Vibration (like buffeting) 68-73MPH new tires, 3 different shops checked

[smokey_2020]

I ran primacy’s for 50k. If they aren’t one of Michelins best, you could have fooled me. Although the tread depth starts out a little less 8/32 versus 10/32. They rode much softer and were quieter than the defenders I had on another vehicle. In fact, I wouldn’t use defenders after that experience. There’s always a chance that you have a tire that’s out of whack, but the rotation should have discovered that.

I had zero issues with my OEM Michelin Primacy LTX tires up to 46,000 until one side was sliced. That is why I bought Primacy LTX again because I had good experience with OEM Primacy. Reviews for Primacy on Tirerack are bad but I still bought based on my prior experience. I had Contis on my Yukon and they were not nearly as good as Primacy. I get that I have a problem somewhere and that these days it is hard to find competent people who knows their craft, before I take a massive loss on this truck trade-in, I will try to take to Knoxville Driveline.

Tirerack and Michelin told me to go pack sand. In retrospect, I should have purchased from Sam's Club, at least with huffing and puffing Sam's still come through most of the time.

 

[Nukeman7]

I had zero issues with my OEM Michelin Primacy LTX tires up to 46,000 until one side was sliced. That is why I bought Primacy LTX again because I had good experience with OEM Primacy. Reviews for Primacy on Tirerack are bad but I still bought based on my prior experience. I had Contis on my Yukon and they were not nearly as good as Primacy. I get that I have a problem somewhere and that these days it is hard to find competent people who knows their craft, before I take a massive loss on this truck trade-in, I will try to take to Knoxville Driveline.

You really need to 100% eliminate the wheels & tires as the vibration source before driving 370 miles to Knoxville. I'd attempt to pay a dealer/shop to temporarily swap over an identical size wheel set from another used Tahoe/Suburban/Silverado/Yukon to absolutely eliminate (or confirm) the tire set as the root cause. A 15 minute test drive with different wheels/tires will provide a definitive answer.

 

[smokey_2020]

You really need to 100% eliminate the wheels & tires as the vibration source before driving 370 miles to Knoxville. I'd attempt to pay a dealer/shop to temporarily swap over an identical size wheel set from another used Tahoe/Suburban/Silverado/Yukon to absolutely eliminate (or confirm) the tire set as the root cause. A 15 minute test drive with different wheels/tires will provide a definitive answer.

I do agree with your thoughts, not sure how to ask the dealer for that but will call them. Perhaps, they would support me. Fingers crossed.

 

[t1snwrbrdr12]

I ran primacy’s for 50k. If they aren’t one of Michelins best, you could have fooled me. Although the tread depth starts out a little less 8/32 versus 10/32. They rode much softer and were quieter than the defenders I had on another vehicle. In fact, I wouldn’t use defenders after that experience. There’s always a chance that you have a tire that’s out of whack, but the rotation should have discovered that.

agreed. Primacy is there more touring and comfortable tire, defender is supposed to be longer lasting, which goes hand in hand with being a tougher compound / possibly louder etc.

 

[MParr]

agreed. Primacy is there more touring and comfortable tire, defender is supposed to be longer lasting, which goes hand in hand with being a tougher compound / possibly louder etc.

The Primacy is their Eco-Garbage line.

 

[t1snwrbrdr12]

The Primacy is their Eco-Garbage line.

Maybe, I’m no tire expert. I’ve installed plenty though, and primacy’s never had vibration or comfort issues. They’re noticeably lighter weight than other Michelin lines, maybe that’s why they balance easier, but they also keep their balance and customers don’t seem to have issues with them.

 

[MParr]

Maybe, I’m no tire expert. I’ve installed plenty though, and primacy’s never had vibration or comfort issues. They’re noticeably lighter weight than other Michelin lines, maybe that’s why they balance easier, but they also keep their balance and customers don’t seem to have issues with them.

Starting out with 2/32 to 3/32 less tread depth makes them a real bargain.

 

[t1snwrbrdr12]

Starting out with 2/32 to 3/32 less tread depth makes them a real bargain.

Tread depth doesn’t matter if they still wear as long. Sure, some snow traction could be compromised, but if you call out of work and don’t travel in the snow (most people) that really shouldn’t matter.

I’m on track to get the rated mileage if not more on a set of primacy’s. I appreciate that they have been quiet their entire life. Do I appreciate it enough to get another set over cheaper tires? Unsure yet. That’ll depend on the sales I can find at the time. But I was really frustrated with conti extreme contacts getting noisy and had no rain traction around 5/32”…well before I would’ve replaced them on my personal commuter.

If I start with more tread depth just for sake of having more tread depth, but it doesn’t last as long for any reason or another, what’s the point of shopping for the the best tread depth?

The shallower tread tire may have a different compound that wears longer. I put more consideration into the UTQG and mileage ratings and reviews than tread depth. I do have a set of defenders on my van. I feel like they have their place (SUVs or trucks, vehicles that wear tires hard, maybe a commuter car that has larger sidewalls that they make a defender in that size) but It wouldn’t be my first pick for many cars.

 

[MParr]

Tread depth doesn’t matter if they still wear as long. Sure, some snow traction could be compromised, but if you call out of work and don’t travel in the snow (most people) that really shouldn’t matter.

I’m on track to get the rated mileage if not more on a set of primacy’s. I appreciate that they have been quiet their entire life. Do I appreciate it enough to get another set over cheaper tires? Unsure yet. That’ll depend on the sales I can find at the time. But I was really frustrated with conti extreme contacts getting noisy and had no rain traction around 5/32”…well before I would’ve replaced them on my personal commuter.

If I start with more tread depth just for sake of having more tread depth, but it doesn’t last as long for any reason or another, what’s the point of shopping for the the best tread depth?

The shallower tread tire may have a different compound that wears longer. I put more consideration into the UTQG and mileage ratings and reviews than tread depth. I do have a set of defenders on my van. I feel like they have their place (SUVs or trucks, vehicles that wear tires hard, maybe a commuter car that has larger sidewalls that they make a defender in that size) but It wouldn’t be my first pick for many cars.

540 is the mileage rating on the Primacy line. They are nothing more than the redesigned and rebranded Energy Saver AS. 50,000 miles would be a stretch on the Primacy line. I expect somewhere in the 35,000 to 40,000 on the ones on our Escape. I will be so glad to be rid of them.

 

[smokey_2020]

Spoke to Knoxville Driveline, they are driveshaft manufacturing and balancing people but they only work with the driveshafts that I dismounted from the car. They do not even have lifts. Dealer's Service Manager was friendly but wants me to leave the car with them for more than 24 hours, they want to do a thorough check and possibly swap a temp set of wheels on the car. This seems like an only plan for me at the moment. Being a single car household, I now need to find the rental and I am off to the races

 

[Mainia]

I had a full time vibration problem on my Kona in front end. It was just a very light one, I had the tires rebalanced and it was still there. I lived with it as it was a micro vibration. I bought a new set of cryoed slotted rotors and the vibration was gone. Don’t discount rotors.

 

[smokey_2020]

My problem is harmonics microvibrations probably order 1 at 63-73 MPH. I have asked the dealer to check the rotors as I have nothing to turn them on to check for true. I do not think they took rotors off and did check them on the lathe. I may ask a local independent shop to check the rotors for true and check the bearings. What is the sureway to check the bearings?

I wonder if there are pico-scope like accurate devices that can record harmonics to show to the dealer that I indeed have the harmonics. I have no idea why dealer says that they do not sense the harmonics with their ears, I do easily, perhaps I am more sensitive but I doubt, my ears are older.

I had a full time vibration problem on my Kona in front end. It was just a very light one, I had the tires rebalanced and it was still there. I lived with it as it was a micro vibration. I bought a new set of cryoed slotted rotors and the vibration was gone. Don’t discount rotors.

 

[Greatlake]

I wonder if there are pico-scope like accurate devices that can record harmonics to show to the dealer that I indeed have the harmonics. I have no idea why dealer says that they do not sense the harmonics with their ears, I do easily, perhaps I am more sensitive but I doubt, my ears are older.

You could try the NVH app. It's $100, but might be worth it. I had a vibration problem at 2200 miles on a brand new 2025 Jeep. Two tire balances, a tire rotation and an alignment didn't help. Dealer said nothing wrong that they can see or feel.

So I bought and downloaded the NVH app. It immediately showed a 1st order drive train vibration. I downloaded and printed the vibration report made by the app and showed it to my dealer.

Turns out they found the driveshaft was bad and replaced it. Probably never would have happened had I not bought the NVH app.

https://vibratesoftware.com/

 

[smokey_2020]

You could try the NVH app. It's $100, but might be worth it. I had a vibration problem at 2200 miles on a brand new 2025 Jeep. Two tire balances, a tire rotation and an alignment didn't help. Dealer said nothing wrong that they can see or feel.

So I bought and downloaded the NVH app. It immediately showed a 1st order drive train vibration. I downloaded and printed the vibration report made by the app and showed it to my dealer.

Turns out they found the driveshaft was bad and replaced it. Probably never would have happened had I not bought the NVH app.

https://vibratesoftware.com/

Yes, thanks @Greatlake this will be my next step. Additionally Tirerack responded and asked me to measure the thread and they may do a refund (for tires only) if thread use is minimal but I will have to buy another set of tires from Tirerack to replace. I would like to rule out tires. Of course no guarantee that new tires would be better. I will use the app today to see what it says, I have lost $680 on these tireset already what another $100. Being a gearhead, I will learn another app if anything

 

[Greatlake]

Yes, thanks @Greatlake this will be my next step. Additionally Tirerack responded and asked me to measure the thread and they may do a refund (for tires only) if thread use is minimal but I will have to buy another set of tires from Tirerack to replace. I would like to rule out tires. Of course no guarantee that new tires would be better. I will use the app today to see what it says, I have lost $680 on these tireset already what another $100. Being a gearhead, I will learn another app if anything

Good luck! Hope it helps narrow-down the issue. Use the recording feature and then view the graph it creates. The graph is what I used to show the service writer at the dealership the vibration amplitude at different speeds.

 

[wander2039]

How are the rotors on that truck? Are there factory fasteners holding it to the hub? Rotor might not be seated.. rust garbage etc. If the tire was taken off and back on could change symptom. If it started with changing the tires and rims I wouldn’t look anywhere else, wasted alot of money on that rabbit trail.

 

[meep]

I’ve put a vehicle up on blocks several times and run it in gear. Noises and vibrations can be easier to spot. If you found the corner, you could remove the wheel and try again and see if the vibes change or disappear or don’t change at all.

 

[smokey_2020]

I have ran NVH and sure enough it shows T3 tire rotations related vibrations,plotted it on the graph and it 100% coincides with my Bookmarks that I pressed when I felt vibrations. I have something to work with now. I am sure that GM answer would be - not an official GM-approved Pico device but at this point, this will be a fight and they may not win this one.

Findings:
At least I am not insane
I do not have balance problems (thus RF balancers miss it)


T3s are never related to tire/wheel balance, however possibilities are:
1) tire out of round
2) tire wall defect, like hardwalls
3) CV issues
4) wheel bearings

 

[MParr]

Which corner does the test point to?

 

[Thebigm]

Hope the wisdom of the crowd will help me troubleshoot further. I am stumped. This truck was one of the smoothest riding highway cruisers, zero vibrations for 49,000 miles of any kind up until recent episode.

23 Tahoe Duramax 3.0 4x4 LS with 10-speed AT with 49,500 miles.
Carwash damaged/cut my front tire and scratched the wheel. I had purchased a new Chevrolet OEM takeoff rim on eBay and 4 new Michelin Primacy LTX tires.

After tire and wheel install, I have noticed a vibration strictly during 68-73MPH (that is felt as buffeting like rear windows are open). I had taken the car back to the install shop, they roadforce it on the Hunter machine, one tire was pretty close to be out of range, Tirerack replaced the tire. Installed and re-balanced at another tireshop, they confirmed that all tires were within spec, however vibrations were still there. Took it to the dealer, paid for the re-balance and rotation.

Wanted to do a rotation to see if vibration will move from back to the the steering wheel on the front, but - same vibration/buffeting. Chevy dealer says it is not very likely the tires or rims are the problem (dealer himself does not of course reproduce the problem, because they cannot testdrive at 68-73MPH).

Additional thoughts:
-very narrow range strictly 68-73MPH
-rotation does not seem to change anything
-3 different tireshops does not seem to think the tires are the problem, but not sure if I need high quality $#4 who can validate if rims are not out of true or something with the wheel(s)
-maybe I am dreaming (not certain) but I am sensing this buffeting more when coasting (foot off the accelerator)
-lastly, if I am going through a corner in this speed (68-73MPH), I also feel even more

My hypothesis:
1) torque converter shudder, I am planning to do pan drop/drain/filter/fill on A/T.
2) takeoff rim causing the problem but balancing machines are not detecting rim problems (this is farfetched in my mind but I am not an expert on balancers if they can detect out of true or general rim issues)

Appreciate the thoughts.

Is there an underbody cowl that could be loose?