HELP: 93 Toyota Corolla vibration problem!

Have you checked for worn joints, parts, etc in the front suspension?..Include CV or halfshaft joints in that. I would do this first and thoroughly as this is one of the symptoms of worn front end parts, you need to eliminate things systematically and not throw parts at it, and last because it can kill you if you break a key front suspension part.

Ya, dot too....

Also, tires (a broken belt or a missing wheel weight), bearings, calipers, etc.

Anything attached to the suspension that is worn can cause a vibration, esp at this mileage. Take it to a good tire/suspension shop and have it checked!

I have a 1993 Corolla (1.8 liter LE 4-door auto 251,000 mi.) In the last 3 years I have replaced the:

-lower ball joints

-shock struts and

-front wheel bearings.

For your safety, inspect everything.

On this group there are experts who may be able to diagnose the condition now causing vibration based on the described symptoms.

Good luck!

- Jack

Are the axles the originals? I bet they are real loose.

My guess is axles also.... sloppy bushings/ball joints can make it worse. Are the CV boots cracked? Throwing grease? Either way, this is gonna be expensive.. I agree that you should get the car to a reputable shop, vibrations can cause sudden and major damage including lack of control. HTH, Ben

Ok,

Here is what I've been told. My mechanic says that it is the new tires I bought a little less than 5000 miles ago. He says that the tires are stretching when they warm up and there is a defect in the tire. The tire place claims that the wheels have hops in them. They showed me a slight wobble in my wheels. They are 14" steel, so i doubt this is the issue. also, the wobble was so slight that it could not possibly cause this violent of a vibration. Thridly, the vibration is not constant, but intermittent.

So, does the tire defect seem logical to everyone? They are Yokohama Avid TRZ 185-65R14.

Thanks for all your help thus far! You guys are great.

-jon

A bad tire or tires is plausible, as are a damaged wheel. A wobble, dent, or deformation in the wheel that is visible will almost definitely cause a vibration, although the vibration is more likely to be consistent and not intermittent.

Another possibility is that there is rust on the wheel to hub mating surface and the wheel is not as securely mounted as it appears to be. The fix is to remove the wheel, clean up the hub and wheel where they contact, apply a very light coating of anti-seize, and re-install the wheels.

Have the shop or your mechanic measure wheel and tire lateral and radial runout to determine which of these is the cause of the vibration.

Can I use that in Scrabble?

Now all you need is some barley and make a malt! (Sorry, couldn't resist. What the hell is a 'hop'?)

A hop is their laymans term for a wheel that isn't true. A bent wheel. I always thought wheel hop was when one applied too much torque while accellerating, and the tires broke free and started to "hop" up and down. Clearly something my corolla doesn't have the balls to do haha.

While everything you say is true, it bothers me a little bit that he can stop the oscillation by stopping the car and restarting.

OP....Have you rotated your tires recently and, if so, did this make any difference??

If the wheel is not properly mounted to the vehicle and the wheel is shifting a little, applying the brakes can seat the wheel, and after driving for a distance, the wheel shifts to where is causes a vibration again. Measuring the lateral and radial runout of the wheel and tire separately will determine whether the wheel or tire is the cause of the problem. Cleaning up the wheel - vehicle mating surfaces will eliminate an improperly mounted wheel as a possible cause.

Besides the wheel, tire, and wheel mounting, there are other possible causes of vehicle vibrations, like a defective tire that has an internal problem like a broken belt, CV joints, ball joints, rack ends, out-of-alignment, suspension problem, wheel bearings, and a transmission problem.

Taking a systematic approach eliminates the most likely causes of the problem and narrows down the possible sources of the vibration.

Hi, I did rotate them less than 5k miles ago when I had the new ones installed. Basically i had the fronts moved to the rear, and the new tires installed in the front.

My mechanic, although not infallable, has gone through all of hte front suspension components 2 times on 2 separate days and swears that it is not a suspension component issue. Although I can appreciate that it front suspension issues often cause vibration... so its good that you wrote this... :-)

Agreed. Definitely.

If the suspension and steering components are in good condition, then the next things to re-check are Wheel and tire balance, preferably on a machine that simulates road force Inspection of the tires for internal damage or defects Wheel/hub interface Wheel lateral and radial runout as measured by a dial indicator Tire lateral and radial runout as measured by a dial indicator

NEW SYMPTOMS:

I had the tires changed out for brand new Yokoham Avid TRZ. they were under warranty so it didn't cost me anything. However, the vibration still persisted. The new additional symptoms are as follows:

1. when the vibration occurs, you can get out of the car and feel the temperature of the steel wheels. The Passenger Front wheel is hot to the touch and will burn you. the rest are cool to the touch.

1. the brake pedal has less travel and feels stiffer.

2. more gas pedal effort and reduced gas mileage during periods of vibration.

1. this problem will start randomly and is not dependent on if you are using the brakes. I was on the highway at 1AM and didn't use the brakes for 30 miles and it still started.

Now here is what I think, although i'm not a mechanic... I think it has something to do with the front passenger-side caliper. It may be locking up somehow. But i noticed on local roads before the vibration starts, if the pedal is stiff, pump it a few times and it goes away... ie the brakes unlock. The weird thing is I put brand new calipers in there 3k miles ago.... could one be defective?

Any help or insight would be appreciated. Thanks.

-Jon

The hose to the caliper may have internally collapsed causing the jam. To test it you need to jack up the wheel and feel the drag that is causing the heat, then loosen off the bleeder screw. If the wheel releases, you have found the likely trouble.

A bad wheel bearing can also affect the brake caliper. It can cause the rotor to drag against one side of the caliper which can overheat it also. One other symptom of this can be a different feel in the brake pedal's first pump after a hard turn to one side or the other. If the second pump seems higher or lower with the third pump getting back to normal, it can indicate a bad bearing.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 'New' frame in the works for '08. Some Canadian Bush Trip and Build Photos:

Sounds like a brake problem.

Sounds like a brake problem.

Does lightly tapping on the brakes stop it?

That sure sounds like it.

--scott

On Apr 17, 10:52 am, Mike Romain wrote: SOME DARN GOOD ADVICE

Thanks mike!! I will try that stuff today before I bring it into the mechanic to try and diagnose if it is the wheel bearing or the hose. He did mention that it is probably the hose. But I will tell him about the wheel bearing test that you suggested. Great Advice! Thanks.