AS SOON AS PAUL TRACEY DUFAULT DUG HER CAR OUT OF THE SNOW, THEN PULLED IT OUT ONTO THE ROAD, SHE NOTICED SOMETHING WAS WRONG. I STARTED TO NOTICE MY CAR, KIND OF LIKE BOUNCING, AND I SAID, OH LORD JESUS, WHAT’S HAPPENING? LATER DUFAULT CHECKED ONLINE AND LEARNED WHAT A LOT OF DRIVERS HAVE LEARNED THIS WEEK. I THINK IT WAS SNOW THAT WAS IN MY TIRES I DUG OUT, I SEEMED FINE, AND I GOT ON THE HIGHWAY AND NEXT THING YOU KNOW, I WAS FEELING IT TOO. MARSHFIELD WITH TRIPLE A, NORTHEAST HAS SNOW PACKED IN THE FRONT GRILL OF A CAR OR IN THE WHEEL WELL, CAN SOMETIMES CAUSE SHAKING, BUT MOST OFTEN HE SAYS IT’S SNOW AND ICE PACKED INSIDE THE WHEEL RIMS, THROWING OFF THE WHEELS BALANCE. OFTENTIMES IT WARMS UP AFTER SNOW AND MELTS AWAY SO WE DON’T EXPERIENCE IT. BUT BECAUSE IT’S SO COLD AND THE SNOW IS NOT REALLY MELTING THAT MUCH, PEOPLE ARE DRIVING AROUND WITH UNBALANCED WHEELS. SOMETIMES IT HAPPENS AT LOW SPEEDS, SOMETIMES YOU NOTICE MORE AT A HIGHER SPEED, DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH SNOW GETS PACKED IN THE WHEELS. TRIPLE A RECOMMENDS USING A BRUSH TO REMOVE THE SNOW OR, IF TEMPERATURES ARE WARM ENOUGH, GIVE THE WHEELS A SPRAY OF THE CAR WASH. PAUL TRACEY DUFAULT SAYS HER PROBLEM TOOK CARE OF ITSELF, BUT NOT BEFORE LEAVING HER A LITTLE RATTLED. SO I WAS LITERALLY READY TO GO TO THE DEALER, NOT KNOWING WHAT WHAT THE ISSUE WAS. NOW SHE KNOWS. AND SO DO YOU. BE CAREFUL IF YOU’RE GOING TO TRY TO KICK THE TIRE TO GET THE SNOW AND ICE OUT IN TRIPLE A SAYS, WHATEVER YOU DO, DON’T USE A HAMMER OR A SCREWDRIVER TO TRY TO PIC
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Drivers urged to clear wheels after snow to avoid jarring wheel shaking
If you’ve noticed your vehicle shaking after recent winter weather, you’re not alone. As soon as Tracy Duffaut dug her car out of the snow and pulled it onto the road, she noticed something was wrong. “I started to notice my car like bouncing, and I said, ‘Oh Lord Jesus, what’s happening?'” said Duffaut, a driver from Cumberland, Rhode Island.Later, Duffaut checked online and learned what many drivers have discovered this week. “I think it was snow that was in my tires,” she said.Mark Schieldrop from AAA Northeast explained that snow packed in the front grill or wheel well can sometimes cause shaking, but most often, it’s snow and ice packed inside the wheel rims that throw off the wheel’s balance. “I dug out. I seemed fine. And I got on the highway, and the next thing you know, I was doing it, too,” Schieldrop said, simulating the shaking.”Oftentimes it warms up, and it melts away so you don’t experience it. But because it’s been so cold and the snow is not really melting that much, people are driving around with unbalanced wheels,” Schieldrop said.Michael, another driver, noted, “Sometimes it happens at a lower speed. Sometimes you’ll notice more at a higher speed depending on how much snow gets packed in wheels.”AAA recommends using a brush to lightly remove the snow or, if temperatures are warm enough, giving the wheels a spray at the car wash. Duffaut said her problem resolved itself, but not before leaving her a little rattled. “So I was literally ready to go to the dealer, not knowing what the issue was,” she said.
If you’ve noticed your vehicle shaking after recent winter weather, you’re not alone.
As soon as Tracy Duffaut dug her car out of the snow and pulled it onto the road, she noticed something was wrong.
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“I started to notice my car like bouncing, and I said, ‘Oh Lord Jesus, what’s happening?'” said Duffaut, a driver from Cumberland, Rhode Island.
Later, Duffaut checked online and learned what many drivers have discovered this week.
“I think it was snow that was in my tires,” she said.
Mark Schieldrop from AAA Northeast explained that snow packed in the front grill or wheel well can sometimes cause shaking, but most often, it’s snow and ice packed inside the wheel rims that throw off the wheel’s balance.
“I dug out. I seemed fine. And I got on the highway, and the next thing you know, I was doing it, too,” Schieldrop said, simulating the shaking.
“Oftentimes it warms up, and it melts away so you don’t experience it. But because it’s been so cold and the snow is not really melting that much, people are driving around with unbalanced wheels,” Schieldrop said.
Michael, another driver, noted, “Sometimes it happens at a lower speed. Sometimes you’ll notice more at a higher speed depending on how much snow gets packed in wheels.”
AAA recommends using a brush to lightly remove the snow or, if temperatures are warm enough, giving the wheels a spray at the car wash.
Duffaut said her problem resolved itself, but not before leaving her a little rattled.
“So I was literally ready to go to the dealer, not knowing what the issue was,” she said.
