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Tire Guy Can't Fix My Wheel Noise Problem

5K views 10 replies 6 participants last post by  nate2006 
#1 ·
Ok before today the noise sounded like an intermitten rubbing noise. Its hard to explain. As I go faster the noise gets louder and faster. It appears to be coming from the passenger rear tire. Also during this last winter the car was very unstable in the snow and ice which is not how it has performed the last 6 years that I have owned the car. The back end of the car kept wanting to fishtail. I dont now if that is related or not.

So today I took my 2000 ZX3 in to the tire shop to have the tires rotated and balanced. It was shaking a little bit at 70mph, the noise was getting worse and I have gone about 5k on the tires since I got them. They balanced them and supposedly rotated them. After I left the noise changed from more of a rubbing noise to a bumping noise but got louder and faster as I drove faster. When I got home I checked the tread of the tires on the front and rear and the tread was much bigger on the back just like before a tire rotation. [smackbum] [hatchet] [bash]

I figured I better ask for help here before I go back to the tire place and let them screw up my car.

Thanks for any info.

Nate
 
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#2 ·
u may have a broken belt on a tire. I did on my 18's and the tire blew a few weeks later. it was bumping noise/rubbing noise and was shaking around 60+ really bad. Look around ur tires for any buldges or anything out of the ordinary. LMK what u find.
 
#3 ·
I looked over the tires and I did not find any buldges. I went and took it for another drive and the sound has changed again. Its producing shake in the steering wheel at around 60 now. The sound is an oscilating noise that resembles a low thump. When I am at 60 or so it is oscilating fast. If I am going slow, say 20-40 on nice pavement I can barely hear it. I cant pinpoint the direction it is coming from though.

Front right wheel has new knuckle and bearing. However my right front rim has a serious scratch on the outside portion of the rim from a previous curb check. While I was at the tire guy they did not mention a bent rim. Tomorrow I think I will go back and ask them some questions.
 
#4 ·
check to see if anything is broken and leaning against the tire. or take off the wheel and roll it down the street and watch from a distance to see if it wobbles (bent wheel). sorry i cant think of any other way to help you besides you going to a different shop and having them drive it to see.
 
#9 ·
Well no luck. I can hear some noise coming from the rear passenger wheel bearing but the noise is so faint its hard to tell 100%. I will be upgrading the suspension next week to a SVT kit plus some bushings on the front sway bar. Once Ive done that Im going to try and put my fingure on the noise. I will post what I find out once I get underneath it and start turning some bolts. Thanks for all the advice everyone!
 
#11 · (Edited)
The sound and vibration appears to be coming from the passenger side. So I checked the front and back wheels and there wasn't any play.

The tire shop said my rims are true but Im starting to wonder. The car has been curb checked badly enough to break the threads on the lower ball joint bolt and bend the tie rod. If those parts were damaged I would almost have to say yes one of the rims has to be bent. The tire shop has never said anything tho.

Anyway to repair it I bought a new steering knuckle, lower control arm, and rotor(old one was warped). I reused the hub and had it pressed into the new knuckle and bearing at a mechanic. I also reused the brake pad+caliper, strut, coil spring, and spring seat. New strut mount and bearing. Then I put on new tires and had a 4 wheel alignment. The cv boots were ripped also so I had to put on a new inner boot and I used a hose clamp to hold it on tight. Half-shaft bearing seemed fine just a little noisey not really that smooth sounding.

Once I got it back together it drove smooth with just a little vibration, I figured it just needed some miles to break in the new parts. It's been about 6000 miles since then. The vibration/noise didnt get worse until I had it rebalanced. Drove it for like 50 miles with the new rebalance and took it back to the tire guy the next day and he rotated the back to the front and said come back once I put on the new suspension. After the rotation tho the vibration/noise was less than before with just the balance.

Today I took it on the highway and it vibrated right around 60. Once I put on the new suspension I will take it to another tire shop and have them check it out.

------------[:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)]*UPDATE: April 14, 2007[:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)]**--------------

My parts came on Thursday,

SVT Suspension Kit
Prothane rear spring seats
Prothane rear sway bar bushing set
Prothane lower rear motor mount bushings
8mm spark plug wires from CFM and Motorcraft Plugs
New bushings for front swaybar, they didnt have a 20mm Prothane set in stock
Full synthetic oil Mobil 1 with Mobil 1 filter

Anyway after long hours of installation, much cussing at lower motor mount everything was back together and tight. No more vibration at any speed and she corners much better than she ever has. At 106k miles she feels like a brand new Focus.

I believe the vibration was caused by the front right strut being bent. It and the spring had pushed to one side and distorted the bearing and mount which I have just put on about 12k miles ago. At that time I had lots of trouble getting the spring seat and mount to sit correctly. The other day when I was seating the front right with the new strut, spring, mount, and bearing, the old spring seat sat perfectly against the bearing and there was no leaning of the spring seat. I hope it doesnt give me anymore grief!

Thanks for everyones advice.

Nate
 
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