[T3] Vibration

[Jim Adney]

On 5 Jul 2011 at 22:11, Gary Forsmo wrote:

> *We took my '69 Squareback, MT, FI for a 65 mile, "test run" after being
> stored on jack stands, in an unheated airplane hanger since October 2010.
> 
> After putting the tires back on the ground, everything seemed to operate OK
> at city driving speeds ..... but at 55 mph, flat road, 4th gear, there
> seemed to be a steering wheel vibration.  50 mph .... OK.  60 mph .... OK.
> 55 mph, not so good.  Not violent ...  just a bothersome "jitter".

I assume this is a new problem, not present last summer.

I had exactly the same symptoms a few years ago. In my case it turned 
out to be my front tires, which were old and upon inspection both had 
large circumferencial cracks visible at the bottom of the sipes in 
the tread. You can look for these with the car on the ground, but 
it's even easier if you jack up the front end so you can spin the 
tire while watching the tread. Spinning the tire also allows you to 
watch to see if the tread "squirms" as it rotates.

Since your tires are new, this seems unlikely, but I don't have any 
other suggestions. If you don't find any other explanation, it might 
be worthwhile to get the balance rechecked.

You did get them spin balanced, didn't you?

-- 
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Jim Adney, jadney at vwtype3.org
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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