abracc

Hi everyone...picked up a nice used 2011 E550 4matic last week. Has 55k miles on it and is in wonderful shape. I only have one issue...when I am driving at speeds between 65-70, I get a vibration that can be felt and heard in the car and thru my steering wheel as well. Below or above that speed..nothing.

Yes, I know...drive slower or faster than 65-70.. But I noticed on the car fax that this car has had the 18 inch AMG wheels replaced before (car came from the Chicago area). I wondering if maybe one or more of the wheels is out of round or bent. Any thoughts?? Thanks everyone!

thefisch

usually that kind of vibration is a balance issue of the rims (bent or not) and wheels. Strange that it doesn't continue at higher speeds, but I would get the tire balance checked first. You can ask the tire shop to check the condition of the rims to see if there is any damage.

By the way, nice car. Be sure to post pics and details.

BACnMercedes

I've always heard if the vibration is in the steering wheel it's usually a front tire problem. If the vibration is in the seat it's usually a rear tire. Never really tested that theory though because I always had all the tires checked and balanced when there was an issue. Good luck.

abracc

Thanks...came from an 09 E350 4matic..love the V8.

I did notice it as well when I first drove the car, it had some Conti Pro Contacts on it and I had the dealer replace it with the fairly new Michelins that were on the E350. Vibration was still there. I'll see if I can take it to a reputable tire/wheel shop since the place that swapped the tires evidently didn't notice anything. A couple of shots of the car here....

thefisch

looks good. Nice black on black with pano and burl wood.

abracc

Thanks...so much of an improvement over the 09 E350....love the V8. Test drove an 06 BMW M5 prior to this...that SMG transmission in the M5 was a big mistake.

Arrie

Vibration like this is a very mild one exactly because it surfaces only in a certain speed range. This most likely means that the problem speed range represents the natural frequncy for the front suspension system where just a slightest balance issue becomes a problem.
And the problem can also be with the brake rotors or any other rotating part of the front axle system.

chrisvr6

So, i just got new 19" wheels and tires and it sounds and feels as though I'm driving a jeep with mudders on it. Two balances done on it so far.

KEY08

These cars are designed to go 100+ on the Autobahn with no vibration all of the way up through the fastest speed you feel comfortable at; and for an extended period of time with no drama. If it is a newer car, then more likely the vibration is coming from the wheels, either unbalanced or out of round from pothole damage. Older models may experience suspension issues that can cause similar vibrations. In any event, these cars are designed to be silky smooth at triple digit speeds all day long.

faz999

I had similar problems vibration on new tires finally i took it to firestone which has a new RADIAL FORCE BALANCE MACHINE did the job

I think that what you need is a New SHOP which can handle RADIAL FORCE BALANCE

Arrie

Weird,
I have never needed any special balancing and have been driving vibration free other than a couple of times when re-balancing fixed it.

Need for the special balancing comes from crappy tires that don't hold their form under use.

HBerman

I had a 1978 BMW 320i that had a vibration issue between 55 and 65 mph. Numerous times on the balancing machines trying to eliminate it, but no joy. The issue turned out to be a resonance caused by the addition and added weight of the A/C installed at the port (yes, BMW's didn't come installed with these from Germany) which threw the damping off in the front-end. The "fix" was to replace the bushings on the ant-sway bar with stiffer units. All of the vibration problems then vanished. The factory was clueless at the time as to what was causing the problem. It took the initiative of a car club member in California to analyze and develop the fix.

Net, the tires (Conti's, Vredensteins, etc) were not at fault.

YMMV

stale-bread

Like Faz mentioned, go to a shop that is certified on the "Road Force" balancer by Hunter Engineering. Do a local search for shops near you. It does an excellent job. I only go to the shop near me that uses this.

Here is a qucik link if your interested.

faz999

I disagree - Use three different shop and all had vibration until i found a firestone with road force balance.

My tires were brand new OEM Conti Pro so they are not cheap tires..

All i am saying radial force fix all my vibration.

Everyone car has there own issue, but if you balance with Road Force you get the best possible balance on all of your wheels and best ride..

This is my opinion

Thanks Stale-Bread i totally 100% agree it well worth using the latest Road Force balance machine than the old conventional

Arrie

It just is that there should be no need for a special "Road Force" balancing of the tires/rims. If there is then something else is wrong that just the simple tire and the rim.

ImInPA

+1 on Road force balance. This has nothing to do with cheap tires. It has everything to do with the runout of the tire, wheel, or both.

chrisvr6

Just realized that i am using the stock "ball" type lug bolts with the aftermarket wheels which require the tapered "acorn" type. Wondering if that's even relevant?!

KEY08

Yes, it is. It will become even a bigger problem when your wheels actually fall off.

abracc

Just a follow up to my original post. The left front rim has a nice bend in it. Also 3 of the 4 wheels were improperly balanced by the shop that did my original tire swap. I mean the bent rim was so easy to see on the balancing machine, that I could actually notice it as well as the tech at the new store.

So..had the 3 wheels rebalanced and am working with the dealer to see if the bent rim can be repaired. The rebalancing actually helped a little bit but still have the vibration until I get that rim repaired. Tire shop also suggested I might want to get a 4 wheel alignment (at another local shop, not related to them) since the rim was bent and who knows what else was affected.

Figured I would leave an update. Thanks for the assistance!!!!

chrisvr6

One of mine were bent also. Can't see it until you spin it. I couldn't believe it. They are brand new and it had the vibration from the beginning. Now I'm trying to figure out who to blame. Not to mention it didn't get noticed on the balancer until i paid three different people.