[dgm]

We got dumped on with snow yesterday and I have a 2hr drive home. The temps are right around zero so everything is hard and slick. The GTI did alright on the way home, but then this morning I noticed a bad vibration between 50 and 65mph. Below that speed theres hardly any vibe at all and above that speed it sort of comes and goes, but right at 55 it is pretty bad.

Any ideas on what I could have damaged? I didn't hit anything so I don't think I bent a rim.

 

[blackgti06]

check for low tires thats all i really know sorry

 

[dgm]

Anyone else ever had this happen just within a certain range of speed? I will check the tires.

 

[Gunny]

Sound like an easy one. Either you have thrown a weight on one of your wheels, or you have snow packed in/on/around at least one of your wheels throwing off the balance. Take your car in to have the wheels balanced, and you might as wheel have them rotated while the car is on the lift.

 

[kondziela79]

Its true, more than likly your wheels are out of balance. If you feel it in the steering wheel it is in the front. If you feel it in your seat it is in the rear.

 

[dgm]

Thanks. I sure hope its an easy one. I don' t need another headache right now... not that any of us do.

It could very well be snow packed in the rear wheels, or even all 4 wheels for that matter. It was a rough, snow packed drive home last night.

 

[blackgti06]

Let us know what the problem was when u get back.

 

[Thalo]

Thanks. I sure hope its an easy one. I don' t need another headache right now... not that any of us do.

It could very well be snow packed in the rear wheels, or even all 4 wheels for that matter. It was a rough, snow packed drive home last night.

I'm 99% certain that's what it is. It's a common occurence with any large 5-spoke type of wheel, like the huffs. The larger the wheel, the lower to the ground the wheel goes and the more snow it scoops up. I was once 4x4ing in my dad's Audi when we had a big dump of snow, took it on the highway and noticed the same thing. Totally freaked me out the first time around. You probably don't need to bring it for rebalancing, just wait for the snow to melt or try to get it out of there. I'm glad I went with the 17s.

 

[dgm]

PHew! It was definitely snow/ice packed inside my wheels, in the back. It was hardly noticable unless you really looked in there, but it caused a terrible vibration. Its so cold here right now that even inside my 2 car insulated attached garage, it was still below freezing at night (this has never happened in my garage before). So, the ice in my wheels wasn't melting out. Last night I tried to get the ice out by hand, but it was really packed in there and I didn't want to damage the wheels, so I turned on a space heater, just enough to keep it barely above freezing in my garage. ....this morning, a big puddle on the garage floor and no more vibe!

 

[GTI MKV]

where do you live? the middle of siberia?

 

[mystik]

wow thats rough here in toronto we are getin alot of snow and sub zero temps hope i never go thru that but very good to know thx guys know i wont crap my pants thinking my fast is broken if that ever happens i also must say that I am extremely impressed with the fast and its strenght with the alignment and bearings and such..about 2 months back i hit a curb on a off ramp pretty hard and fast (luckily no damage only barely noticeable wheel rim damage!) and everything was perfectly fine driving beautifully after incident and my friend mechanic said it was all good i know with my other veicles this even woudlda thrown off the allignment or bearings for sure

 

[dgm]

where do you live? the middle of siberia?

Nope... Indiana. ;D Its been stupid cold this week.

 

[gtilover07]

man were feelin it down here in baltimore md. its been cold (alittle snow)but just cold. and right now i have to take the bus to work and back becuase i dont have my fast yet, so it sucks big time :'(

 

[dgm]

Yeah, that does suck. I haven't had to catch a bus for probably 8 years now. I used to have to catch 2 trains a bus each way from my university in Sydney though. That sucked.