Pop Quiz: What vibration is speed dependent, but not continuous
 

Hello all, I just wanted to farm out some analytic ideas to explain why I'm stranded at school before Thanksgiving.

On my commute into school, I noticed a periodic vibration that I feel through the floor that seemed to be wheel speed dependent. I'm already 20 miles into my 34 mile commute to school, mostly highway. As soon as I start to slow down to about 35mph, it becomes quite loud.

Pressing the brakes makes the sound disappear momentarily, but after about 15 seconds, it slowly creeps back up.

I barely feel it through the steering.

I have Corrado front rotors, and the brakes have been fine for months. I had the car inspected last week, no issues. I don't know if for whatever reason the hub ring that comes with the kit is missing (from doing inspection) and the rotor is no longer concentric with hub, but if thats the case, I have more serious issues to worry about.

It's raining fish and chowder up here in New England, and where I'm parked is quite constrained in space. Before I run out there in the downpour, shaking the wheel and scratching my head, has anyone had similar experiences? Unfortunately I don't have any tools or jack with me; which means I may be spending my Thanksgiving in my laboratory like a good grad student.

Lugs tight? That would be the easiest.

You mention a noise. What does it sound like?

Front wheel bearings?

The sound sound is hard to describe it sounds like a "whud whud whud" but no metal to metal clang bimps or pops. If it were the wheel bearing, that would be noticable continuously and not quiet down after braking for a short period. If the wheels were loose, it would definitely transmit through steering, right?

These are all good, I'll check when it lightens up out. I jist habe to see if anyone has a Jack I can use

Wonder if you have a tire coming apart.

Turns out you were correct about lug nuts. As I was going to take the wheels off to inspect the brakes and suspension, I found that both front wheels took no effort to break loose. Either someone came around last night and loosened them, or the were just snug tight after the inspector peeked at the brake pads.

Good call; I would have thought I'd feel it through the wheel though.

Thanks all for some quick trouble shooting. I'm glad it was something as mundane as lug nuts, and I was finally able to check when a friend brought a jack and some tools over.

Consider yourself lucky... Speaking from experience... A few more feet and you would have seen your wheel bounce in front of you while your car surfs on it's lower sway bar end link and it's rotor.

Dear lord....

Be safe.

Torque wrench FTW.

At an HPDE over the summer, there was a McLaren that was throwing its lugs. They black flagged him before it turned into a 6-figure event -- lucky.