Jas0nEK

There's a distinct vibration going through my car when I drive. I don't feel it at idle, even if I rev up or something. If I had to try to judge where it's coming from just from what little I know mechanically and by reason, I'd say it's coming from one wheel. At low (city-driving) speeds I generally don't notice it at all, and it seems like once I get up to interstate speeds, say 70 mph or more, I really don't notice it either. It's by far its worst around 55 mph.

Relevant facts about the car itself:
2000 Civic EX coupe
5-speed
Eibach Sportlines
Monroe Sensa-Tracs
15" Konig Heliums
Kumho rubber

My first inclination is just to take it somewhere and have the tires rotated and balanced. To me, it feels like a wheel is out of balance, but the only thing I can't figure out is why I'd notice that at 55 mph but not 75. To me, that would rule out a tire being low. Also, none of them LOOK low. There's not a particularly loud sound that accompanies the vibration, though there may be a slight whump whump whump. I really can't pin that down, and wouldn't want to commit to it.

What do you guys think?

Toonz08

balance your wheels bro. This has happened to me except it was around the 65mph mark, its not that uncommon to have a weight fall/fly off especially if the ppl who balanced it, didn't properly put it on. it is annoying tho

Jas0nEK

Alright. Thanks for the advice.

hatchling37

Have them check for separation as well. But you're probably just looking at an unbalanced wheel assembly.

Jas0nEK

Separation of what??

egthomas

yeah. your wheels are disbalanced. that happend to me and i didnt know what that was. i found out because i needed to get some new tires. and the guy balanced them for me. and now at 70.80.90.100 and beyond, it doesnt shake one bit. feels like im piloting a freakin air plane. hahaha.

addiction2bass

ya sometimes the tire shop will ballance them but they will do a crappy job!

i will NEVER go to the tire shop after 2pm! to many stupid kids working that dont give a dam about there job!

i had to have my nice 17s ballanced 3 times to get them smooth even added centric rings to them.

tell them youve had some problems with ballaces in the past and hopefully the manager will make sure they do a good job!
or walk outside when they start working on your car and talk to the guy that ballances your tires and make sure he checks them again after putting the last weight on the wheel.

see most the time the computer tells them what to do so they do it but they never recheck the tire with a last spin. they just put the weight on and pull the wheel to reinstal on the car.

and if you talking to the guy ask him to check for bent rim as well. as those can be very hard to ballance!

Jas0nEK

I've had some bad luck with balances in the past as well, one shop went so far as to tell me that my rim just couldn't be balanced... took it down the street and they fixed it right up.

But that was a different set of rims on a different car. I can't think of any reason why these wheels would be damaged, I don't think I've so much as hit a pothole since I bought them. Also being 15s rather than 17s or 18s, and therefore having more tire cushion, will probably have worked to my advantage.

In any case, sounds like it's definitely a balance thing, a decent shop should be able to handle that, and I've got a good one in mind around here. Thanks for the tips, fellas.