[AndyR83]

Two days ago I had the misfortune of getting stuck out in a snowstorm without a winter setup installed on my 335. Derail the thread with a bunch of comments about how stupid that is if you must, but I'm VERY keenly aware. This is the first significant snow in the past year and a half, and I had intended to get snow tires when there appeared to be a need. Blizzaks are now ordered.

About 5 miles from home, my car could not be driven any more due to the conditions. I managed to get off the road into a parking lot, and I called a tow truck to bring the car the rest of the way home. It was loaded onto a flatbed. I'm no tow truck driver, but this process appeared entirely unremarkable to me. The truck delivered my car to my house and dropped it off. The lot had about 3-4" of snow when the car was unloaded.

About 24 hours later, I went outside to dig my car out (this morning.) There was about 5" of snow around it. After about an hour of rocking back and forth gently and a bit of manipulation with traction control on and off here and there, I got it out of the snow and onto the dry pavement a few feet away.

When I started driving, I immediately noticed a problem. The car now shakes like you were sitting in the middle of an earthquake once it gets to about 15mph. Visually, nothing appears grossly out of place.

I'm crossing my fingers and hoping I just need an allignment. Any other ideas? I'm FBO and have about 50k miles, so warranty is not a factor. No errors on the dash, for what that's worth (probably not much.)

And, for the record, let me state a second time that I am VERY keenly aware of the need for a winter wheel/tire setup. It's already ordered. No need to waste time telling me this.

[smallseafishie]

Does the vibration change as you go faster?

Sounds like something is out of balance. Check your wheels for bends. One of the balancing weights could also be knocked off.

[AndyR83]

The vibration gets a bit more intense as speed increases. I didn't want to push my luck, so I didn't go terribly fast. When I was getting off an offramp I noticed it was nearly gone. This was a very curvy ramp, so the wheel was turned almost all the way to the right.

[135Pats]

Sounds like alignment or balance issues, though i'm not sure how you being stuck in some snow caused it. Perhaps i'm just sleepy and misreading your post, but I'm reading it as such:

1. Driving along all is well, but it's getting too snowy out for the tires
2. Too much snow, time to pull over and get towed
3. On truck, all is well in terms of rigging it up
4. Dig it out the next day, drive it onto dry land a few feet away.
5. Pronounced vibration upon driving

[AndyR83]

Originally Posted by 135Pats

Sounds like alignment or balance issues, though i'm not sure how you being stuck in some snow caused it. Perhaps i'm just sleepy and misreading your post, but I'm reading it as such:

1. Driving along all is well, but it's getting too snowy out for the tires
2. Too much snow, time to pull over and get towed
3. On truck, all is well in terms of rigging it up
4. Dig it out the next day, drive it onto dry land a few feet away.
5. Pronounced vibration upon driving

Yep, precisely. I'm glad to hear that you also think it's something like a balance/allignment issue.

With the luck I've had with this car, I half expected there to be some magical suspension component that gets destroyed if there's a few inches of snow under the body of the car or something. Said magical component would likely cost several thousand dollars to replace.

[TittoBlunt]

Sounds like a balance issue. Make sure there's no ice/snow buildup on your rims. Did donuts in an empty parking lot once and the snow/ice threw off my balance until I got it cleaned out.

[overheadvalve]

Your wheels are packed with snow. Very common problem here in Iowa. Get the car in a heated garage to thaw out or if possible take to wand car wash and blow the snow and ice out of the wheels. I have had this happen now and then even with snow tires and wheels if driven in deep snow and it packs into the wheels. P.S. you will love it when you get the snow tires on. Just had a fun trip to the office this morning in about 3" of fresh snow.

[135Pats]

It just sounds like a general alignment issue, driving through some snow isn't much fun, but it also isn't going to go about tearing up your suspension. Then again these cars do seem to take pleasure in breaking down at the worst times...GL getting this resolved. My car had a slight vibration above 70mph, it was just alignment being a tick off from driving in DC and hitting craters disguised as "potholes".

[sammk]

Originally Posted by TittoBlunt

Make sure there's no ice/snow buildup on your rims.

Originally Posted by overheadvalve

Your wheels are packed with snow.

+1, I would check that first, there's probably snow and ice packed onto the inner surface of the rims not very visibly from the outside. I would find a way to clean off the snow/ice and check again. It happens all the time in the winter and so it's probably a simple fix.

[DSB335d]

Originally Posted by sammk

+1, I would check that first, there's probably snow and ice packed onto the inner surface of the rims not very visibly from the outside. I would find a way to clean off the snow/ice and check again. It happens all the time in the winter and so it's probably a simple fix.

I agree. I've taken my Subaru off road several times and some mud packed into the wheels caused a vibration, drove to the nearest self serve car wash and cleaned out my wheels.

[techwhiz]

Originally Posted by DSB335d

I agree. I've taken my Subaru off road several times and some mud packed into the wheels caused a vibration, drove to the nearest self serve car wash and cleaned out my wheels.

Sounds like it to me too.
The give aways of possible packed snow/mud was he had to rock the car to get it out and it was also in a parking lot with 4-5" of snow and he couldn't drive any further.

Wash the back of the wheels.

[cn555ic]

The snow and ice could sometimes rip off the counter weights on the rims when they balance it. But this would be noticeable when you go At higher speeds. 15 mph I am not sure if missing counter weights would make it noticeable

[gunsekun]

wonder if you had in P or ur E-brake on while it was pulling on the flatbed

[E90_boostjunky]

It's the snow. I used to live in Alaska for 15 years. Everytime it did it, I'd go to a heated car wash and get all the snow off my cars and it was back to normal

[nekbreaker]

That's the snow and ice on the wheel do that and see if that work happen to me before

[gds52]

As everyone said...check for any snow from rims and other places.
I had my lancer vibrating when there was snow stuck on its rear spoiler and probably around the wheels also.

[TaporSnap]

Snow and ice build up on your wheels/underbody. Happens to everyone. Thaw your car out or take it to a car wash.

[Kolyan2k]

time to wash the car

[AndyR83]

you guys are awesome, thanks! I never got caught in the snow with nice wheels before, so I never experienced the joys of having them fill up with snow. Problem solved! What a relief. It was all packed in where I couldn't really see it without really trying hard to look in there.

[sammk]