Not so good Vibrations!

ecoangel

Well-Known Member
Drving up the A1 yesterday at motorway speeds noticed significant vibration throught the steering wheel - pulled over at nearest service station to check wheel bolts - they were tight.

It is noticable at lower speeds but worsens beyond 50mph.

Bit like driving on a corrugated road!

This being the 1.2 TDI means in ECO mode I can lift off and clutch disengages - vibration remains the same throughout so not engine related.

The Drop links and the Antiroll bar bushes were changed by garage in Feb 2006.

Possibilities:

1. Worn Tyres?

2. Wheels need rebalancing?

3. Worn Shocks/Springs?

4. Driveshaft to Gearbox interface?

5. Warped Front Brake discs? - did change the pads recently after an inferior aftermarket set overheated in Yorkshire dales.

6. Worn steering rack bushes?

7. Wheel bearings?

Car has done 77k miles and still does over 85 mpg
 
Has this started suddenly?

If so, I wouldn't think that springs or shocks, or wheel bearings or similar are likely. My money would be on the discs as you mention the pad business.

Time for a bit of visual inspection - looking to see if the wheels run true, ditto the discs, looking for evidence of wheel balance weights missing etc.
 
Hi Lukas
My best guess would be a wheel or tyre issue - balance weights fallen of or a bulge in the tyre sidewall etc
Warped discs usually push back the pads and give increased pedal travel when braking. Also, you would probably only get the vibtation when stopping.
Wheel bearings should be audible on the freewheeling test and only cause the vibration if completely shot.

Cheers Spike
 
Quite right Spike

After an email from 1.2 TDi expert in Denmark I checked the low rolling resistance B381 Bridgestones to discover one tyre had some very nasty twisting in the tyre and raised central blocks adding an extra inch to the rolling diameter!

I have written to Bridgstone about this as the tyre was bought last year and not evenb halfway through it's life. The event occured 100 miles into a motorway journey with no previous curbing activity.

So I'm back to a pair of winter tyres (Continentals) on the rear for now

Pics may be posted soon if any one is interested.

PS: Spike do you have VAGCOM yet?
 
Hi Lukas

Sorry to hear about your trouble. Do you have 14" wheels on the 1.2 TDI? If you do, I realise you have just have a bad experience with B381's but I would strongly recommend the Bridgestone B391 if you can get them. They have served Insight drivers for countless faultless low resistance miles. I understand that the B391 has the lowest rolling resistance available (running B330 EVO's added at least 5 MPG) and I know it is safe to pump very hard indeed with its super strong construction. HTH.
 
Tx for that. The B381s are R14 80 series 145 tyres. What are the Insight ones?

Oddly I just noticed the Fuel filler cap tyre pressures on the A2 state up to 42 PSI with heavy loads and yet the B381 and other tyres are limited to 40 PSI

Mine failed at 37 PSI
 
The B391's (also known as Potenza RE92 in America) are 165/65/14. They state a maximum of 44psi but many Insighters run them at 50psi. They often easily last +50,000miles on Insights.

They are hard to come by and are possibly easiest to buy from a parts desk at a Honda dealership. HTH!
 
Last edited:
Back
Top