Vibrations in my MR2

[Speed_Racer]

Here's what's happening:
- I'm running 14" snow tires at the moment until I can find a place that will mount new rubber on my summer rims (larger, and different than the wheels my snow tires are mounted on). I am getting vibrations in the steering wheel between about 50mph and 65mph (estimated...my speedometer isn't working at the moment). Above and below that range and there are no vibrations. The vibrations move the wheel from side to side for the most part.


Here's what I think:
I am going to let the problem go until I get my summer wheels and tires mounted/balanced on the car.
- If the vibrations go away...problem solved.
- If the vibrations remain...what do you guys think the problem is? Alignment?
- If the vibrations get worse, I'll have to look into the problem further.


Basically, do you think this is wheel/tire related, alignment related, or related to the suspension or some other component?

Thanks for your help!

[MX793]

Sounds like a tire out of balance.  Alignment issues are generally accompanied by the car pulling to one side.

[Rupert]

Yeah, I agree. But it could be something else... How long before you get the summer tires mounted?

[Speed_Racer]

I'll have to see if the vibes go away when the rims and tires are mounted.

That'll happen when I have time to make some phone calls, and when I can find a tire place that will actually do it. The goal is to have it done by the end of the week (Fri).

[Rupert]

Yeah, just wait until then...

[saxonyron]

If it's gonna be too long before you swap the tires, you need to get the wheels balanced now.  My guess is 90% sure it's the balance, and very cheap to fix.  At that speed range, you'll be shaking quite a bit.  Imagine what that's doing to your ball joints, tie rod ends, etc.  A $40 balancing can avoid a $400 +++ front end project.  Don't wait to find out.

EDIT - just noticed you'll be getting this done by the end of the week.  In that case, I guess you should just tough it out. Think of how well mixed your coffee will be - no sugar sinking to the bottom.  Now there's a positive side effect!    

[Speed_Racer]

Coffee? Yuck...  :P Besides, I don't have any cupholders.

Plus, I only hit 55mph about once daily, and only for about 2 minutes. Hurray for short commutes!

[Run Away]

Coffee? Yuck...  :P Besides, I don't have any cupholders.

Plus, I only hit 55mph about once daily, and only for about 2 minutes. Hurray for short commutes!

I obey the speed limit twice a day - once on the way up, and once on the way down.  

[saxonyron]

Coffee? Yuck...  :P Besides, I don't have any cupholders.

Plus, I only hit 55mph about once daily, and only for about 2 minutes. Hurray for short commutes!

I obey the speed limit twice a day - once on the way up, and once on the way down.

 

Uhhh, Speedracer, exactly how do you function without coffee?  Are you sure you're not a menace on the road?  :P  

[Rupert]

Some of us aren't drug addicts, sax.

[Raghavan]

Coffee? Yuck...  :P Besides, I don't have any cupholders.

Plus, I only hit 55mph about once daily, and only for about 2 minutes. Hurray for short commutes!

I obey the speed limit twice a day - once on the way up, and once on the way down.

 

Uhhh, Speedracer, exactly how do you function without coffee?  Are you sure you're not a menace on the road?  :P

It's called h@x, ron.

[saxonyron]

Some of us aren't drug addicts, sax.

Caffeine is definitely my drug of choice.  B)  But I only drink the organic fresh ground stuff. Once you go there, you can't go back!  

[280Z Turbo]

Coffee? Yuck...? :P Besides, I don't have any cupholders.

Plus, I only hit 55mph about once daily, and only for about 2 minutes. Hurray for short commutes!

I obey the speed limit twice a day - once on the way up, and once on the way down.

 

Uhhh, Speedracer, exactly how do you function without coffee?  Are you sure you're not a menace on the road?  :P

I can't stand all of you addicted coffee whores! Your gross coffee mugs, stinky breath, and stained teeth make me sick! :P    

[saxonyron]

I can't stand all of you addicted coffee whores! Your gross coffee mugs, stinky breath, and stained teeth make me sick! :P  

My house could literally be falling in on me, and the first thing I will do in the AM is make a pot of coffee.  That happy grinding sound followed by the cheerful gurgling noise pushes all my endorphin buttons.  Being in that happy blissful state allows me not to be bothered by my stinky breath and stained teeth!  And I wash my mug every day.  Not to do so would be quite a faux pas.    

[Speed_Racer]

I absolutely love the smell of coffee. I used to work at a small deli mixing up fancy coffee drinks, and the nasal experience was incredible.

However, you can not get me to drink the stuff. I'm not a fan of caffeine, plus coffee gives you everything 280Z mentioned...not cool.

[saxonyron]

I absolutely love the smell of coffee. I used to work at a small deli mixing up fancy coffee drinks, and the nasal experience was incredible.

However, you can not get me to drink the stuff. I'm not a fan of caffeine, plus coffee gives you everything 280Z mentioned...not cool.

My teeth are as white as anyone else's, and no one complains about my heavenly breath...and believe me, my wife and kids are brutally honest with me.   Come over to the dark side, SpeedRacer!  You have nothing to lose, and many extra hours of alert enjoyment every day to gain!

[omicron]

I LOVE COFFEE WHERE IS COFFEE GIVE ME COFFEE

[Rupert]

Ah, well, what's a little addiction? I think I'll go make some coffee now...

[Raza]

Some of us aren't drug addicts, sax.

Caffeine is definitely my drug of choice.  B)  But I only drink the organic fresh ground stuff. Once you go there, you can't go back!

Caffeine is good, but try mixing it with cocaine and alcohol.  Shit gets wild.

[Rupert]

Shit man, you really don't need caffeine with yer coke...

[Fire It Up]

Some of us aren't drug addicts, sax.

Caffeine is definitely my drug of choice.  B)  But I only drink the organic fresh ground stuff. Once you go there, you can't go back!

Caffeine is good, but try mixing it with cocaine and alcohol.  Shit gets wild.

 

[Speed_Racer]

Update: I finally put the summer treads on my MR2. The vibrations seem to have gone away. I'll have to run it at highway speeds to find out for sure.

I forgot how good the car handles when it has appropriate tires. :D  

[Raza]

Update: I finally put the summer treads on my MR2. The vibrations seem to have gone away. I'll have to run it at highway speeds to find out for sure.

I forgot how good the car handles when it has appropriate tires. :D

I, I love the colorful clothes she wears
And the way the sunlight plays upon her hair
I hear the sound of a gentle word
On the wind that lifts her perfume through the air

Im pickin up good vibrations
Shes giving me excitations
Im pickin up good vibrations
(oom bop bop good vibrations)
Shes giving me excitations
(oom bop bop excitations)
Good good good good vibrations
(oom bop bop)
Shes giving me excitations
(oom bop bop excitations)
Good good good good vibrations
(oom bop bop)
Shes giving me excitations
(oom bop bop excitations)

Close my eyes
Shes somehow closer now
Softly smile, I know she must be kind
When I look in her eyes
She goes with me to a blossom world

Im pickin up good vibrations
Shes giving me excitations
Im pickin up good vibrations
(oom bop bop good vibrations)
Shes giving me excitations
(oom bop bop excitations)
Good good good good vibrations
(oom bop bop)
Shes giving me excitations
(oom bop bop excitations)
Good good good good vibrations
(oom bop bop)
Shes giving me excitations
(oom bop bop excitations)

(ahhhhhhh)
(ah my my what elation)
I dont know where but she sends me there
(ah my my what a sensation)
(ah my my what elations)
(ah my my what)

Gotta keep those lovin good vibrations
A happenin with her
Gotta keep those lovin good vibrations
A happenin with her
Gotta keep those lovin good vibrations
A happenin

Ahhhhhhhh
Good good good good vibrations
(oom bop bop)
(Im pickin up good vibrations)
Shes giving me excitations
(oom bop bop)
(excitations)
Good good good good vibrations
(oom bop bop)
Shes na na...

Na na na na na
Na na na
Na na na na na
Na na na
Do do do do do
Do do do
Do do do do do
Do do do

[Raza]

Double Post.

[omicron]

Awesome Adelaide-Melbourne driving song

[Laconian]

I absolutely love the smell of coffee. I used to work at a small deli mixing up fancy coffee drinks, and the nasal experience was incredible.

However, you can not get me to drink the stuff. I'm not a fan of caffeine, plus coffee gives you everything 280Z mentioned...not cool.

My teeth are as white as anyone else's, and no one complains about my heavenly breath...and believe me, my wife and kids are brutally honest with me.   Come over to the dark side, SpeedRacer!  You have nothing to lose, and many extra hours of alert enjoyment every day to gain!

I enjoy drinking coffee as well, but I am way too self conscious of my breath after I've had a cup. I remember in elementary school I wondered how the hell my sixth grade teacher got breath as bad as she had. We called her "Death Breath". Now I know, and I feel shame for deserving the same title.

Mints work OK for me, but never cover it up completely.

This seems to work well, though: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001M0ZF...lance&n=3370831 . It's sugar free but made with sugar alcohols, so it tastes like sugar AND you can tell your coworkers you are boozin' it up on a sugar substitute!

(But it also takes care of your teeth too... bacteria try to use it as an energy source but it's completely non-nutritive, so the bacteria just sort of die of starvation.)

[FlatBlackCaddy]

well sorry to go back on topic(if the original poster even cares anymore).

But here is my .02

Problem/symptom

Tire out of balance/ normally a vibration at certain speeds, higher speed
Tire Out of round/ you'll always feel this, feels like a pulse in the steering
alignment/as mx stated it will pull in one direction
bad tie rod/vibration normally at high speed, vague steering feel
bad ball joint/similar to above, normally just replace both