·        Vibration starts about 65 MPH and does not get better

·        Getting worse over a year

·        Tyres are new on front and rebalanced rears with no improvement

·        Vibration not related to RPM just MPH. Does not appear at same revs in lower gears.

·        No noise from CV joints when in full lock.

·        Vibration changes on different road surfaces. Can reduce or get worse depending on road surface.

·        Reduces when going round corners.

·        Cannot detect changes in vibration when rolling on and off the throttle.

·        Car feels less settled now at motorway speeds. Feels a bit jittery.

·        Suspect its more from front of car.

 

Any suggestions for cause? My thoughts are:-

Suspension ball joints and or bushes worn?

 

Bent alloy that balances ok?

Could be a dinged alloy wheel, try swapping fronts to rear and see what like.

These come up regularly. More often than not, it turns out to be wheel or tyre. Beyond that front suspension, console bushes, driveshafts, top mounts/bearings and springs all are subject to wear and failure.  If it feels less settled shocks could be past it too., no broken Spring? 

Thanks for the very swift replies. Forgot to mention that the vibration comes through the seats/floor etc and not the steering wheel.

Does not get worse or better when braking.

Had Goodyear eagle F1's on until a month ago and swapped for Pirelli's. Was told all the wheels looked OK and balanced fine.

I have not yet tried swapping fronts to rear. Its a relatively easy thing to do.

Springs looked fine at the time of the tyre change.

Edited 7 August, 20178 yr by greenbandit
added spring info

I've got exactly the same problem on my 2011 estate, I've had the wheels balanced 3 times, which I'm told are fine and undamaged as like you, thought I might have a buckled alloy. Ive had a full wheel hunter alignment done (which were all in the green) but I'm putting it down to the cheap(er) hard tyres (general altimax) that have seemed to have 'sawtoothed'. Swapping fronts to rears seemed to have helped but did you say you've got new tyres on?

Sawtoothing / scalloping on inner edge of rear wheels...

Yes have brand new Pirelli tyres on the front and that made absolutely no difference to vibration. I have noticed that its worse on cold mornings. I still suspect its something that's worn ,like suspension joints. I have booked it into Niel Garner Performance for a service and full check over to see if they can find the issue. I will let you know. Thanks for all the replies.

Are the new tyres seated on the rims properly ? 

 

 

 

Edited 14 August, 20178 yr by Auric Goldfinger

Are you feeling the vibration through the steering wheel or your seat? Steering wheel normally indicates front and seat rear. 

 

Looking at the age and the fact you've already gone through the obvious of balancing wheels I think you're on the right track with a drive issue and I would be looking at driveshaft out of balance or a wheel bearing. If a wheel bearing does the vibration reduce more when turning left or right? 

The vibration is felt through seats and through the steering wheel but its not a shake side to side through the wheel. I will look out for the vibration reducing when cornering when I drive it today. I dont think its a driveshaft balance as this problem has got worse over time. It suggests a wear issue. It could be a wheel bearing. Hopefully the garage will check that out.

cheers

Could point to an inner cv joint, a quick grab of the driveshaft on either side and push pull will tell if there is any play in it, I currently have this problem and will be replacing the whole shaft.

If you have only put new tyres on the front,  this will probably be sawtoothed rears then, run your fingers around the inside edge blocks and you'll feel one block higher than the next, in other words not circular, I have this on my rears. Although the hunter rig said my alignment was all in the green, it pointed out the back end was almost 15 mm too low, suggesting worn rear shocks and or springs as it's on standard suspension.

Hi have checked tyres and they seem fine for being saw toothed but I have noticed something that might be relevant. I had Goodyear eagle F1 tyres fitted a couple of years ago. They state they are not directional but they do have an external edge. This makes it look like one is running backwards (near side rear)  when you look at the grooves on the edge. I am wondering if that could set up some judder on a VRS estate?

3 minutes ago, greenbandit said:

Hi have checked tyres and they seem fine for being saw toothed but I have noticed something that might be relevant. I had Goodyear eagle F1 tyres fitted a couple of years ago. They state they are not directional but they do have an external edge. This makes it look like one is running backwards (near side rear)  when you look at the grooves on the edge. I am wondering if that could set up some judder on a VRS estate?

 

The Goodyears are asymmetricl Tyres. The word  " Outside " should be on the side wall. If it is the tyres are fitted correctly regardles of the look of the tread pattern.

I would put the new ones on the rear and whilst each wheel is in the air, you're able to check for wheel bearing play. After the change, if the vibration switches to through the steering wheel I would say the tyres are junk and that's your problem. 

Issue sorted. Rear nearside tyre slightly out of round at one point. You can actually see it when you spin the tyre. Put on the steel spare on that side and all vibration gone. Getting new rear tyres shortly.