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NCC Forum Home Page -> NCC - General Discussion -> HOW DO YOU TRACK DOWN A VIBRATION PROBLEM THAT MIGHT BE A WHEEL BALANCE, A DRIVETRAIN ISSUE, OR A BAD TIRE/
Post Info TOPIC: HOW DO YOU TRACK DOWN A VIBRATION PROBLEM THAT MIGHT BE A WHEEL BALANCE, A DRIVETRAIN ISSUE, OR A BAD TIRE/
jim larson


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HOW DO YOU TRACK DOWN A VIBRATION PROBLEM THAT MIGHT BE A WHEEL BALANCE, A DRIVETRAIN ISSUE, OR A BAD TIRE/
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I HAVE A LITTLE VIBRATION THAT I AM TRYING TO TRACK DOWN.  MOST OF YOU KNOW THAT I HAVE A 66 SS WITH THE ORIGINAL RIMS, REAR AXEL, MUNCIE 4 SP AND 396 WITH REBUILT FRONT AND REAR SUSPENSION ALONG WITH THOSE BIAS PLY TIRES.

THE VIBRATION STARTS AROUND 55MPH (WHILE IN 4TH GEAR), THEN INCREASES A LITTLE AS I INCREASE THE SPEED AND GOES DOWN AROUND 70MPH AND GOES AWAY BY 75 MPH IN EITHER 3RD OR 4TH GEAR (REAR AXEL IS ORIGINAL 331:1 POSI).  THIS MAKE ME THINK IT IS NOT ENGINE, TRANS, OR DRIVESHAFT RELATED.  I CAN RUN THE CAR UP TO 4000 RPM IN 1ST OR 3000 RPM IN 2ND GEAR AND THERE IS NO VIBRATION.

I SEE THE VIBRATION IN REFLECTIONS OF THE HOOD ALONG WITH FEELING IT SOME.  AS A RESULT I USUALLY DRIVE 55MPH OR LESS WITH OTHER DRIVERS NOT TO HAPPY WITH ME WHEN THE ROADS ARE CROWDED.

ALSO MUNCIE WAS REBUILT BY A GUY IN LAKEVILLE WHO IS SUPPOSE TO BE VERY GOOD.  DRIVESHAFT WAS REBALANCE BY A SHOP IN NEWPORT WITH NEW HP GREASELESS U-JOINTS.  IT HAS A NEW FLANGE JOINT ON THE PINION.  I COMPLETELY REBUILT THE REAR AXEL 2 YEARS AGO.  NEW BRAKES INSTALLED. AND AS I MENTIONED ABOVE.  I REBUILT THE FRONT AND REAR SUSPENSION ALONG WITH INSTALLING ALL NEW RUBBER BODY BUSHINGS.

I JUST TODAY WARMED THE CAR UP THOROUGHLY AND PUT THE REAR UP ON JACK STANDS AND RAN THE ENGINE UP TO 3500 RPM WITH THE TRANS IN 4TH.  THERE WAS NO VIBRATION THAT SHOWED IN THE TRUNK LID, SO I AM THINKING THAT THE DRUMS (WHICH ARE THE CORRECT CASTING  # OLD STYE), RIMS, AND TIRES ARE BALANCED; BUT THE TIRES MAY BE WORN OR A LITTLE OUT OF ROUND.  MIGHT THIS CAUSE SOME VIBRATION?

REGARDING THE FRONT, THE BEARINGS AND SEALS ARE NEW ALONG WITH THE BRAKE SHOES.  I PROBABLY HAVE  REPLACEMENT GM DRUM ( CASTING # STAMPED ON DRUM  IS CORRECT FOR 66 CHEVELLE).

THE WHEELS, FRONT AND REAR,  WERE CHECKED FOR RUN IN, RUN OUT, AND OUT OF ROUND BY MY TIRE SHOP AND ALL PASSED.

FRONT TIRES HAVE BEEN BALANCED.  I DID REPLACED THE UPPER BALL JOINTS LAST WINTER AND HAVE NOT HAD THE CAR RE-ALIGNED.

I AM THINKING THE BIAS PLY TIRES MUST BE THE  PROBLEM.  WHATS YOUR THOUGHTS?  I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING ELSE TO DO, EXCEPT TRY A SET OF RIMS AND TIRES OFF ANOTHER CAR THAT HAS NO VIBRATION.  CAN YOU THINK OF ANYTHING?

ANY COMMENTS OR THOUGHTS ARE APPRECIATED.  PROBLEM HAS PERSISTED FOR A LONG TIME.  THE CAR HAD DIFFERENT RIMS AND TIRES WHEN I BOUGHT IT.  I CAN'T REMEMBER FOR SURE IF THE VIBRATION EXISTED AT THAT TIME (2004).

LAST RESULT MAY BE TO BUY A SET OF NEW RADIALS AND THROW THEM ON.  ABOUT $950 FOR 4 REDLINES  FRON DIAMOND BACK AND $150 TO INSTALL, BALANCED, AND RE-ALIGHMENT FROM MY TIRE SHOP.

 



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Jim L

Lake City
Lost in the 60s


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I wouldn't throw a thousand dollar set of tires at it until I was sure it was the tires. Find someone with a set of tires/wheels to try first. I have a complete set here, but it's a bit of a drive.

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Mitch D.   River Falls, WI

Lifetime member of the "Cars apart Club"

1966 Chevelle SS 396 M20

1970 Chevelle SS 396 M20

1967 Camaro SS/RS 350 M20
jim larson


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I will probably try to tire/wheel exchange option first.  But since the tires are about 9 yrs old and bias ply, I was thinking about the radial option.



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Jim L

Lake City
SteveS


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Does the vibration change when you rotate the tires?



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Steve S. - Fountain, MN

 

1972 Chevelle - 383 stroked LS1/4L60E - SOLD!
jim larson


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SteveS wrote:

Does the vibration change when you rotate the tires?

 Yes, it seemed to get worse when I rotated the tires putting the spare into the cycle, so I went back to their original positions.



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Jim L

Lake City
Derek69SS


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Does it go away or lessen after driving any longer distances?

I've had tires that flat-spotted after being parked but the shake went away after a few miles.
The Goodyear snow tires I ran on a daily-driver a couple years ago were really bad about flat-spotting, and would shake every morning after parking overnight.

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Derek Kiefer - Mantorville, MN

69 Malibu Pro-Touring stroker LS1-383/T56 - 69 SS396-325/3spd project
jim larson


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Derek69SS wrote:

Does it go away or lessen after driving any longer distances?

I've had tires that flat-spotted after being parked but the shake went away after a few miles.
The Goodyear snow tires I ran on a daily-driver a couple years ago were really bad about flat-spotting, and would shake every morning after parking overnight.

 Doesn't seem to go away after driving long distances like 50-100 miles.



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Jim L

Lake City
jim larson


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I swapped a set of rims and tires from a guy in our local club as Mitch and Kevin  suggested.  Absolutely no vibrations.   I guess its the bias tires or the rims or a combination.  I think I might try a to re-balance the tires ($100) or just go ahead with a new set of diamondback redlines.



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Jim L

Lake City
Dave Seitz


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I had a bent rim and a balance would take care of the problem for a short while. After about 600 miles it would return until I got a new rim problem went away.


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