greenleg88 Posted May 9, 2009 Share Posted May 9, 2009 other than wheel balancing and warped rotors while braking... theres a really small vibration when cruising at least 60 mph. i dont think its just the road... and isnt that a sympton when axles are going bad? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Log1call Posted May 9, 2009 Share Posted May 9, 2009 It can be a symptom of a crook axle, although in my experiance, the axles tend to be set off by something like a pothole and then they vibrate until you either change the throttle setting, speed changes, or the axle just aligns itself again after a few seconds. Wheels out of balance tend to be much more regular and vibrate once you hit the critical speed. If you suspect an axle then have a look at their cv boots, grab the axle in the cantre and check for play. It is, in my experiance, the inner axle where it fits onto the gearbox that causes the vibration so check there too. There is always some play where the axles join the gearbox so compare the two sides and if possible check some other cars that don't have vibrations. To test the axle on a road test try and hit a pothole with one wheel at a time and see if the vibration is set off. Often it only happens at certain throttle settings so try it with light throttle, heavy throttle and backed off throttle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edrach Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 Generally when the inner axle joint is a problem, it's when you are accelerating that you feel the vibration, and it disappears instantly when you let off on the gas. It can be a very light vibration that a mechanic who's not used to your car will not notice. Or it can be so bad you think the transmission is about to fall out of the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Log1call Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 Agreed, the axles are very sensitive to throttle, which wheel balance isn't. Axles and wheels all turn at the same speed. The driveshaft to the rear can also vibrate but it is a lot faster than the wheel/axle. If you stick a large piece of sticky tape to a tyre you will probably be able to hear it hit the ground as the wheel turns. If the vibration is at that speed, suspect wheels or axles. If the vibration is at about four times the frequency of the tape, it could be driveshaft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 OP needs to post how many miles are on this car. Inspect your inner tie rod ends, outer tie rod ends. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenleg88 Posted May 10, 2009 Author Share Posted May 10, 2009 just about 158k miles.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 just about 158k miles.. Thats a little early for inner tie rods, but check ball joints, inner and outer tie rods, as well as the universal joints in the driveshaft. If it makes you feel better Blu has the same thing right now. Some roads make it worse then others, and sometimes its not there at all, so i am going to replace the tie rod ends and go from there. He got new balljoints 2 weeks ago. He needed them. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVOthis Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 +1...My 96 Legacy (201k) has the same thing going on now...around 55-60....vibration in the steering wheel and such...shook down the front end the other day and turns out Ive got a bad D/S inner tie rod...Nipper is always on the ball... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CNY_Dave Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 It could also be crud buildup on the wheel-hub interface, especially if you have alloys. I had to take a few hours and fight that battle, recently. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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