Vibrations

[ab_geezer]

Good day everyone

I have a 94 Cavalier RS with a vibration. It drives smooth as silk up until 105kmph and up. Very minor steering wheel vibration but the rest of the car is just a shaking! I just put new tires onto it. It just went through a insurance inspection and passed with flying colors. When I put the tires on the alignment and front end was checked again. When I brake there is no kick back like you would get with a bent rotor.

Any ideas most welcome!

I am wondering what a bent axle acts like? Is that a possibility?

Thanks much for your time

[cta2885]

how old are your struts? i know that with my 91 when my car was vibrating. It was my struts. so check that out. Its very unlikely to have a bent axle. But that is all depending on what conditions you drive on. (*dirt roads* etc etc etc....)

[ab_geezer]

Thanks much for your thoughts.
During the inspection they replaced one strut and told me the other one was good..
How do you check struts?
Driving it does not have excessive bounce when I hit bumps, and when I push on the hood it seems pretty tight, basically no bounce at all. I weigh 225 pounds so I am pushing fairly hard!

Was your strut issue only at certian speeds?
I took it out today and paid attention to the rattles and speed and it starts at 105kph, gets real bad at 110, is not half as bad at 120, then at 130 it starts getting bad all the way to 150kph
Thanks again

[cta2885]

well number 1 when they replaced the strut they should have replaced both at the same time. Struts should be replaced like brake pads. Now mine was vibrating starting at the speed of 40mph all the way to 65mph then after 65 it would still be there just not as bad. So what i would do is get that other sturt replaced. and go from there

[ab_geezer]

That is not terribly good news for me but thanks.
Now I am wondering how much else they don't know about and if I should even be trusting what work they did. They will be getting a call tomorrow morning to find out why they didn't put 2 struts in.

Thanks for your thoughts, struts as soon as I can and if that is not the issue then I will be back!!

[ab_geezer]

Originally Posted by cta2885

well number 1 when they replaced the strut they should have replaced both at the same time. Struts should be replaced like brake pads. Now mine was vibrating starting at the speed of 40mph all the way to 65mph then after 65 it would still be there just not as bad. So what i would do is get that other sturt replaced. and go from there

I took your advice and changed the struts, had a front end alignment, replaced the front passenger side axle, (new) had a different mechanic look at it and I am still stuck with this vibration

When I get up to 110kmph (70mph) there is my vibration. The steering wheel is not shaking but the whole car is vibrating

Does anyone have a tip for me?

I am disabled and on a limited budget so I cannot afford to be throwing money and parts at this thing without some good results.
I have done a search on the google and have found a couple other people with vibrations in these cavaliers, they have not come to any positive deductions as to the problem so I am hoping that someone else hsa had this problem and can direct me in the right direction

Thanks in advance for your time and thoughts

Chad

[mufff34]

I doubt that it is a front end issue if there is no vibration from steering wheel. Try rotating tires to see if it changes,better yet if you take rears off and put on a different set (borrow them if you have to )

[ab_geezer]

Thanks for the thoughts muff34, I did that with all the tires, then I replaced them with all new tires, then I tried switching out the new tires with different tires. Same vibration.
I am now wondering if there is not a rear bearing with issues. I checked the bearings and they seem tight, but I am wondering if there is something like a scored bearing or a bearing with a chip out of it that is causing this.
The shop that replaced the axle and did the front end alignment offered to check it out again and offered me credit after I told them how I felt about a $300.00 bill and still having the same vibration.

[muff34]

ya it colud be a bearing going south ,hard to determine if it is just starting to fail. See what kind of credit they are going to give you . If they at diagnose a rear bearing failure for you at least you`ll know and you don`t have to let them do the work . You have to give them some "credit" for offering you a rebate for their past failure. In this day and age that is getting to be a rare comodity. I just re-read your first post ,feel like a fool, I see where you put new tires on .......lol. Had that trouble in school years ago "fails to proof read " I am guessing then that the vibrations were there before you put new tires on as well.