bad vibrations

[skyler]

1954 Chrysler Windsor convertible. vibration starts at 40 and then around 55 gets bad, then at 65 tends to smooth out. I checked universals and they seem good.cna't find new ones for this car anyway. I took them off car and they feel and look good. this problem started about a year ago. I have a set of 1955 Chrysler wires on the car and I think I might put the old rims back on, balance the tires and see what happens. I have been told the vibration dampener could be bad, but how do you check it? the vibration just seems to be in the whole car and not shaking the steering wheel as in a bad front end part. original shocks maybe? anyway, any suggestions will be very much appreciated.    skyler

[DavidAU]

I don't think it would be the vibration damper (harmonic balancer) as it would be shaking from the get go if it was bad.

You could test it by driving the car up to where it is shaking, putting the car into neutral letting the engine go back to idle and see if the shaking stops.  If it doesn't you know its not the motor. 

Edited September 6, 2016 by DavidAU (see edit history)

[keiser31]

I would definitely replace the shock absorbers. I have seen bad shocks darn near shake a car apart.

[61polara]

I would focus on the tires and wheels if it is shaking the whole car.  Since you don't feel it through the steering wheel I would look at the rear tires and wheels.  How old are the tires?  I would have them balanced and checked for runout.  I would do this on the wheels that are on the car or you will never know if it is the tires or wheels.   Start simple.  Tires are the first thing to check before you start spending a lot on other parts.

[Spinneyhill]

I agree with 61polara. I would look at the tyres and wheels first. Did anything change just before the vibration? Are all the balance weights still on? Wires sometimes have quite big weights on them. Did you hit a kerb or similar just before the problem? Are all the rims straight? Tap some spokes with a pencil - they should ring. If there is a dull thud, they are loose and the wheel needs a rebuild.

 

Easy solution is to get the wheels and tyres balanced as suggested above. Harder (but low cost) is to put on the spare somewhere and see if it changes. Move it around the car until you detect a significant change. This assumes the spare is in good balance.

[skyler]

thanks for the replies. the tires are 8 or 9 years old, and I have had them balanced. I tried moving the spare all around the car and it made no difference. I will try putting the car in neutral at the speed where it is vibrating.i suppose new shocks can't hurt. hate to replace the original oriflow ones with Chinese stuff. I will check the wires with the pencil. I have been thinking of putting my original rims back on anyway, so that may do it as the wires are original from a 1955 Chrysler. thanks again for the suggestions.    skyler 

[Rusty_OToole]

Sounds to me like a typical vibration caused by tire or wheel out of true. Have someone make a video of each wheel while you drive at 10 - 15 MPH. You will see if they are round or not. Also check if the tires are true.

 

Or try the other wheels and see what happens.

[Guest Dale mcclain]

Check your bell housing bolts.  sometimes they work loose and will do just what you are talking about.

[61polara]

If your are running radials, at 8-9 years old the belts are most likely breaking down.  The will still balance but it won't get rid of the vibration.  A check for broken belts is to let the car just start to roll.  If you feel a slow rocking of the steering wheel or waddling of the body in back the belts are broken.