Question about steering wheel shaking while driving

[jhv48]

Do an exhaustive search on this forum and you will find your answer. In short, we’ve all had the shake you’re experiencing and it’s a wheel balancing problem, nothing more.
Just because a tech balances your wheels on a Hunter road force machine doesn’t mean he knows what he’s doing. I had to go to five different shops before I found a guy that actually knew how to road force balance a wheel and tire. It involves several steps, including dismounting your wheel and tire and rotating the tire so that the stiffest part of the tread matches up with the lowest spot on your rim. Then a precision static and dynamic balance. Can take 20 minutes per wheel to get it right and most shops don’t want to spend the time. Keep looking until you find the magic tech that actually knows what he’s doing. Then marry him to your daughter to keep him in the family.
Watch this YouTube video and then watch your tech to make sure he does each step. https://youtu.be/G0RzxgOpJzQ
Try to shoot for less than 10 lbs and make sure he uses your inflation pressure (whatever pressure you will be running in the tire). Most techs inflate the tire to 35 lbs and then balance them. Won’t work with our cars.

[SBSerpent]

Originally Posted by jhv48

Do an exhaustive search on this forum and you will find your answer. In short, we’ve all had the shake you’re experiencing and it’s a wheel balancing problem, nothing more.
Just because a tech balances your wheels on a Hunter road force machine doesn’t mean he knows what he’s doing. I had to go to five different shops before I found a guy that actually knew how to road force balance a wheel and tire. It involves several steps, including dismounting your wheel and tire and rotating the tire so that the stiffest part of the tread matches up with the lowest spot on your rim. Then a precision static and dynamic balance. Can take 20 minutes per wheel to get it right and most shops don’t want to spend the time. Keep looking until you find the magic tech that actually knows what he’s doing. Then marry him to your daughter to keep him in the family.

So what you're saying is not to line up the yellow dot on the sidewall with the valve stem (as most tire installers do) but to go through an exhaustive process of matching the stiffest part of the tire with the lowest part of the rim. Tire installers automatically go with lining up the dot with the valve stem but you're saying that this is not the proper way?

[jhv48]

Originally Posted by SBSerpent

So what you're saying is not to line up the yellow dot on the sidewall with the valve stem (as most tire installers do) but to go through an exhaustive process of matching the stiffest part of the tire with the lowest part of the rim. Tire installers automatically go with lining up the dot with the valve stem but you're saying that this is not the proper way?

Correct. Our cars are so light and the wheels so wide, that regular balancing techniques don’t work for us. Works fine on a 4000 pound daily driver with narrower tires and plenty of shock absorbers between the steering links.
Find the guy that goes through all the road force steps. Tip him well, and your ride will be much more fun at 60mph. And yes, occasionally you will have a bad wheel or tire with too much runout. If so, he’ll be able to tell you how to fix or replace the offending tire or wheel. But, it’s rarely a faulty tire or wheel.

[Seanpatrick]

Shes now in shop getting alignment.

[Sycraft]

Originally Posted by jhv48

Do an exhaustive search on this forum and you will find your answer. In short, we’ve all had the shake you’re experiencing and it’s a wheel balancing problem, nothing more.
Just because a tech balances your wheels on a Hunter road force machine doesn’t mean he knows what he’s doing. I had to go to five different shops before I found a guy that actually knew how to road force balance a wheel and tire. It involves several steps, including dismounting your wheel and tire and rotating the tire so that the stiffest part of the tread matches up with the lowest spot on your rim. Then a precision static and dynamic balance. Can take 20 minutes per wheel to get it right and most shops don’t want to spend the time. Keep looking until you find the magic tech that actually knows what he’s doing. Then marry him to your daughter to keep him in the family.
Watch this YouTube video and then watch your tech to make sure he does each step. https://youtu.be/G0RzxgOpJzQ
Try to shoot for less than 10 lbs and make sure he uses your inflation pressure (whatever pressure you will be running in the tire). Most techs inflate the tire to 35 lbs and then balance them. Won’t work with our cars.

This is the only way, takes time.. even doing this with than 3 lbs road force, I still had vibes until I changed tire brands.