Crazy Vibration, Maybe Rubbing?

[callITaDAY]

So a few days ago, I was on the highway and I developed a crazy vibration. It starts around 35 and is at its worst at 60. It sounded like the tire was rubbing, so I pulled over and check it out. Nothing that I could see. So today I went and got new tires (I was due for them anyway) and even after having balanced wheels and a fresh alignment, the vibration still persists.

The tone of the sound increases as I speed up; It almost sounds like a loud motor with one gear (if that makes sense).

 

[dmention7]

Wheel bearing? Does the sound change when you are cornering? Jack up your car and try wobbling the wheel vertically.

Or maybe a tie-rod end is going bad.

 

[callITaDAY]

I jacked it up today and tried to wobble the wheel, it doesn't budge. It seems to go away a little when i turn left.

 

[njaremka]

wheel bearing

 

[Jo060]

Does the steering wheel shake at all?

 

[callITaDAY]

It shakes a little, I'm going to take it to a local shop tomorrow to get a new bearing pressed in. Hopefully that'll do it.

 

[Pmpkinhead]

A new wheel brg fixed a similar problem for me three times.

 

[callITaDAY]

Bad news, shop said they don't think its a bearing. They said they can't fix it. Any ideas?

 

[Jo060]

This may seem silly but it could just be a bad/old tire.

I had a similar problem, turned out being my front tires had gone "bad". I replaced them and I'm yet to have this problem again.

 

[mazdaspeedp]

maybe axle? sway bar link?

 

[Sean2010]

"Shop said they couldnt fix it"

Not much of a shop if they dont even really try...

 

[nicholsspeed]

"Shop said they couldnt fix it"

Not much of a shop if they dont even really try...

+1 if the shop tells you they cant fix it. i wouldnt bring my car back to them. lol
thats like a them telling you they cant change your oil. lol

 

[callITaDAY]

I brought the car in for tires to a Sears service center so I figured I'd ask them to check it out... I found out that they take anyone off the street and give them air tools. I have an appointment with a local well know mechanic, so I'll see what they can do for me.

 

[dmention7]

Oh yeah, those places don't know s*** unless it's a tire rotation or an oil change. Bring it to an actual mechanic for sure.

 

[01CrznMp3]

Yea bad axles normally only make noise when cornering sharply like in a parking lot and will be loud clicking. Sway bar isnt gonna make any noise speed related. Just when you hit bumps possibly or turn sharp where you got body roll. Sounds still like a wheel bearing to me. If you cut the wheel one way it gets worse and then turn it the other way and it goes away its def wheel bearing. Have a shop "a different shop" put a stethoscope on the inner bearing or spindle while in gear going slow. That doesnt really mix with your vibration though if you tried to put pressure on wheel vertically. Could very well be both together. Shop could have a balancer out of calibration and could have wheel bearings making noise. We have to recalibrate ours every few months we start getting ppl complaining about vibrations even with new tires. Keep us posted we will try to help.