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[yalag]

I haven't been in the highway for 2 to 3 weeks until yesterday where I noticed that at high speed around 120km/h or higher the driving wheel starts to shake. It's quite noticible! It shakes left and right non stop almost like vibrating. Any ideas what could be it?

The only thing that I can think of in the past weeks is that I have put on my winter tires and 18'' rims. They are aftermarket. Could this be related?

Right now the car feels really unsafe. Please help!

[STALKER]

Get your wheels re balanced.

[yalag]

Originally Posted by STALKER

Get your wheels re balanced.

Definitely a balance issue? Never changing tires outside of dealership again fuck

[SpencerM3]

I noticed that every now and then mine shakes too, but only temporairly. It's only started happening since I got my Eibach Springs.

[STALKER]

Originally Posted by yalag

Definitely a balance issue? Never changing tires outside of dealership again fuck

Not definetly, but its a good place to start. Also torque your wheel lugs again when you get a chance.

[foosh]

It's possible you just lost a wheel weight, but you will have to re-balance as everyone else has said.

[yalag]

Originally Posted by foosh

It's possible you just lost a wheel weight, but you will have to re-balance as everyone else has said.

What is a wheel weight?

[CeeP]

The weight of a rim or a tire is not perfectly even across the entire rim/tire. This means that if you spun it really fast, it would wobble, probably very much like what you're experiencing now. When a tire shop balances a wheel, they're adding little weights held on by an adhesive to make the whole thing...well, balanced. You can see them if you look at the back side of your rim - a bunch of small rectangular metal pieces. You probably lost one or two of these, throwing the wheel out of balance and causing your shaking. Take it back to your tire shop and have them rebalanced, as suggested.

BTW, unless dealers are leaps and bounds better in the 51st state, I wouldn't take it to the dealer. You'll just end up paying more for arguably shoddier service. Any tire shop is going to have a balancer, but I'd probably just take it back to where you got the wheels in the first place.

[Green///Hell]

I use regular shops with Hunter Roadforce to balance. Mounting and balancing is like $10. The dealer will charge you $100
So if its not that maybe you bent a wheel

[foosh]

Originally Posted by Panda///Monic

I use regular shops with Hunter Roadforce to balance. Mounting and balancing is like $10. The dealer will charge you $100
So if its not that maybe you bent a wheel

LMAO, I'd like to know where you get mounting, and Hunter RoadForce balance for $10/wheel. $35-$45 is the norm around here. Balance, only, might be less.

I don't know anyone who does it for $10 these days, unless you're getting a deal for buying tires at the same shop.

[Green///Hell]

Know some cool race shops where I get a lot of work done on multiple cars.
They have to make money though, $20-40 depending on equipment sounds about right.
But if I didn't have a hookup I would always pay more for a hunter

[foosh]

Originally Posted by CeeP

The weight of a rim or a tire is not perfectly even across the entire rim/tire. This means that if you spun it really fast, it would wobble, probably very much like what you're experiencing now. When a tire shop balances a wheel, they're adding little weights held on by an adhesive to make the whole thing...well, balanced. You can see them if you look at the back side of your rim - a bunch of small rectangular metal pieces. You probably lost one or two of these, throwing the wheel out of balance and causing your shaking. Take it back to your tire shop and have them rebalanced, as suggested.

BTW, unless dealers are leaps and bounds better in the 51st state, I wouldn't take it to the dealer. You'll just end up paying more for arguably shoddier service. Any tire shop is going to have a balancer, but I'd probably just take it back to where you got the wheels in the first place.

Spot on in para #1. Totally disagree on para #2. Most BMW dealerships these days have the higher-end (Hunter) mounting and balancing equipment, as do most dealers who sell higher-performance autos. Those machines are worth it and far superior to anything else.

My BMW dealer price is as competitive as chain tire shops, who have the same quality equipment. However, I've had bad experiences at the chains whose techs are much more likely to be sloppy and in a hurry. Even the best equipment won't work with a poorly-trained, or careless, tech. At the place who hopes to sell you another car, they tend to be more careful, and that has been my recent experience.

Of course, there are plenty of shops with ancient equipment, who will do it cheaper, and maybe you'll get lucky.

[tuco44]

I also disagree with not taking it to the dealer for tire balancing.

I have had bad experiences with independent tire shops here, but the dealer has been right on.

[calintexas]

Check this thread out: http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=334066

If you cleaned the mounting surfaces, put your wheels on carefully, and torqued the bolts correctly, it's likely balance issue.

My personal experience is that a tire's balance can change as it wears.

[Small Yellow]

I think its wheel weights too but to make things interesting, my friend drove around 140mph once and later noticed that at around 40mph he had this massive shaking. Turns out one of his bolts came loose and he found that out by making a left turn and his right tire flew out of his car. Poor guy was on his way to the dealer.. I told him to get it towed but he didnt listen. Oh btw its a Merc

[yalag]

Originally Posted by HuangYiChao

I think its wheel weights too but to make things interesting, my friend drove around 140mph once and later noticed that at around 40mph he had this massive shaking. Turns out one of his bolts came loose and he found that out by making a left turn and his right tire flew out of his car. Poor guy was on his way to the dealer.. I told him to get it towed but he didnt listen. Oh btw its a Merc

Don't scare me....

[Small Yellow]

Originally Posted by yalag

Don't scare me....

Well just throwing in some more possibilities.. One thing for certain is that.. his was shaking violently, feels like you were driving through endless amounts of speed bumps at around 20-25.. Well kind of that but a little softer. And... not trying to scare you.

[cap_freez]

there are 4 things you need to check:

1 tire pressure
2 Wheel lug nuts
3 wheel damage (bent or cracked)
4 wheel balance

That should fix the problem, if not then it could be suspension related.

[hkwallace328]

what wheels u got sport edition a7? tell me if u find a fix
i got the same problem, on some road. and i did try a rebalance

[quality_sound]

Originally Posted by foosh

LMAO, I'd like to know where you get mounting, and Hunter RoadForce balance for $10/wheel. $35-$45 is the norm around here. Balance, only, might be less.

I don't know anyone who does it for $10 these days, unless you're getting a deal for buying tires at the same shop.

Linville Bros in Sacramento, CA does it for $15/tire whether you buy the tires from them or not no matter the aspect ratio. I found them by using the locator on Hunter's site because I wanted road force balancing.

[quality_sound]

Originally Posted by yalag

Don't scare me....

So go out to your garage and check the lug bolts yourself. Jeez man, you sound like a 7-year old girl.

[foosh]

Originally Posted by quality_sound

Linville Bros in Sacramento, CA does it for $15/tire whether you buy the tires from them or not no matter the aspect ratio. I found them by using the locator on Hunter's site because I wanted road force balancing.

I said around here. That's 3,047 miles away.