Borrow tires in AZ

[Robert]

Would anyone be willing to let me install your tires on my Explorer and go for a drive down the 202 so that I can determine if my tires are the source of my vibration? I'll remove and reinstall them on your vehicle. All I need is a doner set. I'm trying to find a set to borrow long enough to go for a drive down the 202 to see if my tires are causing my bad vibration problem. I already had Discount Tire balance them but it didn't help. I also replaced my lower ball joints and had the suspension checked out at Sears. Everything comes up pointing to my tires. I would like to be sure before I go back up to Discount and have them look into it a little deeper. If someone is willing to come over to my house and let me go for a drive on your tires I would greatly appreciate it. I don't really car what size they are as long as they aren't taller than 32" and don't currently have any vibration issues. Send me a PM if someone is willing. I tried putting my spare on, but only chaging one tire at a time isn't going to cut it. I would like some proof its the tires before I spend another 2 hours up at Discount.

 

[410Fortune]

Did you watch them being balanced? Dont rule out a bent wheel.....

When does it vibrate?
accell or decell, all the time, over 65 or what?

 

[TSTONE]

Also don't rule out tread separation

If the tread has separated across the width it's still possible to get the wheel to a zero balance. Currently thats my situation with my BFG's, they feel fine around town, and in most cases they feel fine on the Hwy. But occasionally they'll shake on high speed braking.

just a thought

 

[Robert]

I didn't watch them balance them since they do it in their back room. I did stay in the shop when they pulled them off and reinstalled them. I also verified that the weights were much cleaner and of a different size than the ones they took off. I am leaning towards a slipped belt or possibly even a tread separation problem but I doubt that one though. My tires are Michelin LTX ATs with 43K miles on them and have only ever seen 30-35 PSI when on the pavement. They have about 1/4" of tread left.

The vibration first started when I rotated my tires after replacing my front pads and rotors about 2K miles ago. I picked up a vibration above 60 MPH on glass smooth roads. Shortly afterwards I noticed shiny spots on my tires about every 3" around the outer edge like they were starting to cup. Over the last couple of months the vibration got steadily worse. I reinstalled my original rotors thinking maybe I had a bad rotor but it didn'thelp. I checked the front suspension and was able to get more play in the lower ball joints than I preferred so I went ahead and replaced them. It didn't fix it. Since I have 5K left on my extended warranty I figured I'd let Sears take a look at it with the hopes that if they found something my warranty company wouldn't give me crap about covering it. The only thing Sears could find was that I needed a front end alignment, my toe-in was way out. I already knew that since I could feel the drag after putting on the lower ball joints the day before. I had them do the alignment and it now freewheels forever and drives very straight.

The problem is there is a bad vibration right at 65 MPH. It shakes my Explorer pretty badly. Sears said the vibration is probably due to my tires being cupped. I guess it's possible however they aren't cupped that badly. Also, it seems that any time I go over a series of very small bumps, my Explorer oscillates like I'm driving over a washboard road. Very quick, rapid pulses throughout my whole vehicle that seems to be triggered by bumps on the roads. Anyone locally that has driven on the 202 from Gilbert to Country Club knows the road is pretty smooth. However the expansion joints make it feel like I am driving over rumble strips.

If I don't get anyone to let me try their tires, I'll probably go back to Discount on Saturday and have them inspect the tires a little better. The last time I think all they did was focused on balancing them, not on a possible problem.

 

[Robert]

As far as a bent wheel, I seriously doubt that since I am the only one that has driven my Explorer in the last 6 months and haven't hit any curbs and where I live, pot holes are non-existant.

I also checked my rear driveshaft over the weekend and the weight that Ford put on it is still in its place.

 

[Mbrooks420]

I had the same problem and my mechanic said that my bad alignment(had ball joints replaced and no alignment) caused a belt to break. I took it in because I thought I had a driveline problem. Got new tires and now it rides like new.

 

[RangerX]

Originally posted by Robert
Would anyone be willing to let me install your tires on my Explorer and go for a drive down the 202 so that I can determine if my tires are the source of my vibration? I'll remove and reinstall them on your vehicle. All I need is a doner set.

Rick is right there in AZ. You could swap on his Swampers!

 

[Overkil]

Robert,

I bought my X about a month ago and I get the same problem from 65-75. Tires are from discount so I took it there and cupping is what they told me too. They told me nothing I could do except buy new tires.

 

[Robert]

Re: Re: Borrow tires in AZ

Originally posted by RangerX

Rick is right there in AZ. You could swap on his Swampers!

Uhmm, I'd have to mount them in the street and then couldn't turn. I would have a hard time getting up to 65 MPH on my street. For that matter Troll would have a hard time getting up to 65. or at the very least stopping before killing some horses at one end or driving through a house at the other.

I ended up stopping in at Discount on the way home from work since the vibration has gotten very bad. The only thing they found was that when they balanced them a month ago, they put two weights on the same side of the tire at opposite ends. The Store Manager said that was very bad and they were going through a training phase at the time. Well he pulled all of the weights off and started from scratch. All four of my tires do have pretty bad cupping on them. He said from letting the balancing go to long in between. I doub that was the case, but more likely from my front end toe-in being out. I didn't have any vibration in the first 40K of having these tires. When I rotated them (with about 20K in between rotations) I noticed the cupping shortly afterwards. I left the tires on for about 1K miles before I put them back in their original positions. I think that was why all four tires are now cupped. Now that my front end has been aligned, hopefully that will put an end to it. They said I would probably have a slight vibration until the tires wear more (which I do). I only drove it for about 4 miles home at up to 55 MPH but the vibration seems to have lessened. I'll see how it does tomorrow morning on the way to work.

I would still like to try some non-vibrating tires though to put my mind at ease. If I put some good tires on it and still have the vibration, I'll have to take it to a suspension expert to take a look at it.

 

[Robert]

bump

Still looking for a doner for a couple of hours?

 

[Robert]

bump, anyone willing to let me try your tires for a quick drive?

 

[Dannyboy]

hmmm...ford dealership...test drive

 

[Robert]

The problem is I want to try someone elses tires on my Explorer so I can be assured my tires are the source of my vibration and not my suspension. I don't think you are suggesting I go and testdrive an Explorer at a dealership and bring it home and put the tires on mine for a quick drive are you? I don't think they would let me test drive it for the 2 or 3 hours it would take me to swap the tires back and forth with a drive in between.

 

[Bill Kemp]

I have had and now have cupped tires and do not get any vibration. I had to have my STS tires "force" balanced to get rid of a vibration. Regular balancing almost did it but the dealer said they force balanced them and it got rid of all the vibration. No, I dont know what the difference is or why they call it force balancing.
Just a thought...

 

[Mbrooks420]

The Dealership will DEFINETELY let you take a truck for 2 hours. At least all the new lots around here do. Quite a few will let you take them for the weekend if they think you may buy it. They let my step brother take a new 4 door ram for the weekend. He is 23 with bad credit, and an "irresponsible" look to him. Just tell them you are a huge Explorer fanatic and you have doubts about the rear suspension. Sell them for a change

 

[Nick C.]

a test drive isn't a test drive unless it's for a few hours. Just last month when shopping for my x I'd like to see how mad I could make the car salesman. One guy was asking 12500 for a 97 with 75000. I told him he was crazy, he told me thats what he paid for it. I told him he got ripped off and he should try to get his money back. He got so mad I thought he was going to ask me to leave. I agree go test drive an explorer swap the tires and then return when done.

 

[Robert]

bump

 

[Chew_12]

hey i can, I just took off my 235's because i lifted my x. They are on rims and balanced and everything. I am down here untill tomorrow afternoon then its up to flagstaff. You can even buy the tires off me if you want

 

[jimbo74]

just reading the post, and you mention vibration on the highway when braking?! that sounds liek a rotor problem, warped rotors... and if you noticed it jsut after new rotors and pads, sounds like whoever put the rotors on overtorqued the wheels and could have warped the rotors......

 

[XplorerKid]

this thread is 2 friggin years old