Go Time Auto Repair

The car shakes once I get up to speed on I-95

A vibration that shows up at a certain speed and smooths out above it is a wheel and tire balance problem nearly every time. A wheel weight fell off, a tire separated a belt inside, or a rim got bent on a pothole. If the shake is in the steering wheel, it is the front. If you feel it in the seat, it is the rear. A shake only when braking is a warped rotor. A shake at all speeds that gets worse in turns can be a bearing or an axle.

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Urgency
This week is fine
What to do right now

What to do right now

  1. 1Note the speed where it starts and where it stops, and whether it is in the wheel or the seat. That alone tells us which end and often which corner.
  2. 2Look at the tires. Any bulge on the sidewall, a flat spot, or cupping on the tread means that tire is done and should not see the highway again.
  3. 3Check the tire pressure. A very low tire can feel like a shake and it also damages the tire.
  4. 4Slow down until it is fixed. A separated tire can let go without warning at 70 in the left lane.
What it usually is

What it usually is

Tires

Road force balance all four, check for belt separation, bent rims, and uneven wear. Replace the tire if the belt has let go.

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Wheel alignment

If the tires show cupping or feathering, the alignment has been out and the tire wore in a pattern that shakes. Fix the alignment or the new tire does the same.

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Suspension repair

Worn tie rod ends, ball joints, or bushings let the wheel wander at speed. We check play in every joint before we call it a balance problem.

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Questions people ask

I just had the tires balanced. Why does it still shake?
Standard balancing does not catch a tire with a stiff spot or a bent rim. A road force balancer presses a roller against the tire as it spins and finds those. It also may not be the tires at all; a worn suspension part shakes no matter how well the tire is balanced.
Could it be the alignment?
Alignment on its own does not cause a shake. It causes a pull and uneven wear. But a tire that wore unevenly because of bad alignment will shake, so the two often go together.
Is it safe to drive on the highway?
If it is a mild shake from balance, yes, but get it done soon. If a tire has a bulge, a chunk missing, or the shake came on suddenly after a pothole, stay off the highway and come in. Tire failures at speed are how people end up on the shoulder of I-95.
Why does it only shake when I brake?
That is the front rotors. Uneven thickness from heat makes the pads grab and release as the rotor turns. It is a brake job, not a tire job.

Ready to book?

Pick a time. We text you the written price before any work starts.

Book a vibration check(786) 884-4889