Wheel balancing, or is there a different cause? Options

[JohnB]

I've owned three 914's over the last 25 years and all have had the same issue. At some speed between 60 and 70 mph I get the kind of shake you'd get from an unbalanced wheel. Even after having the wheels balanced I always get it and I've had every kind of wheel and tire combination (steel and alloy wheels of every kind, Yoko's, Bridgestones, Michelins, and Vredestein tires, you name it.) I've talked to a few other owners and they report a similar thing.

Is it possible there's an unbalanced half shaft causing the problem or some other thing like an out of round wheel I haven't discovered? Why can't I get the tires to act balanced?

The easy fix so far is to either drive lots faster (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif) or lots slower (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif) but I'd rather not have the problem.

I've also had the alignment checked and at least on my current car all's well except the right wheel camber (or maybe they said caster). They can't get it into spec. The shock mount looks like it's all the way forward and maybe that's part of that problem.

ideas?

[r_towle]

first, what kind of wheel do you have.
the aftermarket wheels, rivieras,etc... have not been machined with the center hole perfect.

This leads to a wheel that can be balanced on todays machines (they use the center hole) and it will appear balanced..nope.

I went through this with a superbeetle...these cars are the most sensitive cars to tire balance I have ever seen.

Find a place that has the correct adapter to put you wheels on the machine on a four lug adapter...this way the wheels are balanced on the lugs, versus the hub.

this is the right way...I found the only store around here that has one...it took alot of phone calls...

Rich