Yokohama tyre vibration

[Ochayethen00]

Hi all, I unfortunately don't have an X5M but I've got a 3.0d which I bought with the 21" X5M wheels fitted.

I did have Michelin tyres fitted and the ride was so smooth. I've just fitted Yokohama Advan sport tyres 295 35 21 front and 325 30 21 rear. The ride is unbearable, the whole car vibrates, steering wheel, seats, everything, to the point it genuinely feels like there's something wrong with the car.

Has anyone ever experienced this? I can't believe it's the tyres but I'm sure it must be. The wheels have been check balanced and are all good.

[///Motivated]

285 or 295 in the front? The 285/35 is already taller than the 325/30. If you really went 295/35 then you may have a transfer case going wonky with to much difference in tire height.

[MBoss_F86]

Make sure tire shop installed them correctly. It happed to me once where idiot installed 325 tires on front wheels and 285s on rears on my F86.

Also, what year is your 3.0d? If it is F15 then you need 285/ 325. Were your Michelins same sizes? There is a possibility that your tire(s) has defects. Make sure you are using correct sizes for your vehicle so you wont screw up your transfer case

[Ochayethen00]

Thanks looking like I'll need to get 285's for the front. When I checked the sizes the 295's were only around 1.5% difference from the 325's but seems this is too much of a difference for the transfer case. Had no idea these ran on this fine a margin.

[Ochayethen00]

Just pulled the transfer case fuse, went for a drive and still lots of vibration. Pulled over and put fuse back in and then drove home and the cars smooth again. Strange, maybe pulling the fuse causes the transfer case to recalibrate?

[Yuille36]

Let me try an explain this, the best I can. The width of the tire doesn't matter, it's the sidewall height. The front and rear tires are rotating at two difference speeds, which is causing an imbalance within the transfer case. And the transfer case is trying to cope with the imbalance. Over time this will cause bigger issues if not rectified. Say if your were to do a very hard launch, you can theoretically destroy the transfer case, or as least the gear set inside it. And the bill would be hefty, I recommend replacing the front tires with the correct size. The transfer can only cope for so long, before things break. But the choice is yours.

[Ochayethen00]

I've replaced the front tyres with 285's, so now have all new tyres with the recommended sizes but the vibration is still there. At all speeds and if accelerating or not. Gearbox in neutral still vibrates. I've recalibrated the transfer case with my foxwell scan tool.

Makes me think it's the yokohama tyres? Don't want to replace all tyres with Michelin but I really miss the smooth ride

[Yuille36]

There is a high probability that you may have bent a wheel. That is an easy procedure to detect.

[Ochayethen00]

Wheels are good, they have been balanced twice (by different garages)

[///Motivated]

You can balance an out-of-round wheel or a bent wheel. Maybe takes more weights than normal, but will balance. Doesn’t change the fact it isn’t round or true, and you would still feel it.

[Yuille36]

A good wheel repair shop can get the wheel true again. Awhile back I hit a pot hole at night, while driving my E63 AMG. So, both front and rear wheel took a hit. I went to my local wheel repair shop and Ali got them both straight again. With no additional weight needed. So, it can be done. He charged me $150 per wheel. And he also fixes curb rash.

[Ochayethen00]

I've had the wheels refurbished as they needed done anyway, they are true and balanced but still the same vibration. From 5mph to 90mph, in gear, in neutral, accelerating, decelerating, cornering and straight the vibration is the same. I've checked the brakes for binding and they are all free. I've checked for codes and the car is totally free of any.

The gearbox oil was changed around 1500 miles ago, transfer case wasnt. Would be a coincidence if that was giving issues though?

Feels like driving on cobble stones when it used to be so smooth. Really think it must be the tyres? Any other ideas?

[Yuille36]

I would have the transfer case fluid changed, just to see if that made a difference. Are the tires a 285/35-20 and 325/35-20 basically the same sidewall ratio. As we seen that different ratios will throw the transfer case out of sync, as the sidewall height will create two different wheel speeds, which account for binding. And binding leads to vibration.

[pachieh]

Check your tire rods and alignment.

Onlynother thing I can think of beyond the transfer case is to check your front driveshaft and main driveshafts.