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55-60 MPH Vibrations

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So_Calif_Guy

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Dear Listers,

New to the forum, so I thought I would post. For Xmas, I bought a set of slightly used trim rings for our '75 TR6. Additionally, as few weeks earlier, I (had) installed a new (used, but in great condition) muffler. The other day I was coming off the freeway and noticed a vibration between 55 and 60 MPH. I will remove the trim rings and try it without them, but have any of you ever heard of trim rings causing a vibration at these speeds? Please note the vibration occurs whether I am in gear or in neutral. Thanks in advance for the insight.
 
Vibrations between 50-60 mph are usually tires that are out of balance, so it is possible that its the new(old) trim rings that are throwing them off. It's not something that is common, but the TR6 rings are pretty large.
I think your plan is valid. Pop them off and try again. no vibration, then you know its the rings. Still there, have the tires balanced.
It would be possible to find a shop willing to put the wheels on a balalncer first without, then with the rings. It would be intresting to see the results.
 
If you find the rings (a ring) is causing the vibration then you might try swapping front to back as the rear is usually less sensitive and that is a pretty small range. In any case, I would note which ring came from which wheel and mark each ring (bit of masking tape) indicating the tire valve location as rearranging the rings or rotating the rings may change things.

BTW -- may road surfaces can cause vibration so if you just experienced this once I would test it on a couple of other surfaces.
 
Check the tailpipes aren't touching the frame, they're mounted real close.
When I replaced my muffler that was the case and it sets up a heck of a vibration right through the car most noticable at idle.
 
I too had a vibration at highway speeds. I took the wheels off, and hauled them to a local shop to check & Re-balance them. The balance was off considerably. Not sure how that happened. The wheels are panasports with the stick on weights. All the weights appeared to be in place. No obvious missing weights.

Anyway, turns out the LF tire has a wobble to it. The shop suspects a belt has separated. You can see it wobble as it was turning on the balancing machine.

Still working on the tire situation. If I can find a matching tire I'll get off cheap,...otherwise it's a new set of shoes for the TR.

It's possible you may have flat spots on the tires if the car has sat a lot.
 
Thanks for all the input listers. My daughter dropped my computer this week and killed the HD so I am a bit late in replying. I noticed that one of the tires seems a bit low as well. I'll increase the pressure and see what happens, then it's off to removing the rings... and I think I'll reinstall them one at a time. As for the tires, brand new 2,000 miles ago and flat spots... not a chance we drive this car every week. I'll post next week with the end result.
 
If you recently got the tires it's possible that a weight could have not been secure and has come off. I've had that happen more than once. You can remove the trim rings and inspect the wheels. You might be able to see where a weight has come off.

Just a thought
 
I had a set of tires mounted off the car at a local supplier. Didn't look closely at them until I was home, then phoned them. One tire had the old weights still on it as well as a copious amount of new lead... another tire had the weight fall off on the way home... a third tire had no weights at all (possibly correct but suspicious at this point). The guy said 'Well at least we got one right'. That's when I told him the fourth tire had something inside it rattling around (it was the lower end of the old valve).

Mounting tires isn't rocket science, but some of the people doing the work aren't rocket scientists either.
 
Ok so today I removed all of the trim rings and found the vibration is still there at 55 mph. Even if I am out of gear and idling, it still vibrates as I pass from 60 mph to 55. Initially, I though the exhaust pipe might be the cause (and it still might be) but my confidence drops being that it still vibrates even in neutral at those speeds. As for the weights, one wheel has no weights on it so it might be the LH rear wheel out of balance. Later this month I'll be putting it up on blocks to start the Overdrive install. At that time, I'll look at the exhaust. Finally, if I see nothing there, I'll go and get the tires balanced and rotated. Thanks to all for the help, and I'll be posting again soon based upon the tranny swap out.
 
[ QUOTE ]
You might as well check your ujoints while it's up on blocks.

[/ QUOTE ]

I had the same vibration problem a few years ago (started suddenly on a long trip) and it turned out to be a bad U-joint yoke. The opening for the u-joint had enlarged to the point that the U-joint cap was slipping. Took it to a local drivshaft shop and had new yokes welded on and the shaft balanced, and the car is now smooth as silk.
 
I would concur with alana based on my previous experience. A couple of years ago after having some differential work done I experienced rear end shake at freeway speed. If I increased or decreased the speed the shimmy went away. But right in that ideal range it was a real shake. Turned out to be a sticky u-joint so mechanic replaced it N/C and problem solved. In my case it coincided with u-joint work having just been done, so it's a little mysterious (if it turns out to be a u-joint)that yours coincides with adding trim rings. But it sure sounds like a u-joint to me.
 
Yeah, my money's also on the ujoints.
6 of the damned things on a TR6.
Probably the prop shaft ones though.
 
Ok, so here's what I found out today. I took the TR to my Tire shop to have them balance the tires and double check the weighs (may have thrown one as suggested). But before we started, I asked that they take it up all the way to see the exhaust as I wanted to check that first. New muffler install required that we connect the pipes as per factory instruction which led to the support in front of the muffler getting reconnected. Result - broken exhaust pipe and broken 30 year old muffler strap. Both pipes are laying on the frame "T-Shirt". No wonder the vibration at 55 mph. I'll see what Midas wants to bend in install pipes from the header to the muffler. Anyone know if the $175 that the big 3 want for these parts is worth it... do they really fit? I don't have welding equipt at home!
 
[ QUOTE ]
Anyone know if the $175 that the big 3 want for these parts is worth it... do they really fit?

[/ QUOTE ]

Hi,

Only if they are stainless steel!

[ QUOTE ]
New muffler install required that we connect the pipes as per factory instruction which led to the support in front of the muffler getting reconnected. Result - broken exhaust pipe and broken 30 year old muffler strap. Both pipes are laying on the frame "T-Shirt". No wonder the vibration at 55 mph. I'll see what Midas wants to bend in install pipes from the header to the muffler.

[/ QUOTE ]

You can probably get mild steel tubing bent and installed locally for less than buying the "big 3's" parts. Stainless steel might be another matter, could be better to get a kit, if that's what you are considering. I'm not that familiar with your exhaust system, so you might check locally first, still might need to order some special exhaust hangers from a TR vendor.

It's possible a flex-fitting could be added near the front, so that engine torque/movement isn't transmitted through the exhaust system. If not, just be sure to use rubber mounting hangers throughout, nothing solid.

Yeah, that would make some racket!

I was going to suggest it might be worth having the balance of the driveshaft checked, before you identified this problem. It still might be a worthwhile check, especially if you will be doing any other work on the drive shafts such as U-joint replacement or beefing up diff mounts on your car.

Hope the exhaust repair solves your vibration problem!

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
 
Just as an FYI, I replaced the Monza on my car with a stainless stock setup I bought from Moss. I also bought the fitting kit, but had trouble using the front half with my headers, and ended up not installing the gearbox mount so the middle is unsupported. I don't have any problems with it hitting the T, nor do I have vibration issues.

I'm not saying that you should get the stainless setup (although it is buy and forget), but you do need to fit it right - it makes all the difference.

The Monza was hardmounted to the diff and frame, and it used to make a heck of a racket (even putting aside the racket the exhaust itself made!)
 
Dear List,

Update number 3. If this were easy, we'd all be Triumph Mechanics. Today I went to a local shop and replaced the pipes from the mid point to the muffler. The noise level dropped so much, I couldn't believe it. However, at 53 mph to 58 mph, the vibration is still there. I checked closely and am starting to believe that it may in fact be a universal joint after all. I still need to check the wheel balance before diving into the universal joint changes, but upon close inspection, the vibration seems to start at either the drive line or the rear end, it does not really get felt through the steering wheel, it seems to vibrate the entire car... but not to a high or frightening level. Finally, is simply disappears below 53 mph and diminishes rapidly above 58 mph. I'll get the wheels checked tomorrow, and then I guess it's off to the universal joints... unless you folks have any other suggestions...
Thanks to all for the guidance.
 
Another item to check on steel wheels that acts like a balance problem is twist. I am working on a 73 TR6, but had driven it only a little before tearing into it. I had the wheels sandblasted and then repainted them. When I had new tires installed I was advised one was so twisted it would not balance at all. Two others took allot of off setting weights. I am hoping when I get further along I can clean up and use the ones from my 74 rust bucket model. Or I might have to buy new wheels, oh darn. My wife will have to understand it is a safety issue, not that I just like how they look.
 
Hi Sean, can you please let me know what the final problem was? I have the same vibration at about 60..
alexander
 
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