Object ran over - vibration. Places to look?

[ps2cho]

2019 Q5.

Wife says she ran over a pipe or something like that. I didn’t hear about it until I drove her car a week later and said somethings wrong what happened…

-One tire had a bubble in it- replaced all 4 tires as they were 4/32 anyway.
Still had a vibration after replaced.
-Inspected further found one wheel had impact damage. I figured that was the wheel that ran it over. Big bend shaped like a pipe in the barrel
Replaced it with factory Audi wheel. Much better.
-but there is still a cyclical vibration at highway speeds.

It’s like a harmonic grinding/vibration. Low pitch. 1 second vibrates, 1 second smooth repeat. Does it more so when slightly turning right

I just got myself a quickjack for BF so I can look at the car closer this week. Where else should I inspect for something like this?

Should I go get a good wheel shop to check runout on the other 3 wheels? Bearings? Control arms?

 

[PontiacHO]

Axle shaft maybe. Check runout on each wheel/hub. Some rotors and/or drums have welded weights for balance. Could have knocked one off. Not sure your car has a driveshaft but check runout and inspect for missing weights and dents etc. a drivetrain shop can balance the driveshaft if needed.

 

[DuckRyder]

Hmm...

I would inspect the wheel on the same side other position of the one that was found bent very closely. Since the tires were replaced this might be difficult. Checking all wheel son a road force balancer for runout and road force matching might be in order... if you can find someone trust worthy to actually do it.

Inspect axle and wheel bearing at position where bent wheel was....

If not leading/pulling i would not suspect suspension arms, struts etc.

 

[eljefino]

The tire shop silently moves the worst rims to the rear. They don't speak up about it because
When you get it in the air, spin your tires up and look at the rim flanges for runout.

 

[PimTac]

If one wheel was damaged then closely inspect the other wheel on that same side.

 

[ps2cho]

Thanks guys that gives me some focus ideas. I’ll get the car up in the air on the quickjack, pull all the wheels off and carefully see if I can see any other damage to the other wheels. When the new tires were on they obviously rotated everything.

It is Quattro so I’ll also check the axle shafts as well.

The Q5 does not pull to any side, so that’s a fair comment probably not a control arm.

Here’s the damage to the first wheel discovered. You can see the “hump” at 4pm in the image.

 

[Drifter]

I second [double] `checking all wheels. And if it is not the wheels or balance/tires then inspect the suspension components closely . Including control arm bushings etc. My son hit something awhile back . (Sighs ) Good luck to ya.

 

[eljefino]

You're not going to "see" runout, you have to spin them to catch it.

 

[Wrenchturner44]

Also check lower engine drive pulley. Not likely a contact spot unless there is other visible forward engine compartment damage, but it is still possible.

 

[ecotourist]

Check all 4 wheels carefully. The rear wheel may have been damaged and with the replacement of all 4 tires now may be in different positions.

 

[D60]

Is wheel damage likely to cause harmonic symptoms as OP describes?? I'm legitimately asking.....

I'd suspect more of an axleshaft or driveline issue. Bent, dinged, missing weight, etc.

Also look at heat shields (exhaust?) or skid plates that have loose or damaged fasteners. Sometimes a "rattle" can rise and fall cyclically as OP describes.

This is one problem with Audis....the interior tends to be quiet enough you can actually detect these noises LOL. In any of my trucks, I'd never know! Ignorance is bliss!?!?!

 

[DuckRyder]

Is wheel damage likely to cause harmonic symptoms as OP describes?? I'm legitimately asking.....

I'd suspect more of an axleshaft or driveline issue. Bent, dinged, missing weight, etc.

No to the first question.

Probably correct to the latter statement.

However in light of my experience with folks describing vibrations, leads, pulls etcetera and the fact it had one bent wheel it bears investigation.

 

[Deleted member 89374]

Take a powerful focused flashlight and give the car a good once over from front to end. It helps if you're in the dark because anything out of the ordinary will be more visible and pop out to you as there is less distraction and your eyes are only focused at what the flashlight illuminates.

 

[Passport1]

Check carefully underneath for fur debris. You could have some venison wrapped around your driveshaft causing a balance problem.

 

[JHZR2]

Look up my posts on using a phone for vibration analysis. Drive on an otherwise smooth road at 60MPH and take data. If it’s what you say the vibration should be 1Hz or 0.5Hz.

Post data.

 

[eljefino]

If you bend two wheels they can add to each other then rotate out of phase and cancel each other out, especially on a mild curve.

 

[ps2cho]

I got the car up in the air today. I couldn’t find anything obvious.

-Grabbing the wheel 9-3 and 12-6 yielded no slop.
-I set up a screwdriver attached to a bench and spun the wheel and found no discernible runout.
-vibration analysis below. I did it at 60min but it doesn’t vibrate at that speed. The below is when it begins the cyclical 1second vibration at 80mph.
-dropping the car in neutral does not change the vibration, so I can assume its nothing engine related.

Any thoughts on it?

First image 80mph, second is 60mph

 

[Wrenchturner44]

I would do a static balance check on all 4 tires. It could be even with the new tire purchase that balance is off somewhere. See if you can find a shop that has an old bubble balancer to do the checks.

 

[ps2cho]

I would do a static balance check on all 4 tires. It could be even with the new tire purchase that balance is off somewhere. See if you can find a shop that has an old bubble balancer to do the checks.

Roadforce balancer better choice? There is a really good shop locally here that frequently does high end vehicles, Lambo's, Porsches, Ferrari. Always see them parked out front. If you guys think thats the next logical step, I'll drop the car off after xmas and have them roadforce all 4 and see if that finds the vibration.

 

[DuckRyder]

Roadforce balancer better choice? There is a really good shop locally here that frequently does high end vehicles, Lambo's, Porsches, Ferrari. Always see them parked out front. If you guys think thats the next logical step, I'll drop the car off after xmas and have them roadforce all 4 and see if that finds the vibration.

Roadforce (done properly) is an infinitely better choice. Tell them you have a vibration (and what happened) and watch some of hunters videos before hand so you can make sure they are actually going to use the things correctly (ask questions).