Vibration
Short answer: A 50-mph resonance that disappears by 65 mph, felt in the wheel and pedals regardless of gear or accel/brake, is almost always a balance or driveline issue — check the easy/cheap stuff first.
- Lug nuts — make sure all are properly torqued (a loose wheel mimics this exactly).
- U-joints — a worn/loose joint is a very common cause; replace and have the driveshaft balanced.
- Tire balance / out-of-round — felt more in the wheel = front; whole car = rear. A flat-spotted tire from sitting can do it; a load-force-variance balancer (e.g., Hunter 9000) can find belt shifts and index the tire.
- Also check the rotors (pulsation when braking slowly), front and rear wheel bearings, a collapsed shock, and worn motor/trans mounts or rear leaf-spring cushions (which let the rear float).
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
← Frequently Asked Questions
A trick I used to do is to have someone else drive the car on a 4 lane highway. Then in THEIR car, I’d have them speed the car up ’til the vibration is present. Then in the other car, I looked carefully for the offending wheel. If it’s the tire, it will be a blur as it hops up and down.
I had this occur on two cars (one mine) and it was a broken bead in the tire!
Did you ever discover the actual problem?
I just fixed a similar problem on my ’67 Firebird. It would vibrate between 58 to 65 over 65 it was smooth, under 58 it was smooth. After having the wheel rims check for not turning true, and after having the tires balanced 3 times I found the problem.
When pulling the right rear tire I notices some play in the axle. It would push in and out just a bit, and up and down. When I pulled the axle the inner bearing race was loose to the axle and had about a 1/16″ play. This is suppose to be a press fit.
Apparently the previous owner had a rear axle bearing replaced and did not check the bearing clearances. Over time the inner race was spinning on the axle shaft wearing it down. The rear axle seal was not leaking or there would have been signs of gear oil on the inside of the backing plate. None – Nada.
I purchased a new axle from Summit Racing since I couldn’t find an old axle anywhere locally. The ‘bird rides smooth on it’s new bearing.
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