Deadpurpledog Posted August 4, 2023 Share Posted August 4, 2023 Recently purchased 67 Riviera with original wheels. Had all wheels balanced & vibration remains. Anyone know where I can have steel wheels brought back to round, please? Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken C. Posted August 4, 2023 Share Posted August 4, 2023 If you’re in the NYC metro area, I have a guy for you! The Wheel Doctor in Yonkers. The best! https://the-wheel-doctor.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deadpurpledog Posted August 5, 2023 Author Share Posted August 5, 2023 Thanks Ken. In Las Vegas. . .so a bit of a hike. If I can’t find someone closer perhaps I can ship to them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted August 5, 2023 Share Posted August 5, 2023 Are you sure it is the wheels? Could it be a driveline vibration? Do you feel it in the steering wheel, seat of the pants, or both? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Eaton Posted August 5, 2023 Share Posted August 5, 2023 Try to find an established alignment business...... they can either straighten and true wheels or tell you where it can be done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deadpurpledog Posted August 5, 2023 Author Share Posted August 5, 2023 The entire vehicle seems to vibrate beginning at about 45 and becoming severe at 65. Took it to a highly rated firm who performed other repairs and they feel it’s the wheels. They indicate by balancing more completely they’ve eliminated front vibration, however, indicate rear still an issue. Isn’t u usual to have all wheels out of round? Picking up Monday and taking to American Polishing & Plating who claim they can repair. Wheels are original and in very good cosmetic condition. . .so do not want to replace. Thanks for your comments and concern. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken C. Posted August 5, 2023 Share Posted August 5, 2023 (edited) 11 hours ago, Deadpurpledog said: Thanks Ken. In Las Vegas. . .so a bit of a hike. If I can’t find someone closer perhaps I can ship to them. Try to find a good shop that road force balances wheels & tires. I’m pretty sure Discount Tires does, but I don’t know how good they are. Do a search and ask around! https://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=road+force+balance&find_loc=Las+Vegas%2C+NV Edited August 5, 2023 by Ken C. (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Eaton Posted August 5, 2023 Share Posted August 5, 2023 You might want to look into balancing the driveshaft. Something to try. Drive at the speed that the vibration is the worst.... put the car in neutral and coast.........is there any difference? Many years ago I had a friend with a vibration.... we removed the driveshaft and towed the car (at a higher speed than is advisable) to attempt to isolate the problem. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted August 5, 2023 Share Posted August 5, 2023 Does that car have the driveshaft with several CV joints? Could be any of them. Could also be a rotted edge on a brake drum (happened to me on an 80 Cadillac). Could be a bad shock in one corner (happened on a 78 Estate Wagon) So many things are possible. I do believe that if you have a vibration that gets worse with speed it is not likely a bad rim. I would think a bad rim would feel worse at a slow speed and likely mellow out the faster you drove. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted August 6, 2023 Share Posted August 6, 2023 I would try swapping wheels around to see if anything changes. First swap front-to-back on the same side. If there's a bent rim you should be able to feel it through the steering wheel. Try driving slow speed (5 ~ 10 mph). How old are the tires? A broken or shifted belt in a radial tire will noticeable at slow speed and bump like crazy at highway speed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deadpurpledog Posted August 6, 2023 Author Share Posted August 6, 2023 Great insight, EmTee. Will implement your suggestions tomorrow. Does seem strange that all wheels would be out of round, doesn’t it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old-tank Posted August 7, 2023 Share Posted August 7, 2023 Road force balance will identify the bad assembly and if possible correct it. Just another $100 😟 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deadpurpledog Posted August 8, 2023 Author Share Posted August 8, 2023 Had wheels checked today and they’re fine. Wheel people feel it’s the tires. Tires are Coker BFG red lines the seller said were purchased about 1 1/2 years ago. Does anyone know whether Coker tires are usually good, please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted August 8, 2023 Share Posted August 8, 2023 7 hours ago, Deadpurpledog said: Tires are Coker BFG red lines the seller said were purchased about 1 1/2 years ago. Hmmmmmm.... My first question to the seller would have been: "Why did you remove them?" It sounds to me like the wheels were checked for runout and passed. That would have been the time to do the same for the tires at the tread. Are the tires bias-ply or radial? How much balancing weight is on each wheel? If one has significantly more than the others I'd try replacing that wheel with a known good spare and then test drive. If you can narrow it to one wheel you can try rotating that tire 180° on the rim, or try 'road-force' balancing, as @old-tank mentioned. Be prepared to buy at least one new tire... If they are really 1 1/2 years old, you should be able to confirm the manufacturing date on the sidewall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deadpurpledog Posted August 8, 2023 Author Share Posted August 8, 2023 Tires are radial. Shop placed wheels on hydraulic machine which checks for roundness. When out of round, they heat wheel and compress it back to round. They and previous shop said vibration is definitely coming from wheels. . .wrong vibration to be drive shaft, etc. really frustrating. Cosmetically, a beautiful Riviera. Mechanically. . .not so much. Oh well, I’ll address everything and will be as good as a 67 can be. Thanks for you help. As you can tell, I’m a non-mechanically inclined enthusiast. Hoping you enjoy your day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted August 8, 2023 Share Posted August 8, 2023 (edited) 3 hours ago, Deadpurpledog said: Tires are radial. So, did someone test the wheel/tire combination, or just the wheel (on the 'hydraulic machine')? Wheels may be just fine, but a broken belt in a radial tire will ride like crap. If possible, get someone to drive the car slowly up your driveway, or on the street (or a parking lot) while you watch the tire from ahead (front tires) and behind (rear tires). With the car moving 2 ~ 5 mph watch the tread closely, looking for any side-shift in the tread pattern or bulge in the sidewall as the wheel rotates. I have seen a broken belt in a steel-belted radial so bad that it caused the back bumper actually move back and forth as the car crept away from me. Edited August 8, 2023 by EmTee (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted August 8, 2023 Share Posted August 8, 2023 One additional thought... Make sure there is no foreign object preventing the back of the wheel from contacting the face of the drum and seating properly. Check for any looseness or unusual wear on the lug holes on the wheels. If a wheel stud was replaced with one longer than the original it could cause the acorn lug nut to bottom on the end of the stud before tightening on the wheel. It's a longshot, but worth checking... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deadpurpledog Posted August 27, 2023 Author Share Posted August 27, 2023 After lots and lots of time and money, it appears the answer is flat sides on tires from sitting prior to my purchase. Have driven it hundreds of miles and not much better. Unfortunately, replacing like new tires and hoping this clears up vibration. “More news at 11”. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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