Inflated tires, now lots of vibration at high speed

[Jeffer]

Does anyone know why this might be happening?

I have a Clio 182.

I checked my tires for the first time ever the other night, as one of them was looking very flat. They were all lower than the recommended 33/31 PSI for front/rear, at around 27-30 PSI and the flat-looking one was 4 PSI!!

Anyway, I inflated them to the correct pressures and today when I went above 70mph, there was a lot of terrible vibration coming from the wheels, causing the cabin to shake and the tires sounded terrible over the road, as if constantly driving over poorly maintained roads (even on smooth relayed surfaces). Approaching 100mph, there was a constant very loud thundering boom from the tires.

This has never happened in the past - it's always been smooth going at all speeds.

What's going on? Or am I barking up the wrong tree and it just so happens that something has happened to my suspension or wheels or something, and the tire pressure is just a coincedence? Or maybe one of the bolts on my wheels has come loose?

Any help or advice gladly accepted!

 

[MrMark]

get ur tyres checked for damage, bulges along the side wall, and ur wheels balanced.

 

[quickshift]

yea could be a nail or screw, i had a slow puncture last year and when over 90 it used to scream and shake changed tyre and end of problem

 

[davejm123]

with the low pressure in the tyre you could have hit something and damaged the alloy/tyre badly enough to throw the balance? only way to sort it would be to take it to a tyre place. am i right in the flat was on the front wheel? didnt you notice the steering pulling?

 

[MRBILLYUK]

You were driving round with only 4psi in your tyre and you never noticed ?

 

[GordonD]

You were driving round with only 4psi in your tyre and you never noticed ?

I've had totally flat tyres on the rear of a couple of front-wheel drive cars and only realised there was a problem because of the noise. I drove the Clio 30 kilometres including a number of roundabouts and a section of motorway, and it was only when I drove past a wall that reflected the noise back that it occurred to me that anything was wrong. Of course the tyre was stuffed by then.

 

[davejm123]

Jeffer, i see your from epsom? what colours your 182?ive been seeing one about recently showing me up with how clean it is. it you?

 

[Gavin.]

to be honest mate if 1 of your tyres was at 4 psi, it will probably be the tyres making the car vibrate! When they are low pressure they get set in a certain position (like an egg shape) only slightly, but it makes the car vibrate like mad. I used to work in a garage and it happens a lot, only way to solve is to get new tyres! But before that get the balancing done first as its only about £15, worth trying that first

Gav

 

[Fletcher]

How many miles has your 182 done? I had a bad vibration problem in my Mk2 172 through the front wheels, it turned out to be the drive-shafts.

 

[Jeffer]

Thanks for all the advice.

The 4 PSI tire was on the rear off side wheel.

It didn't pull either way. Only noticed when a mate saw that it was looking a bit flat.

davejm - My car is blue, and it is rarely spotless So probably not me!

I think I will take the car to be looked at - maybe Kwik Fit or something. Get the wheels balanced and get them to check the tires thouroughly. After my motorway journey, I checked the pressures again and the rears had both dropped to around 26PSI having been correctly inflated to 31PSI. I think there might be a "slow puncture" and/or the tires have been warped (egg shaped?). Hopefully its not the alloys themselves!

How much are replacement Michelin tires? Whats the best price you guys have had - just so I know I aint being ripped!

 

[Jeffer]

Fletch, it's only done about 20k miles.

 

[davejm123]

mytires.co.uk do good prices. PE2's are pretty expensive. didnt realise it was the rear(s). if there's good tread on them might be worth seeing if they can be repaired. il look out for a dirty 182 then!