GM Service Manual Online
For 1990-2009 cars only
Makes 🢒 Cadillac 🢒 2008 🢒 SLS 🢒 General Information 🢒 Vibration Diagnosis and Correction 🢒 Vibration Analysis - Tire and Wheel

Test Description

The numbers below refer to the step numbers in the diagnostic table:

  1. A buildup of foreign material on a tire and wheel assembly and/or a damaged, abnormally or excessively worn tire and wheel assembly could cause a vibration disturbance.

    2.

  2. Tire and wheel assemblies that exhibit excessive runout when measured while mounted on the vehicle, may or may not be contributing to, or causing a vibration disturbance. On-vehicle runout, if present, could contribute to, or cause a vibration disturbance, but the cause of the on-vehicle runout may not be the tire and wheel assemblies.

    3.

  3. Tire and wheel assemblies that exhibit excessive runout when measured off the vehicle could cause a vibration disturbance.

    4.

  4. Tire and wheel assemblies that exhibit marginal runout - within acceptable limits, but close to the maximum - when measured off the vehicle could still be contributing to a vibration disturbance, if its mating hub/axle flange also exhibits marginal runout. When the tire and wheel assembly and the hub axle flange are mounted to each other, the combined stack-up of their marginal amounts of runout, which could cause a vibration disturbance.

    5.

  5. Brake rotors that exhibit excessive imbalance could contribute to, or possibly cause a vibration disturbance.

    6.

  6. A hub/axle flange and/or wheel studs that exhibit excessive runout could cause a vibration disturbance.

    7.

  7. When the tire and wheel assembly and the hub axle flange are mounted to each other, the combined stack-up of their marginal amounts of runout, which could cause a vibration disturbance. Match-mounting or vectoring the tire and wheel assembly to the hub/axle flange will modify the amount of combined runout.

    8.

  8. Force variation may be present in a tire and wheel assembly that exhibited acceptable balance and runout. Force variation, if present, could contribute to, or cause a vibration disturbance.

    9.

  9. Vibration disturbances could be affected by, or possibly caused by components that are susceptible to steering input and/or torque-load input.

    10.

  10. On-vehicle balancing or finish-balancing can be used to reduce small amounts of imbalance which may be present as a result of the combined stack-up of the tire and wheel assembly with other components which may exhibit marginal balance.

Step

Action

Yes

No

1

Has the Vibration Analysis - Road Testing been completed?

Go to Step 2

Go to Vibration Analysis - Road Testing

2

Based on the Vibration Analysis - Road Testing table, is the concern first-order tire and wheel assembly related?

Go to Step 4

Go to Step 3

3

Based on the Vibration Analysis - Road Testing table, is the concern second-order tire or higher-order tire and wheel assembly related?

Go to Step 19

Go to Vibration Analysis - Road Testing

4

Visually inspect the tire and wheel assemblies for the following:

    • Debris buildup, such as packed mud, undercoating, ice/snow buildup, road tar, etc.
    • Damage, abnormal or excessive wear.
        Refer to Tire and Wheel Inspection .

Dose any of the tire and wheel exhibit the above conditions listed?

Go to Step 5

Go to Step 6

5
  1. Remove the debris from the tire and wheel assemblies.
  2. Replace the damaged, abnormally or excessively worn wheels or tires as necessary. Refer to Tire Dismounting and Mounting .

Did you complete the repair or replacement?

Go to Step 24

--

6

Measure the on vehicle runout of the tire and wheel assemblies. Refer to Tire and Wheel Assembly Runout Measurement - On-Vehicle .

Does the runout measurement indicate a runout concern?

Go to Step 7

Go to Step 11

7

Measure the off vehicle runout of the tire and wheel assemblies. Refer to Tire and Wheel Assembly Runout Measurement - Off Vehicle .

Does the runout measurement indicate a runout concern?

Go to Step 20

Go to Step 8

8

Are any of the tire and wheel assembly runout measurements marginal within acceptable limits, but close to the maximum?

Go to Step 9

Go to Step 14

9
  1. Match-mount the tire and wheel for each tire and wheel assembly with marginal runout. Refer to Tire-to-Wheel Match-Mounting (Vectoring) .
  2. Remeasure the runout of each match-mounted tire and wheel assembly. Refer to Tire and Wheel Assembly Runout Measurement - Off Vehicle .

Were you able to significantly reduce the amount of tire and wheel assembly?

Go to Step 10

Go to Step 20

10

Remeasure the on vehicle runout of the tire and wheel assemblies. Refer to Tire and Wheel Assembly Runout Measurement - On-Vehicle .

Does the remeasurement indicate a runout concern?

Go to Step 14

Go to Step 24

11

Inspect the balance of the tire and wheel assemblies. Refer to Tire and Wheel Assembly Balancing - Off Vehicle .

Are any or the tire and wheel assemblies out of balance?

Go to Step 12

Go to Step 13

12

Balance the tire and wheel assemblies as necessary. Refer to Tire and Wheel Assembly Balancing - Off Vehicle .

Were you able to achieve balance?

Go to Step 24

Go to Vibration Diagnostic Aids

13

  1. Inspect the brake rotors for damage.
  2. Inspect the brake rotors for balance. Refer to Brake Rotor/Drum Balance Inspection .

Is the brake rotor damaged or out of balance?

Go to Step 17

Go to Step 18

14

Measure the runout of the hub/flanges and the wheel studs. Refer to Hub/Axle Flange and Wheel Stud Runout Inspection .

Does the runout measurement indicate a runout concern?

Go to Step 16

Go to Step 15

15

  1. Match-mount the tire and wheel assembly to the hub/axle flanges. Refer to Tire and Wheel Assembly-to-Hub/Axle Flange Match-Mounting .
  2. Remeasure the on vehicle runout of the tire and wheel assemblies. Refer to Tire and Wheel Assembly Runout Measurement - On-Vehicle .

Were you able to significantly reduce the amount of tire and wheel assembly?

Go to Step 24

Go to Step 2

16

Replace components as needed. Refer to the following procedures as necessary:

    •  Wheel Stud Replacement
    •  Wheel Stud Replacement

Is the replacement complete?

Go to Step 24

--

17

If necessary, replace the brake rotors. Refer to the corresponding procedure:

Is the replacement complete?

Go to Step 24

--

18

Inspect for radial and lateral force variation. Refer to Tire and Wheel Assembly Isolation Test .

Were you able to isolate to check one or more tires and wheel assemblies as the cause of the disturbance?

Go to Step 20

Go to Step 21

19

Inspect for radial and lateral force variation. Refer to Tire and Wheel Assembly Isolation Test .

Were you able to isolate yo check one or more tires and wheel assemblies as the cause of the disturbance?

Go to Step 20

Go to Step 22

20

Replace any tires and/or wheels that were tested as the cause of the disturbance, as necessary. Refer to Tire Dismounting and Mounting .

Is the replacement complete?

Go to Step 24

--

21

Perform the Vibration Analysis - Hub/Axle Input. Refer to Vibration Analysis - Hub and/or Axle Input .

Did you find and correct the condition?

Go to Step 24

Go to Step 23

22

Perform the Vibration Analysis - Hub/Axle Input. Refer to Vibration Analysis - Hub and/or Axle Input .

Did you find and correct the condition?

Go to Step 24

Go to Vibration Diagnostic Aids

23

Finish-balance the tire and wheel assemblies ON vehicle. Refer to Tire and Wheel Assembly Balancing - On-Vehicle .

Have you finished the on vehicle finish balancing?

Go to Step 24

--

24
  1. Install or connect all components that were removed or disconnected during diagnosis.
  2. Perform the Vibration - Road Testing. Refer to Vibration Analysis - Road Testing .

Is the vibration still present?

Go to Step 2

System OK