Vibrations

[Rojer]

Not related to a Clio, but my Civic has bad vibrations at motorway speeds. It's not just the steering wheel, you can feel it through the whole car. I had a brake upgrade fitted around 2 weeks ago, but before then i had a slight vibration starting to doubt myself tho. The brake upgrade included calipers, discs, pads & 15mm spacers. The parts were all second hand and since fitting the vibrations are a lot worse. When braking hard at motorway speeds i will sometimes get vibrations, braking at other speeds doesn't seem to have any issue. I do get a brrrrr or durrrrrrr noise when braking hard if that makes sense, almost like rubbing.

I do have new pads and could order new discs, but don't really want to spend the money on them if they are not going to fix the issue. Any other ideas on what it could be? I have had the wheels balanced and swapped around, but doesn't make any difference. My thinking is either the discs are slightly warped causing the issue or something driveshaft related maybe?

@Danith @Al_G

 

[JamesBryan]

Something up with the discs or spacers there.

Jack it up and spin the wheel round and see if the disc catches at any point in the rotation.

I've seen it where caliper carriers have been off slightly and you get like a 'ching, ching' noise as the discs hits it.

 

[davo172]

Warped discs or driveshafts would be my guess as you said.

 

[Rojer]

Something up with the discs or spacers there.

Jack it up and spin the wheel round and see if the disc catches at any point in the rotation.

I've seen it where caliper carriers have been off slightly and you get like a 'ching, ching' noise as the discs hits it.

Yer i will give it a try, i have noticed that i do have a rotational noise, almost like a stone in the tyre kind of thing.

Warped discs or driveshafts would be my guess as you said.

I think for discs it would be mainly felt through braking rather than just cruising at speed. Maybe the wheels are no good. When the balancing was done they said the worst was up to 40G out and they put them at the back. Feels like the vibrations are at the front.

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

Easiest thing to eliminate is the spacers... Take them off, torque the wheels up again and see what happens.

 

[Rojer]

Easiest thing to eliminate is the spacers... Take them off, torque the wheels up again and see what happens.

No can do as i need the spacers to clear the brakes in the first place lol.

 

[White16valver]

Are the brakes slotted/grooved?

They will 'whirr' under braking and could be doing it if the pistons aren't fully retracting, leaving part of the pad touching the disc, perhaps??

 

[Rojer]

Are the brakes slotted/grooved?

They will 'whirr' under braking and could be doing it if the pistons aren't fully retracting, leaving part of the pad touching the disc, perhaps??

I would hate it if the calipers are not working correctly as that would take the car out of action whilst they would be rebuilt etc. The discs are dimpled and grooved so its a possibility. Need to take the car apart on the weekend and just inspect it all, hopefully it's something cheap and simple.

 

[Rojer]

Ruling out clutch/dmf issues and sticky calipers. Just went for a drive and temps seem the same on both sides and as the vibration isn't rpm dependant it shouldn't be clutch related. When you get to 50 you can start hearing the almost stone in the tyre noise then get to 70 and vibrations start. Got some new discs in case I need them, guess not much else i can check until weekend and get the wheels off.

 

[Rojer]

So just had the car up on stands with the wheel on I grabbed the wheel 9 and 3 couldn't feel play, 12 and 6 seemed fine. When rotate the wheel you can hear just the pad against the disk once a rotation kinda thing. Wheel off shock and spring are fine. Doesn't look like there is anything suspension related. Rotate the driveshaft back and forth and can feel play at the bearing carrier. I can give it a pull upwards and there is movement. I do hear knocking but it's in the gearbox. Other side driveshaft seems to be similar. So haven't fitted new discs or pads and just left it for now. Wheel seems straight and no buckles or weird tyre shapes. I can only imagine its driveshaft or gearbox bearings as it has to be something that rotates.

Any ideas would be great, also @Brigsy

 

[Krarl]

What parts have been replaced up front? I.e. have you got 10 year old wishbones, droplinks, shockers and springs underneath it?

 

[Rojer]

What parts have been replaced up front? I.e. have you got 10 year old wishbones, droplinks, shockers and springs underneath it?

Yup, droplinks are new rest seems original. I dont think its suspension related tbh.

 

[Krarl]

Yup, droplinks are new rest seems original. I dont think its suspension related tbh.

What makes you think that mate?

You could be chasing the problem for ages before you realise it's something completely unrelated. I find it's best to stick your head under and pry at s**t before just asking the internet, give everything a good tug and bash. Try and get yourself pissed off so you're not just doing it with pinky finger strength?

It could just be something proper retarded like a brake pad being sticky on one side when hot

 

[Rojer]

Yer I was giving everything I could a bit of a pry and yer there is a little movement in the lower wishbone bush at the rear mounting. Also dont believe pads are sticking as the temps seem the same on both sides after a drive. Just seems rotational rather than suspension.

 

[Brigsy]

Rotational vibrations are never suspension related in my experience. Itll be an issue with the spacers or driveshaft, worn inner cv at a guess which may feel worse with the spacers. Have also had a vibration with knackered wheel bearings, with no play at all which was a headache to find sadly, had to do process of elimination to find the issue.

 

[Rojer]

Brake discs *cough* sticky carriers *cough*

 

[william84]

that it fixed?

 

[Rojer]

Need to order new carrier pins but yer should be.

 

[william84]

Need to order new carrier pins but yer should be.

it's always the simple things that gets found days later. ?

 

[Brigsy]

Good to hear its sorted. Sometimes its process of elimination on stuff like this, which is time and money consuming

 

[Rojer]

Good to hear its sorted. Sometimes its process of elimination on stuff like this, which is time and money consuming

Yer happy that it's turned out to be the cheapest option.