Continental DWS Vibration

josephbet01 · 06-20-2011, 11:18 AM

So, my new set of DWS arrived from TireRack and I had them mounted and balanced by BMW on stock wheels. I have a slight vibration in the steering wheel above 60mph. I took them to a Mr Tire I found that has a Hunter machine to see if they could rebalance and clean up the vibration. No improvement. My rear drivers side tire seems to have a lot of weight on it. Not sure if that's normal or would cause steering wheel vibration.

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/89/photoglo.jpg

cssnms · 06-20-2011, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by josephbet01

So, my new set of DWS arrived from TireRack and I had them mounted and balanced by BMW on stock wheels. I have a slight vibration in the steering wheel above 60mph. I took them to a Mr Tire I found that has a Hunter machine to see if they could rebalance and clean up the vibration. No improvement. My rear drivers side tire seems to have a lot of weight on it. Not sure if that's normal or would cause steering wheel vibration.

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/89/photoglo.jpg

What did the technician or print out say? They couldn't balance it? The machine can gauge if there is a latteral deflection in your wheel or if it's your tire. If it's your new tire, call Tire Rack or other authorized Conti dealer and get it exchanged.

VMRWheels · 06-20-2011, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by josephbet01

So, my new set of DWS arrived from TireRack and I had them mounted and balanced by BMW on stock wheels. I have a slight vibration in the steering wheel above 60mph. I took them to a Mr Tire I found that has a Hunter machine to see if they could rebalance and clean up the vibration. No improvement. My rear drivers side tire seems to have a lot of weight on it. Not sure if that's normal or would cause steering wheel vibration.

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/89/photoglo.jpg

How many ounces is being used on that wheel? Did the shop claim of having any kind of problems balancing or road forcing?

-Charles@VMRWheels

josephbet01 · 06-20-2011, 03:05 PM

That pic is from the rear drivers side. The front drivers side has a lot but not quite that much. I brought it in saying BMW tried twice and it still has vibration so take your best shot. The tire shop gave it back an hour later saying it was already pretty good but they got it down to about 15 on the fronts. I'm just going by their word - no printouts from the machine. No mention of any problems.

It's not bad. I can feel the pulsing with my hands on the wheel above 55 but if I take my hands off the wheel it doesn't shake much. You can barely tell its moving by looking at it.

I just thought it odd to have a 8" strip of weights like that.

anerbe · 06-20-2011, 03:06 PM

sometimes they can reseat the tire to the wheel to put the high point of the wheel to the low point of the tire to offset imbalance.

Ask the dealership or a tire rack authorized dealer to try this before going thru the exchange to save a bit on hassle.

cssnms · 06-20-2011, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by josephbet01

That pic is from the rear drivers side. The front drivers side has a lot but not quite that much. I brought it in saying BMW tried twice and it still has vibration so take your best shot. The tire shop gave it back an hour later saying it was already pretty good but they got it down to about 15 on the fronts. I'm just going by their word - no printouts from the machine. No mention of any problems.

It's not bad. I can feel the pulsing with my hands on the wheel above 55 but if I take my hands off the wheel it doesn't shake much. You can barely tell its moving by looking at it.

I just thought it odd to have a 8" strip of weights like that.

Okay but did they say or determine if it was the wheel or the tire that was out of round?

smellfish · 06-20-2011, 03:12 PM

Just put on my DWs, most weights I've ever seen. Had to stack them in two layers. I give it half a season before they fly off.

josephbet01 · 06-20-2011, 05:23 PM

I'm at BMW now and they offered to put them on the Hunter machine and get me all the data so I can give it to TireRack. I didn't have numbers previously, just a tech handing back the keys without noting anything adverse. The Mr Tire just verbally said "about 15" earlier today, so let's see if the BMW machine confirms that.

josephbet01 · 06-20-2011, 08:52 PM

I just asked for data, but they went all out and rebalanced everything on the Hunter machine again. Between 2 previous times at BMW and 1 time at Mr Tire, this is the 4th time they've been on a Hunter in the past few weeks. The tech said my drivers rear tire has visible belt shift with a value of 25lbs and the passenter rear is reading 31lbs. Why didn't anyone catch this before using Hunter equipment? :

:

The front steering vibration seems to be smoothed out and the front tires values of 14lbs/7lbs. I guess I'll contact TireRack and ask them to replace both rear tires because of the belt shift and 25lb/31lb road force values. No point in dealing with whomp-whomp-whomp noise and more vibration in a couple months.

I'm guessing tire technology has come a long way, but so has vehicle technology and that means every abnormality can be felt by the driver or affect the vehicle. That means it takes 1st rate equipment "Hunter" to get the job done. Everyone doesn't use them but they're not hard to find. The weakest link is 1st rate techs to operate the equipment. The problem may be the techs are junior guys at the dealership or minimum wage helpers at NTB, Mr Tire, etc with little to no training, so the quality of the install will be hit or miss. The BMW tech placed a weight here or there on the wheel as if a computer was telling him exactly what part needed help vs Mr Tire putting an 8" strip of weight on only 1 part of the wheel. Why the big difference in technique? It's the same wheel/tire. I'd assume Mr Tire may use a Hunter machine, but not use it's capabilities/features in order to save time and instead use it as a standard device. I'm sure it's possible. Who knows.

I guess the lesson learned here is "ASK FOR THE ROAD FORCE VALUES UP FRONT SO YOU GET THE DATA YOU'RE PAYING FOR!

themyst · 06-20-2011, 09:24 PM

I have Conti DWS in OEM size on the stock 189's, no problems whatsoever. They grip better in the straights than many summer tires on the market and have amazing wet/snow traction. OP, sounds like you got a bad set, hope they make the swap a painless one. I am buying these until they stop making them!

rexus300 · 08-27-2011, 01:14 PM

josephbet01,

When they mounted the 2 bad tires with values 25/31 lbs on the rear, did you feel vibration through the seats instead? Did Continental send you replacement tires yet? I have a new 2011 BMW 5 series with the DWS mounted and they have a small vibration in steering wheel above 80 mph and in the seat around 70-75 mph. Its small but I am getting them rebalanced (road forced) this monday and will not tolerate any tires greater than 10 lbs because they will cause a small vibration and I am sensitive and want my money's worth.

06-20-2011, 11:18 AM	#1
josephbet01 Private First Class 9 Rep 112 Posts Drives: E93 328i Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: York, PA iTrader: (0)	Continental DWS Vibration So, my new set of DWS arrived from TireRack and I had them mounted and balanced by BMW on stock wheels. I have a slight vibration in the steering wheel above 60mph. I took them to a Mr Tire I found that has a Hunter machine to see if they could rebalance and clean up the vibration. No improvement. My rear drivers side tire seems to have a lot of weight on it. Not sure if that's normal or would cause steering wheel vibration. http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/89/photoglo.jpg
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06-20-2011, 03:05 PM	#4
josephbet01 Private First Class 9 Rep 112 Posts Drives: E93 328i Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: York, PA iTrader: (0)	That pic is from the rear drivers side. The front drivers side has a lot but not quite that much. I brought it in saying BMW tried twice and it still has vibration so take your best shot. The tire shop gave it back an hour later saying it was already pretty good but they got it down to about 15 on the fronts. I'm just going by their word - no printouts from the machine. No mention of any problems. It's not bad. I can feel the pulsing with my hands on the wheel above 55 but if I take my hands off the wheel it doesn't shake much. You can barely tell its moving by looking at it. I just thought it odd to have a 8" strip of weights like that.
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06-20-2011, 03:06 PM	#5
anerbe Lieutenant Colonel 124 Rep 1,567 Posts Drives: Red E90M 6MT Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: BH, MI iTrader: (2)	sometimes they can reseat the tire to the wheel to put the high point of the wheel to the low point of the tire to offset imbalance. Ask the dealership or a tire rack authorized dealer to try this before going thru the exchange to save a bit on hassle.
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06-20-2011, 03:12 PM	#7
smellfish No one on the corner has stagger like us 55 Rep 342 Posts Drives: '11 AW E90 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: COS iTrader: (2)	Just put on my DWs, most weights I've ever seen. Had to stack them in two layers. I give it half a season before they fly off. __________________
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06-20-2011, 05:23 PM	#8
josephbet01 Private First Class 9 Rep 112 Posts Drives: E93 328i Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: York, PA iTrader: (0)	I'm at BMW now and they offered to put them on the Hunter machine and get me all the data so I can give it to TireRack. I didn't have numbers previously, just a tech handing back the keys without noting anything adverse. The Mr Tire just verbally said "about 15" earlier today, so let's see if the BMW machine confirms that.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

06-20-2011, 08:52 PM	#9
josephbet01 Private First Class 9 Rep 112 Posts Drives: E93 328i Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: York, PA iTrader: (0)	I just asked for data, but they went all out and rebalanced everything on the Hunter machine again. Between 2 previous times at BMW and 1 time at Mr Tire, this is the 4th time they've been on a Hunter in the past few weeks. The tech said my drivers rear tire has visible belt shift with a value of 25lbs and the passenter rear is reading 31lbs. Why didn't anyone catch this before using Hunter equipment? :: The front steering vibration seems to be smoothed out and the front tires values of 14lbs/7lbs. I guess I'll contact TireRack and ask them to replace both rear tires because of the belt shift and 25lb/31lb road force values. No point in dealing with whomp-whomp-whomp noise and more vibration in a couple months. I'm guessing tire technology has come a long way, but so has vehicle technology and that means every abnormality can be felt by the driver or affect the vehicle. That means it takes 1st rate equipment "Hunter" to get the job done. Everyone doesn't use them but they're not hard to find. The weakest link is 1st rate techs to operate the equipment. The problem may be the techs are junior guys at the dealership or minimum wage helpers at NTB, Mr Tire, etc with little to no training, so the quality of the install will be hit or miss. The BMW tech placed a weight here or there on the wheel as if a computer was telling him exactly what part needed help vs Mr Tire putting an 8" strip of weight on only 1 part of the wheel. Why the big difference in technique? It's the same wheel/tire. I'd assume Mr Tire may use a Hunter machine, but not use it's capabilities/features in order to save time and instead use it as a standard device. I'm sure it's possible. Who knows. I guess the lesson learned here is "ASK FOR THE ROAD FORCE VALUES UP FRONT SO YOU GET THE DATA YOU'RE PAYING FOR!
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06-20-2011, 09:24 PM	#10
themyst Major General 189 Rep 6,631 Posts Drives: '16 MK7 GTI Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: NYC iTrader: (8)	I have Conti DWS in OEM size on the stock 189's, no problems whatsoever. They grip better in the straights than many summer tires on the market and have amazing wet/snow traction. OP, sounds like you got a bad set, hope they make the swap a painless one. I am buying these until they stop making them! __________________ E90 LCI N54 6AT
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08-27-2011, 01:14 PM	#11
rexus300 Lieutenant 159 Rep 451 Posts Drives: car Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Bloomfield Hills, Michigan iTrader: (1)	josephbet01, When they mounted the 2 bad tires with values 25/31 lbs on the rear, did you feel vibration through the seats instead? Did Continental send you replacement tires yet? I have a new 2011 BMW 5 series with the DWS mounted and they have a small vibration in steering wheel above 80 mph and in the seat around 70-75 mph. Its small but I am getting them rebalanced (road forced) this monday and will not tolerate any tires greater than 10 lbs because they will cause a small vibration and I am sensitive and want my money's worth.
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