2005 Civic SE wheels are garbage

I got a EX SE sedan a few weeks ago and it had bad vibrations. Dealer took
a shot at balancing and it didn't work. Today (2nd visit), they gave me
the wheels off a new vehicle. It drove great.

I get home and I start thinking...hmmm, I have to be sure...so, I rotated
the wheels. Damn it! I knew it was too good to be true...there is a
slight vibration in the steering wheel. Not as bad as before, but still
there. I have an appt at a non-Honda shop tomorrow night to do a road-
force balance test on the set. Hopefully, they can nail the exact wheel(s)
in question.

Some of these wheels have so much weight on them.

Salesman: "Look, you get all of this in the EX SE for a just $400 more!"

Reality: The wheels are crap, costing 1/3 of those on the EX ($428 vs $157
MSRP).

 

The problem is most likely caused by the tires, not the rims.

The last time I replaced my tires, the new ones were out of round and the
tire shop immediately request a replacement to be sent. However, the
replacement was also 'out of round'. It appeared that the entire shipment
from the supplier was bad...

The tricky aspect about these tires that are 'out of round' is that they'll
appear acceptable when new, but rapidly get worst over time. So, a shady
tire shop could sell these defective tires and it would take several month
for the defect to become apparent (in the form of vibration), at which
point, it would be too late for you to get your money back.

Pars

 

The problem is most likely caused by the tires, not the rims.

The last time I replaced my tires, the new ones were out of round and the
tire shop immediately request a replacement to be sent. However, the
replacement was also 'out of round'. It appeared that the entire shipment
from the supplier was bad...

The tricky aspect about these tires that are 'out of round' is that they'll
appear acceptable when new, but rapidly get worst over time. So, a shady
tire shop could sell these defective tires and it would take several month
for the defect to become apparent (in the form of vibration), at which
point, it would be too late for you to get your money back.

Pars

 

The problem is most likely caused by the tires, not the rims.

The last time I replaced my tires, the new ones were out of round and the
tire shop immediately request a replacement to be sent. However, the
replacement was also 'out of round'. It appeared that the entire shipment
from the supplier was bad...

The tricky aspect about these tires that are 'out of round' is that they'll
appear acceptable when new, but rapidly get worst over time. So, a shady
tire shop could sell these defective tires and it would take several month
for the defect to become apparent (in the form of vibration), at which
point, it would be too late for you to get your money back.

Pars

 

Isn't Bridgestone a relatively decent brand, though?

 

Isn't Bridgestone a relatively decent brand, though?

 

Isn't Bridgestone a relatively decent brand, though?

 

What brand of tires were they?

These problems started immediately. Some of the shaking was at low speeds
which could be a belt problem I guess, but I still think the wheels are
f**ked.

 

What brand of tires were they?

These problems started immediately. Some of the shaking was at low speeds
which could be a belt problem I guess, but I still think the wheels are
f**ked.

 

What brand of tires were they?

These problems started immediately. Some of the shaking was at low speeds
which could be a belt problem I guess, but I still think the wheels are
f**ked.

 

Yes, but most tire brands seem to have good and bad models.

 

Find yourself a small shop that specializes in performance or racing. They
can balance the wheel on the car with greater accuracy than the off the car
type. Look for local SCCA clubs or autocross clubs, they'll be able to point
you in the right direction. I had it done on a Volvo S70 that had a
vibration at high speed that wouldn't show up in the shop. Balancing the
wheel on the car cured it.

Hope this helps.

jjd

 

Find yourself a small shop that specializes in performance or racing. They
can balance the wheel on the car with greater accuracy than the off the car
type. Look for local SCCA clubs or autocross clubs, they'll be able to point
you in the right direction. I had it done on a Volvo S70 that had a
vibration at high speed that wouldn't show up in the shop. Balancing the
wheel on the car cured it.

Hope this helps.

jjd

 

Find yourself a small shop that specializes in performance or racing. They
can balance the wheel on the car with greater accuracy than the off the car
type. Look for local SCCA clubs or autocross clubs, they'll be able to point
you in the right direction. I had it done on a Volvo S70 that had a
vibration at high speed that wouldn't show up in the shop. Balancing the
wheel on the car cured it.

Hope this helps.

jjd

 

What about the 'road force' balance check?

No, this car is two weeks old...the dealer is going to fix it.

 

What about the 'road force' balance check?

No, this car is two weeks old...the dealer is going to fix it.

 

What about the 'road force' balance check?

No, this car is two weeks old...the dealer is going to fix it.

 

Daryl,
There are many factors that can cause vibration. Honda has joined the
rest of the world in going to MacPherson strut suspension, which is more
susceptible to vibration. Front wheels are more susceptible than rear wheels.

Imbalance is the most obvious cause of vibration, but it can also be caused
by tire and wheel defects. Suspension defects are unlikely in a brand new car.

Tires can have a misaligned belt; this can sometimes be seen as a
side-to-side motion when the tire is rotated slowly on the car.

Tires and wheels are not perfectly round. In the factory, the tire high
spot is matched to the wheel low spot to minimize the total variation.

Wheel runout can be measured and reduced by a wheel repair shop, although
this is normally done only after hitting a pothole or curb. Runout of the
mounted tire can also be measured, and a tire lathe used to remove rubber
to bring it true. This obviously reduces the life of the tire, and is
usually done only in racing or for vintage or antique cars.

It can be a real challenge to find a shop that is willing and able to
diagnose these problems. Mostly, dealers and tire shops just play with
wheel location and tire swaps until the problem is solved or the customer
just gives up, and accepts the vibration as 'normal'.

Good luck.
Dan

(This account is not used for email.)

 

The retail price has no relevance to the quality of the wheels. What has
you convinced it's the wheels that are your problem?The problem you have is
most likely in the tires. That is where more than 90% of imbalance or
vibration problems will occur.
Go to another dealer if that one can't solve your problem. I would also go
to a tire store that sells the brand of tires on your car. If you have a
tire problem, they can warranty your tires. Honda does not warranty tires.
That is not to say they can't warranty your tires, but often they refer you
to the manufacturers representative which is the tire store selling your
brand. Unless, of course the dealer actually sells tires. Not all dealers
do. Check your owners manual and papers you got with your car. You will see
the warranty is with the tire manufacturer.
Howard

 

The retail price has no relevance to the quality of the wheels. What has
you convinced it's the wheels that are your problem?The problem you have is
most likely in the tires. That is where more than 90% of imbalance or
vibration problems will occur.
Go to another dealer if that one can't solve your problem. I would also go
to a tire store that sells the brand of tires on your car. If you have a
tire problem, they can warranty your tires. Honda does not warranty tires.
That is not to say they can't warranty your tires, but often they refer you
to the manufacturers representative which is the tire store selling your
brand. Unless, of course the dealer actually sells tires. Not all dealers
do. Check your owners manual and papers you got with your car. You will see
the warranty is with the tire manufacturer.
Howard