Bad Vibrations (please help)
11-17-2003, 03:06 PM
#1
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Bad Vibrations (please help)
OK, I am at my wits end. My 1998 A6 Q days are number unless I can fix this.
At 60 MPH plus, I am getting a vibration that you can feel strongly in the seat of your pants, your feet and a slight vibration in the steering wheel. The vibrations are strong enough in your feet and seat that passengers comment on it. You visually see the seatbacks shake as you drive. It is really irritating. It is only above 60 MPH and continues with the same harmonics up to 90 MPH+. I Know, I know, it must the tires....wrong.
Last week, I replaced the tires, brakes and rotors to no avail (they needed to be replaced anyway). I recently had the new Michelin pilot's road force balanced on a Hunter GPS 9700 and they came back great (2,3,4,7 lbs respectively). No out of round tires or rim problems either. I watched them being done. I had them balanced twice, just to be sure and the problem is still there.
OK, what next? The front end looks and feels tight when driving, so I don't think it is the suspension. But who knows? In order to fix that you will have to replace it piece by piece and that can't be cheap. Where do I start? What piece do I replace first?
My A6 is out of warranty, but is in to good of shape to dump. It only has 82K on it, is paid for and otherwise runs awesome. It still looks fabulous.
Any suggestions? Could it be the drive shaft or U-Joints (does the Quattro have any?). What else could it be? Any ideas out there?
HELP!
At 60 MPH plus, I am getting a vibration that you can feel strongly in the seat of your pants, your feet and a slight vibration in the steering wheel. The vibrations are strong enough in your feet and seat that passengers comment on it. You visually see the seatbacks shake as you drive. It is really irritating. It is only above 60 MPH and continues with the same harmonics up to 90 MPH+. I Know, I know, it must the tires....wrong.
Last week, I replaced the tires, brakes and rotors to no avail (they needed to be replaced anyway). I recently had the new Michelin pilot's road force balanced on a Hunter GPS 9700 and they came back great (2,3,4,7 lbs respectively). No out of round tires or rim problems either. I watched them being done. I had them balanced twice, just to be sure and the problem is still there.
OK, what next? The front end looks and feels tight when driving, so I don't think it is the suspension. But who knows? In order to fix that you will have to replace it piece by piece and that can't be cheap. Where do I start? What piece do I replace first?
My A6 is out of warranty, but is in to good of shape to dump. It only has 82K on it, is paid for and otherwise runs awesome. It still looks fabulous.
Any suggestions? Could it be the drive shaft or U-Joints (does the Quattro have any?). What else could it be? Any ideas out there?
HELP!
11-17-2003, 03:20 PM
#2
How are the shocks? 82K is a lot for originals.
Everything else tight in the suspension ? Sometimes one of the half shafts is out of balance or a CV joint can be on it's way out.
11-17-2003, 03:28 PM
#3
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Suspension Components
If your tie rod ends have never been replaced, they probably need to be replaced. Can't say that they will help your vibration problem, but they could.
I just replaced mine for the second time since I owned my car, the steering wheel use to go left/right going over bumps and it felt like my car was in a rut when it wasn't.
Replaced them (they are cheap on ebay, about $60 for a pair) and got an alignment at the dealer, my car is dead nuts on. It's doesn't move side to side anymore.
As I mentioned, this might or might not help. But it's not that expensive.
Then I would consider the lower straight control arms, about $100 each. If they have not been replaced, it's probably time too. Then there are the lower curved control arms.
Did you have this vibration before? It sounds bad. Can't believe it's a drive shaft, but you never know. I think it's something to do with the suspension that you need to tighten up to change the resonance frequency of the front end.
Are you in Chicago? If so, I'll help you.
pw
I just replaced mine for the second time since I owned my car, the steering wheel use to go left/right going over bumps and it felt like my car was in a rut when it wasn't.
Replaced them (they are cheap on ebay, about $60 for a pair) and got an alignment at the dealer, my car is dead nuts on. It's doesn't move side to side anymore.
As I mentioned, this might or might not help. But it's not that expensive.
Then I would consider the lower straight control arms, about $100 each. If they have not been replaced, it's probably time too. Then there are the lower curved control arms.
Did you have this vibration before? It sounds bad. Can't believe it's a drive shaft, but you never know. I think it's something to do with the suspension that you need to tighten up to change the resonance frequency of the front end.
Are you in Chicago? If so, I'll help you.
pw
11-17-2003, 03:47 PM
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Re: Suspension Components
Hey, Paul, thanks for the offer of help. I am in Kansas City however. The tie rod ends have been replaced about 40K ago. The bushings do look worn on the control arms. The lower straight arms have not been replaced. Maybe that is the problem. The vibration started slowly and has gotten worse. It started about 72K. If it was the front end I would think the steering wheel would be vibrating really bad. It is only slight, not enough to bother me if that was the only problem. The seat of the pants and feet are really where you feel the vibration.
Struts? Half shaft? CV joint!
Struts? Half shaft? CV joint!
11-17-2003, 03:58 PM
#5
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Re: Suspension Components
Hard to believe it's the half shaft or CV joints, but you never know. Bad struts normally creates a bouncing effect going over bumps (no damping effect in the vertical direction). It doesn't sound like that's what you are describing.
Maybe a motor or tranny mount, but I doubt it.
Good luck! If your straight control arm bushings at the subframe are ripped or cracked, I would consider replacing them, very easy to do. Check my picture poster and you'll pretty much figure out how to do it.
pw
Maybe a motor or tranny mount, but I doubt it.
Good luck! If your straight control arm bushings at the subframe are ripped or cracked, I would consider replacing them, very easy to do. Check my picture poster and you'll pretty much figure out how to do it.
pw
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11-17-2003, 04:33 PM
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Re: If the tie-rod ends were replaced at 40k, why not at 80k+? Cheap to replace...try it.
Sounds great. How hard are they to-do-it-yourself? The dealer did them under warranty last time.
11-17-2003, 04:48 PM
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Had a center driveshaft issue on my '96 A4...
.. that resembled your description. Audi sells only the whole (carbon-fiber) shaft assembly at ~$1500 plus install, not good. A local indy was able to get the shaft joints reconditioned for about half that amount including installation. Hope your vibration is due to something simpler, but a good indy shop should be able to diagnose pretty quickly.
My A4 ran great after the fix, but you bet I sold it pronto...
My A4 ran great after the fix, but you bet I sold it pronto...