andyelcomb Posted August 28, 2013 Report Share Posted August 28, 2013 Are you sure that the wheels were sitting perfectly flat on the hub when fitted after balancing? There weren't fouling the centre bore a bit and then not tightened down evenly? If there is some corrosion around the centre bore or the stud face of the disc (inside and outside) isn't perfectly smooth then that might be a cause. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted August 28, 2013 Report Share Posted August 28, 2013 We operate in a realm where logic commands until looking outside of logic forces your hand. Joe drove your car and knew the vibration was a frequency due to it's speed related trigger, how the car handled during the vibration and the fact speed changed the pulse. As soon as he drove back Joe said it's a wheel balance problem! Logic would suggest the complaint wouldn't be balance related since so many wheels have been test fitted, but despite that Joe recognized the frequency and then focused on the solution. I on the other hand blindly ticked and crossed the box's and deduced a cracked chassis. But to be fair i hadn't even seen the car. I do also feel sorry for you because all your trials and tribulations, money and time was finalized for £13+ vat. That's a bitter pill but also a valuable lesson for those in the owners club to the value just because it shouldn't happen doesn't mean it won't. Rich and Parthiban are spot on regarding how "all wheels" should be mounted to a balancer. As said the centre hole is cosmetically central, so this shouldn't be used to surgically centre the wheel. The error becomes more problematic the wider the wheel is. If you think about the rear inner part of the wheel placed against the balancer and a slight off centre placement of the dye on a thick wheel like BMW/ Merc deep dish then actual and measured values and real compensation don't correlate. Nice new hog by the way...... Like the red Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Al_ Posted August 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2013 Well you'll be seeing it soon enough Tony! After this debacle I would actually prefer to drive it to you tonight and swap it for the white one. Would that be ok? I'd like the red one to have all four wheels balanced and the geo checked. Just need to check that I can get out of work in time to get over to you. I did come in an hour and a half early to try & make sure that I can... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Al_ Posted August 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2013 On my way. Going to be close yet again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted August 28, 2013 Report Share Posted August 28, 2013 In rush hour, yes it will - good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Al_ Posted August 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2013 Swap successful! I've been driving it for hours. As I said on the MR2 club, I'll never take my car to a "generic" wheel & tyre place again. My car was becoming dangerous and not one of them could tell me why, let alone help. WIM sorted it effortlessly. I just can't believe the difference. The car is so smooth & quiet now! I still don't understand why this car is so susceptible to imbalanced wheels, but I can't argue with the results. It's perfect! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parthiban Posted August 29, 2013 Report Share Posted August 29, 2013 I genuinely can't believe this, but it just once again goes to show how awesome WIM is! First that the solution was so simple, second that just driving the car for a few minutes they instantly knew what the problem was. Well done WIM! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted August 29, 2013 Report Share Posted August 29, 2013 We do nothing more than serve the customer in a fashion you/ they expect. I worked in the realm of fast-fit and it doesn't know d***. Since opening wim i as an instructor in the field of geometry/ suspension calibration train the trainers for the largest fast-fit organization in the EU and as established trainers./ instructors they don't know d***...... It scares me! It's not hard to establish most complaints with some simple questions....The most simple is "what happened between the complaint" and it being ok? Could be, had tyres fitted or hit a curb or something along those lines, but this gives direction. This MR2 had a catalogue of misleading solutions that had already been addressed but missed the point or lets say the criminal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Al_ Posted August 29, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2013 Yep. Balancing was literally the first thing I tried, it didn't work so I took it back and tried again. No improvement. We took the wheels off, swapped the tyres front / rear and balanced them a third time. Still no change. Full 4-wheel alignment at this point but no change. Next I replaced the tyres (at a different garage) and had them balanced afterwards. Still no change. Then I replaced the alloys (at a third separate garage) and had the tyres balanced, still no change. Next up was a set of wheels off another MR2 - pre balanced and fine on the car they came off - still no change. Only then did I start replacing other parts. Once I'd replaced literally everything else I tried a few more sets of wheels out of sheer desperation, but still no change. Staggered and gutted to think that all of this could have been avoided so simply and for so little money. Live & learn eh.... Hoping to pick up the red one tonight. TBH I don't see much room for improvement, but you guys are miracle workers so let's wait & see! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve86 Posted August 29, 2013 Report Share Posted August 29, 2013 Waal, im loving this thread. Tony is the Master no doubt about that. WIM is the place to go, wish I was in the UK, but im glad you sort problems for people miles away like myself. Once again, you are the man Tony. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GamithUK Posted August 29, 2013 Report Share Posted August 29, 2013 Nice one WIM - I was holding of the congrats until _AI_ confirmed it was Ok - for something so minor to have such repercussions is strange, but there you go. My beast of a motor is still going fine, there is a little wobble over 70 but since I don't get there that often I'm not fussed. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Al_ Posted August 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2013 Picking up the red one this afternoon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted August 30, 2013 Report Share Posted August 30, 2013 Looking forward to another SW20 on the block We have spoken about logic and past costs involved around this car, and how absolutely the money moments was missed. Well i suppose this event is an education rather than a lessen learnt because on paper the solution should never have been so direct. I deal with these type of issues every day and most of them remotely rather than in the centre, world mail i sadly delete. I'm proud of the guys at the centre because they have adopted a displaced line of sight ( out of the box ) that goes against every element of their past training and reasonable doubt. Accepting the ability to rise above logic is a hard call when they all know we operate in an Internet crash and burn arena. Taking the reins conclusively like Joe did makes me very proud and with that type of support we really can melt down fast-fit into it's failings and more importantly build a better foundation for the expectant, deserving consumer. Off box now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Al_ Posted August 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2013 What can I say...? Good job, well done! Not sure what I'm going to do with the cars now. Can't really keep both but they have completely different strengths & weaknesses. They look the same but underneath they could hardly be more different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parthiban Posted August 30, 2013 Report Share Posted August 30, 2013 Obviously they're your cars to do with as you please, but that red one looks such a minter I'd be tempted to get rid of the white one. I'd also be inclined to avoid tampering too much with it, it looks like it just came out of the showroom so it would be nice to keep it that way. I say again though that it's your car, so do whatever seems best Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted August 31, 2013 Report Share Posted August 31, 2013 If you do decide to sell the white one then you can do conscience free knowing your not fobbing off a snotter. It's a better option than the one you had before "scrap". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Al_ Posted September 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2013 Absolutely! Unfortunately you've seen the bodywork. It's still very much a snotter.... It's a real shame as the functional parts of the car are in very good condition, but it needs a complete bodywork & interior restoration to be worth more than about £1k. I'm honestly tempted to do the TRD kit and strip the interior. That's probably the fastest route to a car worth keeping... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted September 3, 2013 Report Share Posted September 3, 2013 Do it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Al_ Posted September 23, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2013 I'm back! And so is the shake.... I've only driven around 200miles since I picked the car up. On Saturday morning I was driving up the A10 and noticed an occasional "murmur" through the steering. By the time I'd got to my destination and back (say 30miles) there was a distinct and fairly constant vibration. Yesterday I took the car for a club meet in Kent. It had settled down and the run out there (an hour on the motorway) was fine aside from one burst of shaking that lasted 2 or 3 minutes, which was visible if you let go of the wheel but not if you held on to it. On the way back it was fine for about 30mins but then started shaking badly. It's not as savage as before but it's now clearly visible even if you try to hold the wheel still. Is there any way that the wheels could have gradually imbalanced? I've also got the red one which has done more mileage since WIM balanced the wheels but is absolutely fine. Will try and swap the fronts over tonight. Unfortunately the red one isn't insured so I can't drive it on the white one's wheels. I'm that fed up I may actually insure it specifically to try this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted September 23, 2013 Report Share Posted September 23, 2013 It's possible a wheel has lost some balance weight but the fact it has variable timing is odd.... Change the wheels over as you have said and we can take it from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Al_ Posted September 23, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2013 Hi Tony. It always used to come & go with the previous sets of wheels on. Never figured out why. Hopefully I can report back this evening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted September 23, 2013 Report Share Posted September 23, 2013 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Al_ Posted September 23, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2013 Update. Absolutely everyone on the MR2 club is basically screaming at me to not touch it until you gents have been able to take a look. I can see the logic as I'm just introducing more variables. Would you be able to tell if a wheel weight has worked loose for example? I'll call tomorrow to get it booked in.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted September 24, 2013 Report Share Posted September 24, 2013 All we need to do then is re-check the balance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Al_ Posted September 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2013 Yep. The interesting part will be "what next if the balance is ok" or "why did it change so soon"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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