Get Facts about wheels and tyres (commercial vehicles) -> Rough running caused by wheels/tyres Guide for Volkswagen Caddy SUV Third Generation (2003-2015)

Amarok 2011 ➤ , Caddy 2004 ➤ , Caddy 2011 ➤ , Caddy Kasten/Kombi 1996 ➤ ...

Wheels and Tyres Guide - Edition 01.2011

If a vehicle is braked to a standstill on a dry surface with the

wheels locked, the amount of rubber worn from the tyre will cover

an area the size of a postcard and will have a thickness of:

♦ up to 2.0 mm from a speed of 57 km/h (23.8 m braking dis‐

tance)

♦ up to 3.3 mm from a speed of 75 km/h (41.8 m braking dis‐

tance)

♦ up to 4.8 mm from a speed of 92 km/h (71.6 m braking dis‐

tance)

Flat spots in tread

Tyres with such damage must no longer be used and must be

renewed.

4.4

Rough running caused by wheels/tyres

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4.4.1

Causes of rough running

Rough running can have a number of different causes. It can also

be caused by tyre wear. Tyre wear caused by driving is not always

evenly spread across the entire running surface of the tyre. This

causes slight imbalances which affect the smooth running of a

wheel which was previously exactly balanced.

Minor imbalances will not be felt at the steering wheel, but that

does not mean that they are not there. They increase wear on the

tyre and thus reduce the tyre service life.

Recommendation

To ensure

•

optimal safety,

smoothest possible running and

even wear

throughout a tyre's service life, we recommend having the wheels

and tyres balanced at least twice during the tyre's service life.

4.4.2

Balancing wheels

Before you start balancing the wheels, the following conditions

must be met.

•

Tyre pressure must be OK.

The tyre tread must not show one-sided wear and should be

at least 4 mm deep.

4. Facts about wheels and tyres (commercial vehicles)

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Amarok 2011 ➤ , Caddy 2004 ➤ , Caddy 2011 ➤ , Caddy Kasten/Kombi 1996 ➤ ...

Wheels and Tyres Guide - Edition 01.2011

•

The tyre must not show any signs of damage, for example

cuts, piercing, foreign bodies, etc.

The wheel suspension, steering and steering linkage, includ‐

ing the shock absorbers, must be in perfect condition.

You must have conducted a road test.

4.4.3

Conducting a road test before balancing

wheels

If a customer brings a vehicle to the workshop complaining about

„vibration“, a road test is essential prior to balancing the wheels.

♦ This will give you information about the nature of the rough

running.

♦ You will be able to determine the speed range in which rough

running occurs.

– Raise the vehicle on a lifting platform immediately after the

road test.

– Mark the positions of the tyres on the vehicle.

Tyre position

Front left tyre

Front right tyre

Rear left tyre

Rear right tyre

Marked with …

FL

FR

RL

RR

– Remove wheels from vehicle.

– Balance the wheels.

4.4.4

Balancing wheels on stationary wheel

balancing machine

lk

Clamp wheel into wheel balancing machine

Note

When balancing tyres, remember that cleanliness is absolutely

essential, as is the case in any other repair work you carry out.

Only then can you attain a flawless result!

Dirt and rust in the area of the contact surfaces and centre of the

wheel distort the result.

– Clean the contact surfaces, the centre of the wheel and the

recess on the inside of the wheel before mounting the wheel

on the wheel balancer.

– Mount the wheel with tyre on the wheel balancer.

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Amarok 2011 ➤ , Caddy 2004 ➤ , Caddy 2011 ➤ , Caddy Kasten/Kombi 1996 ➤ ...

Wheels and Tyres Guide - Edition 01.2011

Note

♦ To clamp the wheel, use e.g. centring system for wheel bal‐

ancing machines -VAS 6241- . On the Amarok and the T5, use

clamping plate LK 5x100/112/130 -VAS 6243- additionally.

♦ To clamp the wheel on the Crafter 30 and 35, use centring

sleeve -VAS 6610- with clamping plate -VAS 6609- .

♦ To clamp the wheel on the Crafter 50 and Supersingle, use

centring sleeve -VAS 6608- with 3-arm star -VAS 6607- .

♦ This ensures that the wheel is 100% centred and that the

wheel is clamped without its being damaged.

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♦ The wheel cannot be centralised 100% with conical clamping

elements on the wheel balancing machine.

♦ A deviation of 0.1 mm from the centre results in an imbalance

of 10 grams at the wheel/rim.

Procedure for balancing wheels and tyres

– Rotate wheel and tyre on wheel balancer.

– Check that the indicator lines on the sidewall of the tyre near

the wheel rim flange run evenly.

– Check that the body of the tyre runs evenly while the wheel

and tyre are rotating.

Note

If one-sided wear, flat spots from braking or severely washed out

spots are apparent, balancing cannot achieve smooth running. In

this case, the tyre must be renewed.

– Check the true running of the wheel and tyre. If the wheel and

tyre do not run true although there are no flat spots, radial or

lateral runout may be the cause.

– Check the wheel for radial or lateral runout ⇒ page 34 .

– If radial and lateral runout are within the specified tolerance,

balance the wheel and tyre.

Note

♦ More than 60 grams of weight per tyre should not be used.

♦ If more weight is required, you may be able to achieve smooth‐

er running by "matching" the tyre and rim. Matching tyres

⇒ page 35 .

♦ The wheel balancer display should indicate 0 gram.

♦ As an alternative to match mounting, you could use the vibra‐

tion control system -VAS 6230- ⇒ page 32 .

– Bolt the wheel to the vehicle.

– First hand-tighten the lowest wheel bolt to about 30 Nm.

– Then tighten the remaining wheel bolts diagonally to about

30 Nm. This process centres the wheel on the hub.

– Lower vehicle onto its wheels.

4. Facts about wheels and tyres (commercial vehicles)

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Amarok 2011 ➤ , Caddy 2004 ➤ , Caddy 2011 ➤ , Caddy Kasten/Kombi 1996 ➤ ...

Wheels and Tyres Guide - Edition 01.2011

– Now use a torque wrench to tighten the wheel bolts to the

specified torque in diagonal sequence.

Carry out road test

– After balancing the wheels and tyres, carry out a road test.

If you detect vibration during the road test, it may be due to tol‐

erance in the wheel centring.

In unfavourable circumstances, the component tolerances of

wheels and hubs could cumulate. This too can lead to vibration.

This can be alleviated using a finish balancer. ⇒ page 32

4.4.5

Vibration control system -VAS 6230-

Using the vibration control system -VAS 6230 A- you can perform

more functions than just stationary balancing.

A special feature of this system is the testing of the radial force of

the wheel and tyre while rolling.

A roller presses against the wheel with a force of about 635 kg.

This simulates the vertical tyre force against the road surface

during travel.

Radial and lateral runout in the wheel and tyre and differences in

the stiffness of the tyre cause the vertical force of the wheel to

vary.

The vibration control system -VAS 6230 A- detects and stores the

position of the maximum measured radial force in the tyre. Then

the position of the smallest distance between the wheel rim flange

and the centre of the rim is measured.

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4.4.6

Finish balancer

Note

♦ Before working with a finish balancer , the mechanic needs to

have been instructed by the manufacturer of the balancer.

♦ To balance the wheels, set the wheels of the driven axle on

the sensor platforms (only the front wheels of a front-wheel

drive vehicle, all four wheels of a four-wheel drive vehicle).

If you determine a residual imbalance greater than 20 grams

when balancing the wheels, you should rotate the mounting po‐

sition of the wheel on the hub.

– Mark the point at which the imbalance is indicated.

– Unbolt the wheel and rotate its position on the hub so that the

marking points downwards.

Note

The hub must not rotate during this procedure.

– First hand-tighten the lowest wheel bolt to about 30 Nm.

– Then tighten the remaining wheel bolts diagonally to about

30 Nm. This process ensures that the wheel is centred prop‐

erly on the hub.

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Wheels and Tyres Guide - Edition 01.2011

– Check whether the imbalance is less than 20 grams using the

finish balancer.

Note

The imbalance should always be less than 20 grams before you

change the balance weight.

– If necessary, remove the wheel bolts again.

– Rotate the wheel relative to the hub once more, turning it one

or two wheel bolt holes further.

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– Tighten the wheel bolts using the method described above.

Note

Do not try to reduce the imbalance using balance weights until

the imbalance is less than 20 grams.

– Balance the wheels until the imbalance is less than 5 grams.

– Tighten wheel bolts to specified torque if you have not already

done so.

WARNING

Always tighten wheel bolts to specified torque using a torque

wrench!

4.4.7

Radial and lateral runout of wheels and

tyres

Radial and lateral runout occur when the wheel and tyre do not

run absolutely true.

For technical reasons, 100% true running is not possible.

Therefore, the manufacturers of these components allow a pre‐

cisely determined tolerance.

Mounting the tyre in an unfavourable position on the wheel can

cause the maximum allowed tolerance for wheel with tyre to be

exceeded.

The table shows the maximum permissible tolerances for a wheel

with mounted tyre.

Tolerances for radial and lateral runout of wheels with tyres

Wheel with tyre

Radial runout (mm)

Lateral runout (mm)

Amarok

Caddy from 2004

Transporter

0.9

1.2

2.5

2.2

1.6

1.2

1.3

2.5

2.2

2.0

Steel rim 15"

Alloy wheel 15"

Steel rim 16"

Alloy wheel 16"

1.1

1.5

LT from 1997

Crafter

3.15

1.5…2.0

3.15

1.25

16”-wheel

17”-wheel

4. Facts about wheels and tyres (commercial vehicles)

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Amarok 2011 ➤ , Caddy 2004 ➤ , Caddy 2011 ➤ , Caddy Kasten/Kombi 1996 ➤ ...

Wheels and Tyres Guide - Edition 01.2011

4.4.8

Checking radial and lateral runout on

wheels and tyres with tyre gauge -V.A.G

1435-

Checking lateral runout

– Preload tyre gauge -V.A.G 1435- about 2 mm.

– Set tyre gauge -V.A.G 1435- against sidewall of tyre.

– Slowly rotate the wheel.

– Note the smallest and the largest dial readings.

Note

If the difference is greater than 1.3 mm, the lateral runout is too

great.

In this case, you can reduce lateral runout by match mounting the

tyre ⇒ page 35 .

Extreme values on the tyre gauge -V.A.G 1435- due to small ir‐

regularities in the rubber may be disregarded.

Checking radial runout

– Preload tyre gauge -V.A.G 1435- about 2 mm.

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– Set the tyre gauge -V.A.G 1435- against the tyre tread.

– Slowly rotate the wheel.

– Note the smallest and the largest dial readings.

Note

If the difference is greater than 1 mm, the radial runout is too great.

In this case, you can reduce radial runout by match mounting the

tyre ⇒ page 35 .

4.4.9

Checking radial and lateral run-out on

wheel rim

– Mount the wheel on the wheel balancer .

– Use the wheel balancing machine centring system -VAS

5271- .

– Preload tyre gauge about 2 mm.

– Slowly rotate the wheel.

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Amarok 2011 ➤ , Caddy 2004 ➤ , Caddy 2011 ➤ , Caddy Kasten/Kombi 1996 ➤ ...

Wheels and Tyres Guide - Edition 01.2011

– Note the smallest and the largest dial readings.

S - Lateral runout

H - Radial runout

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– Compare the measured values with the specifications in the

table ⇒ page 35 .

Note

Extreme values on the tyre gauge due to small irregularities may

be disregarded.

Specifications for radial and lateral runout on wheel

Rim

Radial runout (mm)

Lateral runout (mm)

Amarok

Steel wheel

Alloy wheel

Steel wheel

0.6

0.3

0.6

0.7

0.3

0.5

Caddy from

2004

Alloy wheel

0.3

0.8

0.5

0.3

0.8

0.5

Transporter

Steel wheel 15" and 16"

Alloy wheel 15"

Alloy wheel 16"

0.3

LT from 1997

Note

1.25

If the measured value exceeds the specification, acceptably

smooth running cannot be attained.

4.4.10

Matching

General

When radial or lateral runout of the wheel and tyre coincide, the

imbalance of the wheel is amplified by the tyre.

For technical reasons, 100% true running is not possible

⇒ page 33 .

Before match mounting the used wheels which are fitted on the

vehicle, run the tyres warm. This will eliminate any flat spots

caused by storage or handling, ⇒ page 36 .

Procedure for match mounting

– Deflate the tyre.

– Press the tyre beads off the rim flanges.

– Coat the tyre bead all round with tyre fitting paste .

– Rotate the tyre 180° relative to the wheel.

– Inflate the tyre to approx. 4 bar.

– Mount the wheel with tyre on the wheel balancer.

– Check true running, that is, radial and lateral runout.

4. Facts about wheels and tyres (commercial vehicles)

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Amarok 2011 ➤ , Caddy 2004 ➤ , Caddy 2011 ➤ , Caddy Kasten/Kombi 1996 ➤ ...

Wheels and Tyres Guide - Edition 01.2011

Note

♦ If the specified values for radial and lateral runout are not ex‐

ceeded, the wheel can be balanced to 0 gram. Specified

values appear on ⇒ page 33 .

♦ If the radial and lateral runout is not within the specifications,

the tyre must be rotated again.

– Deflate the tyre and press off the tyre beads from the rim

flanges.

– Rotate the tyre 90° relative to the wheel (1/4 of a turn).

– Inflate the tyre to 4 bar again and check true running.

Note

♦ If the specified values for radial and lateral runout are not ex‐

ceeded, the wheel can be balanced to 0 gram.

♦ If the radial and lateral runout are not within the specified val‐

ues, the tyre must be rotated again.

– Press the tyre off the rim flanges again as described above.

– Rotate the tyre 180° relative to the wheel (half a turn).

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If the radial and/or lateral runout are still not within the specified

values, check the wheel for radial and/or lateral runout

⇒ page 34 .

If the measured values for radial and lateral runout of the wheel

are within the specified values, the tyre has impermissibly high

radial or lateral runout. In this case, the tyre must be renewed.

Note

♦ After fitting the tyres there will be fitting lubricant between the

tyres and the rim flanges.

♦ Therefore, severe braking and acceleration manoeuvres must

be avoided for the first 100 or 200 km driven. The tyres may

otherwise rotate on the rims and your work will have been in

vain.

4.4.11

Flat spots caused by storage or handling

What is a flat spot?

The terms flat area and flats are also used for the term flat spot.

Flat spots caused by storage or handling also cause vibration in

the same way as incorrectly balanced wheels do. It is important

that flat spots on the tread are identified as such.

Flat spots caused by storage or handling cannot be balanced and

they can reoccur at any time due to various circumstances. Flat

spots caused by storage or handling can be eliminated without

complicated special tools. This does not apply to flat spots caused

by hard braking ⇒ page 28 .

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Rep. gr.44 - Wheels, tyres, vehicle geometry

Facts about wheels and tyres (commercial vehicles) -> Rough running caused by wheels/tyres for Your Volkswagen Caddy SUV Third Generation (2003-2015)

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