with.

I'll give bushes and stuff a good going over, a few people have been under the car lately and when the tyre place did the alignment I asked them to check over bushes and for play and didn't notice anything. Pretty sure it's from the fronts. Could it be dogbone related? Gears under high loading? Been getting the impression lately that those bushes would benefit from an upgrade. Could be that as I only had fronts done the weights may have gone out across the car, will check it out.

Never a good idea to go 'testing' cars if you do not do the very basics first like choosing your own tyre pressures.

 

So were the old tyres getting replaced because the wear worn from bad alignment, wrong pressures,

or just wear and tear. (wheel spinning.)

 

?

What tyres are fitted now, and at what pressure are you running them?

I had Hankook EVO v12 put on the front as the outside edges went through alignment going out, I suspect after the garage fitted new bearings, seemed a strange coincidence. Got ventus primes still on the back, not measured depth but wearing evenly and I'd say 3-4 mm left. I'm pretty sure I had this when logging before I had new front tyres fitted and alignment done as I said. Tyres place said toe in was out, but evenly strangely enough hence I never noticed the car pulling, just saw the excessive wear. I had 33 psi put in the front when fitted. Not double checked yet myself, will do soon as I get chance.

When I tested the car first I knew where I was at with it, it's just I only came across the issue through testing and loading the car.

As i said, check you own tyres when they get fitted with a accurate tyre pressure gauge, and then regularly because 

they do need checked cold and as season change and ambient temperatures.

Helps the tyres last longer and wear better, and more likely handle better if you have them as the suitable pressures.

 

Cheapest Mod there is on a car other than throwing extra weight out of them.

I wouldn't have thought the dog bone bush would cause a vibration. You would hear knocking when going on/off throttle sharply. And honestly buddy, if the tyre centre ain't getting paid for checking the car over you can't fully trust their opinion on worn bushes and suspension components. Even an m.o.t test is a basic level of safety. The only way is to check for play with a pry bar or visible condition as in tears in rubber bushes. Even tyre pressures unless stupidly over inflated shouldn't really cause vibration. Maybe amplify an exsisting problem but not cause it. I honestly would check all all wheel weights then move onto suspension and related bushes and ball joints. Just for reference though, my car failed it's m.o.t last month for excessive play in o/s ball joint but it wasn't knocking and it wasn't vibrating at speed.

I wouldn't have thought the dog bone bush would cause a vibration. You would hear knocking when going on/off throttle sharply. And honestly buddy, if the tyre centre ain't getting paid for checking the car over you can't fully trust their opinion on worn bushes and suspension components. Even an m.o.t test is a basic level of safety. The only way is to check for play with a pry bar or visible condition as in tears in rubber bushes. Even tyre pressures unless stupidly over inflated shouldn't really cause vibration. Maybe amplify an exsisting problem but not cause it. I honestly would check all all wheel weights then move onto suspension and related bushes and ball joints. Just for reference though, my car failed it's m.o.t last month for excessive play in o/s ball joint but it wasn't knocking and it wasn't vibrating at speed.

Cheers mate I'll get into it when the weather has calmed down a bit. I don't think it's tyre pressures either I'll check them but pretty sure they're about right give or take a psi, I did go round and get a little extra pinch out of a few wheel bolts though.

By the way any idea where I should focus my search? Which perishing bushes are there that may cause vibration at speed? Pretty sure it's coming from the front end.

The main culprit to fail is the wishbone rear bush. I changed mine for the solid Audi TT one i do recommend that upgrade. If they look ok just get a pry bar in somewhere to check for movement in the wishbone itself. This will show up any play in the bushes and ball joints. Anti roll bar bushes are prone for wear too but this usually results in a knocking at the front. And I'm not sure they would cause a vibration. Then if all looks ok your getting into driveshafts/cv joints. Would you say the vibration was there before you had wheel bbearings replaced?

The main culprit to fail is the wishbone rear bush. I changed mine for the solid Audi TT one i do recommend that upgrade. If they look ok just get a pry bar in somewhere to check for movement in the wishbone itself. This will show up any play in the bushes and ball joints. Anti roll bar bushes are prone for wear too but this usually results in a knocking at the front. And I'm not sure they would cause a vibration. Then if all looks ok your getting into driveshafts/cv joints. Would you say the vibration was there before you had wheel bbearings replaced?

Cheers for that. I'm having trouble remembering that far back to be honest and the timing of when I started logging. I know there were motorway trips before then and it was fine, I would have noticed. It does feel like balancing or something rotational given its relationship to speed and the rhythm of the vibration.

Sit rep: Balancing double checked. Not that. Phoned garage who did the wheel bearings, going to swing by on Friday for an inspection of bushes and driveshaft. Apparently they're saying it won't be a bearing seating issue as they're sealed units? Is this right?

Must admit I'm leaning towards driveshaft, I would have thought if it was this would there be more vibration under load more generally rather than at motorway speeds? Or is it that it's just starting on its way out. I can live with it for now because at day to day speeds it's fine, it's just something isn't right and it needs sorting.

Further development:

Bushes, cv joints and such thoroughly checked. Hint of decay on one lower bush and slightest amount of play on one inside cv joint but nothing significant, hubs and wheel true checked, spot on.

Which basically leaves driveshaft or they suspect gearbox. However, given the circumstances under which it happens I can live with it until it gets too bad (when it's worse it would also be easier to diagnose). I certainly don't make a habit of taking higher gears to redline. If I wasn't logging I'd probably never have known it was happening. I suppose nearly 340nm of torque has its disadvantages. So thankfully nothing immediate to worry about and with the day to day use of the car it normally goes through it should last a good while yet. At least in terms of bearing work, bushes, balancing, pressures etc it's all good.

On this note would one of these gearbox oil stabilisers in a can help at all? In terms of prolonging life, improving seal and perhaps even reducing vibration?