Vibration At Speed (60 through 70)

[Ramius]

Hi Guys.

Again I turn to your expertise!

W124 300TE24 147K - At low speed the car is fine, hitting 60 fires off a vibration in the steering. At 70 it starts to subside and at 80+ its near gone. I have two new tyres on the front, tracking and balancing all fine. Just put the rear tyres to the front and tried again to see if it was different, no change.

two of the four roll bar bushes were changed a few miles back, did them myself. I hate to admit it but the vibration started shortly after! Have I done this or could it be another fault? I know its not wishbone rubbers......Ball end Joints?

Assistance would be very very much appreciated!

 

[Bumper]

It does still sound like wheel balance but the fact you say it only came after you fitted the anti roll bar bushes it would be worth changing the other 2. I would get the balancing checked at a different location to the previous one you used, the fact that you can drive through the vibration it sounds like wheel balance co you get a slight vibration between 50-60 mph?

 

[Parrot of Doom]

Put the wheels on the back, if the vibration moves to the rear of the car, theres your answer.

 

[Ramius]

Cheers Bumper.

I plan to get the bushes done, Ill get all four a fresh from a specialist. Very wierd vibration tho. I noticed this also. When you hit a bump on the side the vibration feels like it comes from it fires a harder vibration off that settles after a twitch on the wheel.

Ill keep on with the bushes etc but I have this nagging feeling that there is something loose or worn.....No play in teh steering however which is a god send!

 

[television]

wheel balance is normally the only thing that you can drive into and out,
Bushes do not behave that way, and the anti roll bar has nothing to do with it

Malcolm

 

[Ramius]

Hi Malcom. Thanks for the info.

Someone told me that Ball End Joints may be an issue> Any ideas on that?

regards and thanks in advance

 

[television]

The ball joints will not cause it, but they can make the situation worse.
once a wheel starts shaking,it builds up momentum, play in the ball joints allows more movement and shake.

Malcolm

 

[Stevie A]

I had this same problem on a WV Golf and it was a wheel out of balance. Get wheel balances checked first. An over inflated tyre (bad gauge at ****** petrol station) lead to lots more vibration than usual one day and the tyre eventually exploding! Got new tyre and wheel balanced and no more shake.

 

[clive williams]

The ball joints will not cause it, but they can make the situation worse.
once a wheel starts shaking,it builds up momentum, play in the ball joints allows more movement and shake.

Malcolm

Ramius,

I agree with Malcolm, the problem is probably wheel balance, in my view confirmed by the speeds involved. Although the imbalance may be slight, wear in other suspension component may exagerate the effect. If the wheels have been properly balanced then the cause may be in the hubs/discs. Some garages still carry out on-vehicle balancing, which spot any problems but the down side of this is that you will have to mark the orientation of the wheel on the hub and ensure that it is always replaced in the same position that it came off.

Are you sure that the vibration is through the steering? If not then there are many other sources we can all discuss.

Clive

500E
E320CDIT210

 

[Chazchuzzlewitt]

Agree with everyone else- I had the same symptoms on my 300E and it turned out to be wheel balance and I had a bent front wheel. Offending wheel was moved to the back and no more shake...

 

[Ramius]

Hi All

Firstly THANKYOU to everyone for the help and advice. Very much appreciated.

Ok the problem is resolved and the car performs with NO vibrations through all speeds ( 10mph to 130mph ) on private roads I will add!

It turns out that it was the antiroll bar bushes on the front that caused all teh problems. When a wheel hit a bump it sent a vibration that resonated through the front end. I changed all 4 bushes today and the car is back to being like a new one.

Again many thanks from a very happy 300te24 driver.....