Wheel Balancing
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Joined: Feb 2003
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Wheel Balancing
Anyone know of some places where I can get my wheels balanced in NYC? I don't wanna pay 120 to zumbach or bay ridge audi to get them done. My car vibrates slightly at 75mph and It was after I hit a nasty pothole.
Thanks
Thanks
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Joined: Mar 2000
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Chances are you're dealing with a bent rim...
especially since you recall the event that precipitated the issue. If you pull the wheels that were impacted, you might find the source of the issue without paying for the balancing. If you can't see the damage, but you have a good full size spare, rotate that in, until the vibration stops. That will help you find the wheel causing the issue.
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I actually attempted to rotate my full spare in...
... but on my last dealership visit, they REALLY tighten the bolts to the point where I would need a torque wrench to take them off, which I don't have. I'm in pretty good shape and I'm convinced that I'm no weakling but man, I tried really hard to take them off manually without any luck. I'm just hoping it's a balancing issue, I abused it all winter when we had tons of snow and just realized the vibrations when I took it on I-95 where I could break 75mph consistently.
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You don't use torque wrenches to remove lug bolts...
that's a good way to break a torque wrench. What you need is a breaker bar. Similar to a typical socket wrench, except it has a fixed head that can accept a great deal more torque than a typical socket wrench. It usually also has a longer handle so you can apply more torque with it. They are around $20, and I would recommend you get one if you find yourself changing wheels on your own.
Another possible issue here is warped rotors. They could cause some vibrations when you're driving, but you would also notice horrendous vibrations when applying the brakes. BTW, if your brakes are not vibrating yet...go easy on them. Those overtorqued wheel bolts are a sign of a careless tech. Assuming he didn't torque the bolts on each wheel evenly, you'll warp the rotors if you heat them up with a little hard braking. Get the car back to the shop, and ask them to loosen the bolts, and *torque by hand only* to 89 ft-lbs (no impact wrenches!).
Another possible issue here is warped rotors. They could cause some vibrations when you're driving, but you would also notice horrendous vibrations when applying the brakes. BTW, if your brakes are not vibrating yet...go easy on them. Those overtorqued wheel bolts are a sign of a careless tech. Assuming he didn't torque the bolts on each wheel evenly, you'll warp the rotors if you heat them up with a little hard braking. Get the car back to the shop, and ask them to loosen the bolts, and *torque by hand only* to 89 ft-lbs (no impact wrenches!).
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