gs430nav_mw

Thanks for all your help and advice Tony........I'll now start my search for a new rim to replace the dodgy one....(do you sell rims or just install?) Mark.

The spigot rings hold after market wheels hub centric... Most but not all after market wheels need the rings. If you can jack the front up and simply spin the wheel and look for up/down side/side movement at the tyre. Up/down is of particular interest... Surfing on the internet and found a thread on a BMW Forum regarding a balancing machine called a Hunter 9700.....which applies a load to the tyre when balancing to simulate road conditions...also balances at high speed. Not many of them about but noticed one place was on my way to a customers that I was visiting today (Birmingham). So thought I'd give it one last try - as it would also be an opportunity to check for runout too. I watched whilst the guy was balancing - He pointed out that the wheels has been "counter-balanced" - with weights in different places - and so removed all the weights and started from scratch. The machine also measures runout (the rim and the tyre separately) and identified that 1 of the rims (Offside Rear) was out of tolerance. The machine indicated a vertical runout of 1.22 (think mm) - he pointed out this was probably my issue. The wheel also required a considerable weight to balance (85g). The result - I cant honestly say its completely resolved the issue - I'm still getting vibrations - but nowhere near as vicious (I reakon its about 20% of what it was). I got them to check the spigots - and they were apparently correct. Do you think the rim with the runout is causing the remainder of the vibration? Is it worth replacing with the spare to see if I notice a difference (assuming the spare doesnt have an issue)?

Cheers Tony... Not sure about spigot rings....will have to check...If so - what could be the issue - Wear/incorrect ones fitted? On the runout - havent had checked - but doing a bit of research after your reply (I didn't know what runout was) - I notice that one sign of runout being an issue is if the wheel has a large imbalance - just checked my wheels and one of them has 15 x 5 Fe weights all on one spot. All the others only have 3 or 4. Dont know if the above is true or not - but going to get a check done anyway as you raised as a potential cause. Thanks again for your help and expertise.

Hi Tony, My GS is starting to drive me completely nuts now and I'm starting regretting buying the car at all. You have previously responded to me on LOC forum ...but now I'm getting desperate..so sorry to bother you again. Really bad vibrations (Wheel wobble and the seats shake!) as soon as I hit 60mph - Its like someone has flicked a switch as soon as the speedo hits 60. Ive had the wheels balanced 3 times now - once as centreless rims (as suggested by yourself) - Definately improved at the time but appears to have returned. Ive checked for evidence of weights missing but cant see anything. Had the alignment done at Lexus Hanley on Thursday - Apparently quite a way out. Again I noticed a definate improvement at lower speeds and the car seems a lot smoother - but hit the 60mph again and there it is as bad as before. I do have to say though that since the alignment was done, I dont feel like I have total control over the steering anymore - car seems to take over itself on certain road surfaces and definately "groove-riding" in the truck grooves on the road. You mentioned before that some of the vibration could be due to tyre tread (5% I think was the figure) - but I'm a bit loathed 2 replace 4 perfectly good tyres (in terms of remaining tread anyway) at over £100/each if its not - and given the amount of vibration I'm getting it just doesnt seem to match the 5% you quoted - so sounds unlikley to be the main cause. (although I don't know what I'm talking about - you do - and maybe that amount of vibration can be caused by the tread pattern?) Wheels are aftermarket (OZ's) but same size (17"). Tyres are Yokohama Decibels. Results of my alignment (after setting) are as follows LH Front Partial Toe +0'02 Total Toe +0'04 Setback -0'10 Camber -0'28 Caster +7'12 KINGPIN +8'14 Inc Angle +8'14 RH Front Partial Toe +0'02 Total Toe NO READING? Setback NO READING ? Camber -0'12 Caster +7'18 KINGPIN +7'18 Inc Angle +7'46 LH Rear Partial Toe +0'04 Total Toe +0'08 Thrust Angle 0'00 Camber -0'36 RH Rear Partial Toe +0'04 Total Toe NO READING Thrust Angle NO READING Camber -0.40 I know of at least 2 other LOC members who live locally to me that are also suffering from the same problem with their GS. Different wheels and tyres. We are all at out wits end and willing to try anything to get it resolved.....any advice gratefully received.... Mark