Rear end vibrations on highway
 

Hey guys I've tried searching but I can't find anything for my situation. our 01 s430 (rwd) produces this horrendous vibrating/shaking and produces a thumping/thudding sound for the rear driver side tire when going over 60-80mph. it used to only make the sound over 85mph and recently can be heard even doing 60. it comes and goes intermittently, I did 87 no problem yesterday but later couldn't go over 68 without hearing the noise (feels like the wheel is shaking). it's not the tires since we just got new ones recently and after being serviced today we had the dealer check the rear wheel bearing and he said its fine and they can't tell without taking the car apart. has anybody experienced something like this? any insight will be greatly appreciated, thank you

just because they are new tires doesn't mean they are ok. I would have the balance double checked, or even better, have them road force balanced, which deals with bent rims and such.

Have you checked the flex disks?

Also, silly, but have you check the torque on the wheelbolts?

I have not checked the torque but I will be getting the balance checked soon. I assumed it wasn't the tires because it did it with the old tires as well as the new

Maybe the rear sub frame mounts

Could be a bent wheel

Put the spare tire on

+1 tusabes

Jack the rear up, with the brake off, and in neutral.

Rock the wheel in every direction to look for wear in ball joints or bearing.

Spin the wheel round and look for a buckle in the rim, bulge in the tyre, or the tyre tread moving in and out as it spins round. If the wheel isn't round, it will shake even if it is balanced.

Then push the wheel down hard against the suspension, and see if there's any play in the suspension bush.

Take the wheel off and check for foreign objects between the bub and the wheel.

Nick

My own 2004 S55 was giving the same vibrations at high speeds for some time and i had a funny feeling it was some kind of rear bush issue.

I had them checked at 2 garages and they couldnt find anything, then had them checked at a 3rd garage for a 3rd opinion and he also couldnt find anything. Just out of curiousity i pointed to the big subframe bushes and he checked them. The rear subframe has 4 bushes, 2 at the front and 2 at the rear. The rears were ok but the 2 front ones were completely shot.

Have had them replaced now and although the vibrations havnt completely disappeared they have mostly disappeared. So these bushes were part of the problem. Im going to have the rest of them re-checked again just incase something else has been missed out.

So as mentioned above, get the the subframe bushes checked.

Reply to rear end vibration W220
 

Check the drive shaft flex disks.
Front and rear.
Just speaking from experience with my 02 S430 RWD.