Car vibration

I_M_Weasel

I_M_Weasel

I_M_Weasel

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I've just finished a 500 mile round trip. The car (mondeo) was fine at the start but by the finish had developed a powerful vibration which feels like its coming from the front left, the state of the edges of the tyre confirm that it's the problem wheel (it needs replacing now).

What have I broke and how much is it going to cost me.

Thanks for your help.
 
No it doesn't.

The wheel looks ok, the tyre looks buggered, but what has caused this to happen? I really don't know anything about cars but I'd like to know what its going to cost me to fix. The vibration is very very strong up to 20mph but doesn't feel nearly as bad at 60mph, if this makes a difference.
 
I_M_Weasel said:
No it doesn't.

The wheel looks ok, the tyre looks buggered, but what has caused this to happen? I really don't know anything about cars but I'd like to know what its going to cost me to fix. The vibration is very very strong up to 20mph but doesn't feel nearly as bad at 60mph, if this makes a difference.
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normally when tyres need looking at you take it to a garage.. ?

the tyre could have drove over a deer ? or some spike strips ?

the tyre could have been under inflated, wore down the side walls and pulled the tyre to bits..

look at your tyre and find out its size, use the internet to find the tyre you need, look at its price
 
Tyre preasure is fine, its still inflated at 30 PSI but the inside and outside edges have worn down, almost bold definitely under the legal tread limit, as if the tracking was out.

So is it likely to be the tracking being out, can this just happen and so severely in just 500 miles, the vibration at 20mph is almost strong enough to pull the steering wheel out of my hands!

I don't want to replace the front 2 tyres just to find that I need to replace them in 500 miles due to some other issue, I want to fix the cause not the symptom.
 
I_M_Weasel said:
Tyre preasure is fine, its still inflated at 30 PSI but the inside and outside edges have worn down, almost bold definitely under the legal tread limit, as if the tracking was out.
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Normally if the tracking or chamber is out then only one edge/side of the tyres would wear down fast...
 
If the tire is knackered get it replaced. Also get the front wheels balanced and the tracking sorted. You can probably get that lot done for under £150 and most of that will be the price of the tire.
 
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If the inside AND the outside edges of the tyre have worn excessively then you've got severe oscillation taking the wheel outside of it's tracking limits. The oscillation is the vibration you can feel in your hands.

Severe oscillation can be a number of things but I'd look as the inner and outer track rod ends first, followed by front end suspension bushes. Any competent garage could diagnose the issue for you.

To give an idea of cost, innner/outer track rod ends cost between £10 and £40 and are probably 1hr labour book time + £25 ish for alignment after the part is replaced.

Bushes cost lest for parts but usually cost more for labour.
 
mjt said:
How often do you check your tyres?
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Tyres checked before I began the journey, all were well.

It was fine at the half way point, although I had started to feel the vibration a little, in the next 250 miles it got really bad, as did the tyre ware. At low speeds it feels like the wheels an hexagon not a circle.
 
I_M_Weasel said:
Tyres checked before I began the journey, all were well.

It was fine at the half way point, although I had started to feel the vibration a little, in the next 250 miles it got really bad, as did the tyre ware. At low speeds it feels like the wheels an hexagon not a circle.
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See my above post - what you've posted confirms my thoughts.

You can test it yourself by jacking up that corner so the wheel is hanging free then grabbing the wheel at the 3oclock and 9oclock positions and trying to make the wheel wobble. Any excess movement or knocking and you have your answer.
 
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