98 OBW. Had this vibration that started around 55 mph and was intolerable at around 65. So after balancing and rebalancing tires and doing an alignment, moved wheels around, and figured out that something was off with one of them, possibly with the tire.

 

So I bought a pair of wheels from one of the members here. Bolted them on. The high speed vibration is gone, but there is a pretty bad thumping sound both at low and at high speed. I'd think "used" wheels/tires would've balanced, but the guy I got these from haven't mentioned anything about it one way or the other. The sound and feel is much like with loose lug nuts, but the wheels are bolted on and torqued properly.

 

Does this sound like balance issue?

Please state you brand model of tires.

 

there are many junk tires on the market, and i do mean MANy.

 

 

Plus all 4 of your tires need to match on AWD

The problematic tires are branded Kenda Kenetica, my guess is generic brand.

 

What happens if you put different brand tires on the front and rear?

It's not so much brand as circumference of the tires that's important.

 

Subarus need no more than 1/4" difference to be sure no damage is done to the AWD system.

 

Use the search here and you'll find a lot of info on tire matching.

 

Do you feel the vibration in the steering wheel or is it more seat of the pants. If it's in the wheel you problem is in the front.

It's not so much brand as circumference of the tires that's important.

 

Subarus need no more than 1/4" difference to be sure no damage is done to the AWD system.

 

Use the search here and you'll find a lot of info on tire matching.

 

Do you feel the vibration in the steering wheel or is it more seat of the pants. If it's in the wheel you problem is in the front.

 

There is no vibration, just obnoxiously loud thumping noise coming from the "new" tires.

There is no vibration, just obnoxiously loud thumping noise coming from the "new" tires.

 

Mostly likely crappy tires.

That was one of my suspicions, but the only thing, threads look alright.

 

How doable is it to put my old tires onto new rims at home? I had mine balanced a few times at a local Discount Tire, probably they won't charge me the third time around...

That was one of my suspicions, but the only thing, threads look alright.

 

How doable is it to put my old tires onto new rims at home? I had mine balanced a few times at a local Discount Tire, probably they won't charge me the third time around...

 

Not doable to put your tires on rims at home. It takes a tire changer machine to do that.

 

I have been a loyal Discount Tire customer. They have always been good to me until lately. Last time there, the counter guy was rather snotty with me. Maybe it was just him, I don't know. His spouting new Discount Tire Policy to me about not working on tires older then 6 years was ridiculous. All I wanted was to have them aired up on my RV.

 

Walmart will mount and balance tires for $5 per wheel. The price is right.

go back to where you bought the tires and complain. new tires should not go thump.

 

get a refund and go buy decent tires.

 

or, keep going back complaining about the tires, demanding replacements until you get a good set or they get tired and pay you off.

One thing about tires is that with different manufactures they will wear differently and soon the fronts will not be a match for the rears anymore. It is also possible that the reason the other person was selling the wheels was that they went thump on his car. I would take them to a shop and have them check them out.

 

As far as mounting a balancing at home, if you have the equipment then go ahead but if you are out there with a sledge and tire spoon go pay to have it done. I learned that every time that I have mine rotated by a dealer I will have them check the balance and redo if it is needed.

Those are probably just badly manufactured tires....get some good tire brand, good Year, Michelin, Pirelli, BF Goodrich, Uniroyal, Yokkohama etc.

 

Put that Kenda on your list to never get again. Also stay away from Douglas and Fuzion. And yet another, i stay away from anything Firestone/Bridgestone due to the fact they knowingly sold defective tires that blew out and caused deaths.....until they were forced to recall them, it was not their own "good deed" to recall, they were literally forced to or close the company///// so they recalled them and could care less about selling death tires.

 

These Kenda, Douglas, Fuzion are actually reject tires of the other companies that did not pass inspection and tests, that is why they are cheap. Gillette used to make a CRAPPY tire too, don't know if they are still around, but they were known to blow out within the first 20 miles, guaranteed. It is what shoddy dealers used to install on traded in cars so they could easily sell them based on the fact it had NEW TIRES.....

Edited October 16, 201114 yr by bheinen74

Thanks for the advice all!

 

I ended up having my original tires put on the "new" rims. The rims are fine, finally no shimmy when I hit 60-65! And the techs that put on the tires told me that one of the Kenda tires was full of the puncture fix slurry. I can only figure that this was the reason for all the thumping.

Those are probably just badly manufactured tires....get some good tire brand, good Year, Michelin, Pirelli, BF Goodrich, Uniroyal, Yokkohama etc.

 

Put that Kenda on your list to never get again. Also stay away from Douglas and Fuzion. And yet another, i stay away from anything Firestone/Bridgestone due to the fact they knowingly sold defective tires that blew out and caused deaths.....until they were forced to recall them, it was not their own "good deed" to recall, they were literally forced to or close the company///// so they recalled them and could care less about selling death tires.

 

These Kenda, Douglas, Fuzion are actually reject tires of the other companies that did not pass inspection and tests, that is why they are cheap. Gillette used to make a CRAPPY tire too, don't know if they are still around, but they were known to blow out within the first 20 miles, guaranteed. It is what shoddy dealers used to install on traded in cars so they could easily sell them based on the fact it had NEW TIRES.....

 

I agree they are crappy but saying they are reject tires that dont pass inspections and tests isnt accurate. They are made by other companies, true, but they are just designed to be made cheaply with poor quality control. Obviously if they were just the rejects from goodyear etc. they would have the same tread design, and branding