Vibration Issue....From Spacers?

[AudiWxGuy]

Hey all....

I had my coils raised today to 25" in the front and left the rears the same. Looks great. I also had an RS4 rear sway bar installed today. What a huge difference that makes! WOW!

Now, for the problem...I had 8mm (H&R Trak Spacers) spacers installed as well, on my front wheels. Upon driving the car, I have found I have a vibration has a peak at 60 mph and lessons above that and under that speed. Does anyone know what that's from? Could it be that the bolts were torqued down to tight?

Thanks!

Eddie

[AudiWxGuy]

Just got off the phone with JB at Perf-Cafe. Thanks for the SWAY man! Still can't believe the difference. I'll get to the bottom of this tomorrow. If anyone has any ideas though, please respond.

[davis449]

As I've posted a million times before. I really think it's the Quattro system that causes these vibrations. I have none of this 90+ MPH, but just between 75-90. I've test driven other Quattro's and 4MOTION's and they do it to at the same speeds, to a lesser degree on stock suspensions. My conclusion is therefore: lowering causes this to amplify, just have to deal with it. I've had everything thoroughly checked out, fucked with tire pressure, torque specs, everything.

[Phrost]

I just owned a Quattro Audi TT, slammed on coilovers, 19" wheels, spacers front and rear. I had no vibrations whatsoever at any speeds.

You just had the spacers installed when the problem started, so they have to be the problem of course. They were installed incorrectly. First, clean the hub and remove any look rust that could cause an uneven contact. When you install spacers, you have the pound the shit out of them with a rubber mallet to get them on the hub all way. Pound pound pound away until you don't see any gaps anymore, then hit it a few more times. Torquing the wheel down normally won't get the spacer all the way tight against the hub either, so I always hit mine to be sure they're seated properly.

Also, I would recommend using some antiseize or something on the back side of the spacer. Even after only one season, they get stuck on your hub and are extremely hard to get off. Truuuuust me. Wheels just sit on your hub, but spacers are on there VERY tight. I've never been able to get one off with just my hands.

Come fall, you'll see tons of threads where people are asking how to take spacers off because everyone is taking off their summer wheel/spacer setup lol... Antiseize is a little messy, but it makes it so much easier to get these off. Prepare to make a road trip to frustration city if you leave these on half a year and expect them to come off as easy as a wheel.

After that, all I can say is tighten your lug bolts while the wheel is off the ground in a star pattern at 88ft/lbs. Good luck

[AudiWxGuy]

Thanks man. I'll have them try this tomorrow. Basically, you told me the same thing JB at Perf-Cafe told me. As for spacers causing vibs...I also think that is BS. I've had 15mm on the rear now for a month and no vibrations at all. None.

[Phrost]

Yup, they can and probably will cause vibration (like an unbalanced tire would) if they are the least bit loose or crooked. Otherwise you'll never even know there are on there

[AudiWxGuy]

that's exactly what it feels like. An unbalanced tire. Hopefully its a simple fix.

[Phrost]

It is, just jack up one corner at a time and reinstall the spacer and wheel. Maybe 15 minutes a corner tops

[TooLow2.0T]

Thanks man. I'll have them try this tomorrow. Basically, you told me the same thing JB at Perf-Cafe told me. As for spacers causing vibs...I also think that is BS. I've had 15mm on the rear now for a month and no vibrations at all. None.

In my experience larger spacers make it easier to get the wheels on straight since they will have a hub extension. It's much harder to get the wheels centered with 8mm spacers because the wheel hubcentric ring does not fully contact the hub in most cases. Also, you are much less likely to feel a vibration from the rear wheels anyway since it won't be transmitted through the steering wheel.

[AudiWxGuy]

Good point!

[MAlby7]

There's a large thread on this vibration at 60mph (90-100kmh). All cars do it. I've brought my car in twice to get them to check it, and both times they couldn't find anything. I've tried different tire pressures, different wheels, re-balancing wheels, and still the same shit. I think it's a resonance frequency at that speed which causes the steering wheel to shake. No one has found a fix for it and there probably will never be one.

[AudiWxGuy]

My car did not do this before the spacers. No vibration at all. So, although your hypothesis is welcome...it does not pertain in this sense.

[Sharkfin]

I also second the notion that they have to be installed incorrectly, good luck fixing it asap

[AudiWxGuy]

I'll have an update tomorrow. I'll also have a pic of the new setting later. Once I get home and I can get the pic off my phone.

[AudiWxGuy]

Pics of the adjusted suspension. The front was raised a bit to reduce some of the rake, and make the car look a little more smooth.

[vedran]

Thanks man. I'll have them try this tomorrow. Basically, you told me the same thing JB at Perf-Cafe told me. As for spacers causing vibs...I also think that is BS. I've had 15mm on the rear now for a month and no vibrations at all. None.

We have same wheels (but I have only original sport suspension) and I'm thinking about spacers. What would you recomend now after trying 8mm on front and 15 aft? I just want nice look , nothing to much out....

[AudiWxGuy]

They look nice together. I'm just trying to get rid of this vibration. I'm headed back to the shop in a few mins to get this looked at.

[hhuynh14]

yea for sure the spacer is not set properly... I had the problem with the 8mm spacer.... only did it at higher speed pass 45 mph.... you just need to realign them and bolt the bolts correctly, in a star pattern and is should be ok...

[vedran]

Show us some pictures how it looks from diferent angels

[AudiWxGuy]

I am at the shop now. The bolts were put in with locktight yesterday but somehow managed to back out and were a little loose. We've got some stronger locktight on the way and hopefully that will take care of the issue.

[tre]

As I've posted a million times before. I really think it's the Quattro system that causes these vibrations. I have none of this 90+ MPH, but just between 75-90. I've test driven other Quattro's and 4MOTION's and they do it to at the same speeds, to a lesser degree on stock suspensions. My conclusion is therefore: lowering causes this to amplify, just have to deal with it. I've had everything thoroughly checked out, fucked with tire pressure, torque specs, everything.

What?? I'm on my 4th Audi quattro and I've never had a vibration in any of them. My B7 A4 is lowered to 25" all around on Ohlins SL and I have ZERO vibration. You may have improperly balanced wheels or an improperly balanced drive shaft.

[mksap11]

I am at the shop now. The bolts were put in with locktight yesterday but somehow managed to back out and were a little loose. We've got some stronger locktight on the way and hopefully that will take care of the issue.

Just curious. Why you're using locktite in the first place? I've never used locktite with any of my wheels and they bolts have never backed out. I basically torque them down to factory specs (89 ft-lbs) and re-torque after 50 miles. Also, are you using longer lugs to account for the added thickness of the spacer?

FWIW, I never had any vibration issues at any speeds when I was running spacers (12mm Front /15mm Rear)

[AudiWxGuy]

IT's possible that the studs may be bad. I'll have an update soon.

[PerfCafe]

Just curious. Why you're using locktite in the first place? I've never used locktite with any of my wheels and they bolts have never backed out. I basically torque them down to factory specs (89 ft-lbs) and re-torque after 50 miles. Also, are you using longer lugs to account for the added thickness of the spacer?

FWIW, I never had any vibration issues at any speeds when I was running spacers (12mm Front /15mm Rear)

Eddie is using locktite because of the 2.5" stud conversion kit that we got him ... we are narrowing it down ... were going to remove the spacers and just run the wheels with the studs to see if the stud kit is the problem or if it is the spacers ...

[AudiWxGuy]

Just went for a drive with the studs on and spacers off and the vibration was pretty much gone. I'm going to leave the studs on for a couple of days just to make sure its not them. Thanks for the help JB!

[Phrost]

^ That's some good service right there

[AudiWxGuy]

Being sarcastic, or genuine?

[Phrost]

Internet is serious business, I don't mess around

[Zebman]

My spacers vibrate like a bitch. I'm getting some scotch-brite and a rubber mallet tomorrow when I change my oil, and i'm going to take the front wheels off at the same time.

[AudiWxGuy]

Vibration is something I'm not going to tolerate. H&R spacers should not vibrate. They are supposed to be hubcentric. If they are not, or were not made properly -- possible defect -- they will put the wheel out of balance. Do your spacers have the lip on them? I've heard that spacers w/out the lip may cause vibrations....

[Zebman]

My 5mm up front don't have hubcentricity and it vibrates bad enough to move the steering wheel. But the 8mm in the back are worse. I can hear the tone of my friends voices vibrating, and trust me, they let me know when they start to feel it.

[autoverruckt]

My spacers vibrate like a bitch. I'm getting some scotch-brite and a rubber mallet tomorrow when I change my oil, and i'm going to take the front wheels off at the same time.

For sure your 5mm spacers are not hubcentric. Are your 8mm's? Using non-hubcentric hubs is almost a guarantee of vibration.
EDIT: you posted right before me. Change your spacers. My 15's in the rear don't cause me any issues.

[AudiWxGuy]

The spacers that we put on our cars need to be hubcentric. I have 15mm H&R hubcentric spacers on the rears and the car drives perfectly with them. I know the 8mm i got for the front are hubcentric, well they are supposed to be, but are either defective, or not sitting on the hub right. I wonder if I should go 12mm up front? Maybe that would fit better?