406oc.co.uk

I've had a gradully increasing problem with vibration which I put down to front wheel balance. Put up with it cos the tyres were going to need changing soon, finally did that today. It's exactly the same

I know the wheels are balanced, (watched them do it).

It's fine up to about 65, gets steadily worse up to a peak between 80 / 85 and improves a bit if you go faster. That suggested balance to me. Can't really decide if I'm feeling it through the steering or just general shaking.

Any ideas?

Could a back wheel out of balance do this?

Failing that, what's the 'usual suspects' for this fault?

You mean they didn't balance the back wheels. You usually feel the backs more through your arse than through your hands.

Bent driveshaft? I presume the fitters would have noticed a bent wheel but the machines have covers these days so who knows.

I'd start by looking at the back's but you'd really need to watch all 4 wheels rotating on a machine to see what's going on. I had a 'flat spot' on my MX6 once where it may have previously sat on a flat tyre for a week or two and knackered it. I also had a buckled wheel on the Honda - it was dented/dished on the inner rim due to a pot hole or something...both times it was on the rear. In fact if you ever end up with a knackered wheel then tyre places always stick them on the back 'out the way'

Also, depending on your impression of the tyre place, the balancing machine itself can be old and they only get the balancing 'nearly there' whereas another place might get it bang on.

Also, nice clean wheel hubs are important to make sure the hub/wheel mating face is super-clean (+ dab of copper slip).

Bloody annoying though, I hate this sort of thing. I still have to get all 4 wheels on the Volvo checked out cos I'm sure something's going on at 65mph

If it were the front wheel balance you'd know about it as your hands would be going numb (it gets transmitted straight up through the steering wheel).

As mjb said, vibration through the steering is a front tyre / wheel problem, vibration through the car is the rear wheels / tyres.

I would lay money on there being a damaged tyre on the back.Jack up the wheels and spin them, you will see if there is a tyre out of shape, especially if you look at the wheel againt the floor or wheel arch.

Well, looks like you were all right! O/s rear looked OK, but when I took it off, found an average of about 4 mm tread, but less near the inner edge. This area had 2 mm tread in places, none in others
..and a bit with the carcass showing

I guess this indicates a possible rear camber problem? (The N/s rear looks much more even, but there's definetly a suggestion of increased wear an inch or so in from the inner edge).

Car's transformed now - the vibration's gone , (apart from the doggies nightly bonkfest) and with new boots on the front, it goes where I point it for a change.

Put two Goodyear Excellence 205/60/R15 91V on today, cost me £126 with all the trimmings - let me know how you think this compares, (cos it looks like I'll have to do it again next week).

Many thanks for your help again peeps

I used to pay about £56.00 each for my squishy 195 x 65 x 15'' Goodyear NCT5's so it sounds about right.

Rear tyre wear is an issue on the 406, especially the estate. Maybe a 4-wheel alignment job is needed.

That's news to me

Goodyear Eagle NCT5's all round work well for me. Seem to be the best compromise for wear versus grip versus price.

Had a weird prob with vibration earlier this year, all tyres/wheels checked out so had a full alignment and whatnot done and that cleared it.

Got a nasty clonking from the rear (worse with punters in the back) at the moment which isn't the anti-rollbar bushes, link arms or eggsauce. Even had the tools and spare wheel out in case they were rattling. Having to wait for summat to break now... Keep thinking about it though - wonder if it's summat like rear subframe mountings or strut nuts (sounds like summat to see the doc about Well Mr Git you have what we doctors call strut nuts...)?

steve_earwig wrote:That's news to me

Yes, a few on here have mentioned weird rear tyre wear (inc Mr Rees) and in fact my saloon was beginning to take the insides of it's rears. I think we surmised it was to do with a touch of 'passive rear wheel steering' ? I would say it could also be wear in the trailing arm bushes causing excessive camber/toe-in etc..

Not sure if the rear wheel geometry can be adjusted?

Yep, only for camber (I think that's the one).

I know the back's not well aligned on my D8 but it refuses to eat rear tyres

At the moment my rear tyres are wearing excessively on the inside edges and my fronts are wearing excessively on the outer edges. Gonna wait till I get around to lowering it before getting it in for a full 4 wheel setup.

Maybe it's how you're driving (you 'oooligans ) I have The World's Most Nervous Passenger (the misses ) so my days of driving like a complete tit are at an end - it's grandma all the way now. Actually, I think that between her and the idjuts on the roads here I'm turning into a nervous ninny myself

I keep telling you lot it's the way I drive, but some on here insist there's something not right with my car, I mean really !!!

FWIW at least 75% of my miles are trundling along the A14 or other 'A' roads, not much cornering, but I've ONLY done 16,000 miles since I bought it last October....