Thread: Resonance at 65 to 73 mph. What is it????????????

Been trying to solve this for a couple weeks now. Getting a resonance at 65-73 mph but I cant tell where it is coming from and I'm not getting any ABS or any other codes. Car is 2003 SSEI and it has 201,000 mile on it, I rebuilt the transmission with lots and lots of parts from tripledgeperformance 2 years ago. The lower front control arms(moog), front struts(monroe), front wheel bearings(timken) and tie rod ends have all been replaced and the car has been aligned. I replaced the driver CV axle with one from Morad and vibration is still there. Putting the car in neutral @ 70mph down hill doesn't make a difference, I also checked my motor/tranny mounts and they are fine. I have a custom front tranny mount similar to a large heavy swaybar end link, because H body mounts are weak.

If I turn the wheel a small amount to the left(70mph) the vibration stops, but turning the wheel to the right does nothing.

I'm left with the following!

1. right CV axle
2. one of my tires is bad
3. rear wheel bearings(anyone ever have one of these go bad?)
4. something in the transmission

Any suggestions?

Sounds a bit like a wheel bearing, did it make the noise before and after replacing the wheel bearing? Or just after?

Wheels, mileage, alignment and balancing?

guessing tires, do a nice burnout and try to smoke them flat

Originally Posted by 02NavyBlue

Sounds a bit like a wheel bearing, did it make the noise before and after replacing the wheel bearing? Or just after?

Replaced front bearings trying to get rid of problem.

can you hear the sound with a video maby?

Originally Posted by Ginseng

can you hear the sound with a video maby?

Not a chance with my exhaust.

try rotating the tires, fronts to the back, see how that feels, or sounds.

check all the hubs for play, by jacking the car up lugs still tight, then push the top and then then the bottom, feeling for any movement. you can watch the rotor inside the caliper for movement as well. do this for all 4 wheels.

tie rods you push left and right, should be no play. do this while its in the air for the hub test.

You cant tell if its in the rear or front?

Shot gunning parts at a problem sometimes will only mask the real issue. Vibration can be caused by many problems, start by eliminating the ones that don't cost $ to fix. With the vibration intermittent and only at specific speeds, I would lean more towards balancing/rotating the tires. If not then would look at when last alignment was done. Then on to worn struts/mounts, then hubs, ball joint, idler arm, etc... You said all is aligned, was vibration present prior? Did you get before and after print out of alignment specs? How many miles on the rubber? Even wear? How's Tranny/Engine mounts?

Originally Posted by coolone

Shot gunning parts at a problem sometimes will only mask the real issue. Vibration can be caused by many problems, start by eliminating the ones that don't cost $ to fix. With the vibration intermittent and only at specific speeds, I would lean more towards balancing/rotating the tires. If not then would look at when last alignment was done. Then on to worn struts/mounts, then hubs, ball joint, idler arm, etc... You said all is aligned, was vibration present prior? Did you get before and after print out of alignment specs? How many miles on the rubber? Even wear? How's Tranny/Engine mounts?

New lower control arms w/ ball joints and struts were for inspection couple months ago. Don't recall having vibration then. Car was aligned, I have after results.

Tie rod ends and second alignment was 3 weeks ago when someone backed into front tire and threw everything out of whack and damaged a tie rod. Had the resonance before and after tire hit. I have before and after alignment print out.

Wheel bearings and CV axle were the shot gun approach but Amazon sent me front bearings new under warranty. So I'm only into Morad for cost one left CV axle.

Do what Scotty said. Rotate tires/ jack up and check wheel bearings/tierods

Originally Posted by Ginseng

Do what Scotty said. Rotate tires/ jack up and check wheel bearings/tierods

Tires front to back, no change. Not sure of the miles on tires, I have winter and summer rims. Tires are wearing evenly, no cupping nothing visible wrong with any of them.

Wiggled each wheel top to bottom and side to side and it doesn't feel bad.

Only thing that effects the noise is zigzagging the car in the lane while going 70mph. When going left it goes away.

Bearing noise to me.

Jack the car up or use a lift and grab the spring and spin the tires as fast as you can, you'll feel a vibration if its bad.

Front bearings were 3 years old timken, they are now 3 day old timken. So rear bearings, which side left or right.

Try what I said to find out.

But normally its the opposite of the way you are turning.

So if the sound is there going to the left, its the right bearing because more weight is on that side. The sound stops when going to the right because the pressure is off it.

2000+ Bonnevilles are known to have this issue. Some have cured it with roadforce balancing.

Should have a rear bearings Saturday or Monday.