vibration front end

chueewowee · Post by **chueewowee** » 02 Jul 2004, 04:16

Assuming my wheels are in balance, what could be causing vibration on the front end.
I t comes in particularly strong at 70 to 80 mph. I recko I feel it like a sub bass at lower speeds.

ripsaw82 · Post by **ripsaw82** » 02 Jul 2004, 04:17

is it a Xantia? I have this problem [}:)]

monkeyman · Post by **monkeyman** » 02 Jul 2004, 04:20

It could possibly be the front brakes lighty applied by a poor adjusted brake switch.

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » 02 Jul 2004, 09:45

If its not wheel/tyre related - have a look at the engine mounts and the driveshafts as well as all the suspension bushes/joints.
Difficult to be more specific without seeing the car
jeremy

Stuart McB · Post by **Stuart McB** » 02 Jul 2004, 21:46

Are you sure there's no small tyre distotion? the wifes Focus had this awful vibration but only at 75mph after a load of visits to the dealer they changed the 2 rear tyres and the vibes stopped. On inspection the 2 tyres had very small side wall distortions but on the inside so you couldn't see them. This was on the continetal brand aswell. Try swoping the tyres around or even fiting the spare.

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » 02 Jul 2004, 22:02

I agree - its well worth looking for a bent rim, and also at rear wheels, problems here can be confusing.
jeremy

Post by **cheesesliceking** » 02 Jul 2004, 22:09

Tyres, Brakes, Bushes, Driveshafts, Bent Rim, ARB, even though wheels are balanced still might be that.

John F · Post by **John F** » 03 Jul 2004, 01:12

I have never had the problem on my all Xantias but my wife has an N reg. Fiesta with the 1800 cc diesel engine and over about 4 years the excess weight up front causes the tyres to deform quite badly and the vibration is horrendous. Could be that the extra weight of the Xantia diesel engine, flat front spheres and a couple of up and overs on traffic humps or pavements caused the walls to distort.

Forth · Post by **Forth** » 03 Jul 2004, 01:57

"P" reg Xantia TD estate....
Had similar problem, most noticeable between 65/70 and 80 mph -- though below 65 the ride could still be a little harder than one might expect, and above 80 it actually seemed to lessen just a bit.
New spheres at the front (back had by then already been changed) cured it.
Only vibration now is due to the lousy surfacing on some stretches of motorway, which affects the ZX (also a 1.9TD) more so it definitely isn't down to the Xantia.

chueewowee · Post by **chueewowee** » 03 Jul 2004, 17:20

Yeas, I forgot to mention it's a BX TDZ. I have ruled out wheels and tyres because I changed them over. I checked the wheel bearings, and relaced them.
I suspect:
-lower suspension arm bushes. But I do not know which side...!! How can I test them?
-a driveshaft, but again which one?
I have also heard it could be........
- brake discs, (but I would not have thought this kind of vibration).
-front suspension struts. How do I test this possibility?