Steering Wheel Vibration after wheel balance

[prharper]

Had a last minute trip pop up to help my parents in SC. Knowing I was about to put 1,000+ miles roundtrip, decided to get my tires balanced yesterday.

History:
7-6-23 52,190 mounted balanced 4 Nitto Ridge Grapplers. 285/70/18.
I rotate the tires around every 5k miles.
I did CO trip last summer and some east coast trail events since installing. All good.
Figured wouldn't hurt to get tires balanced again before this trip at 66,5xx miles. I didn't notice anything out of the normal prior to local tire chain doing the balance yesterday. Did standard balance, not road force and no idea if they rotated any tires. They tried to sell me on an alignment and I declined. Doubt they see any LC's with SPCs with BP51's.

Drove home in town yesterday and all good. Headed out this Sunday AM on the trip and started to notice steering wheel vibration once on highway.
Setting cruise control, steering wheel vibrates way more than usual and then goes away. Can drive several minutes and all smooth. Then gradually steering wheel starts shaking again for a minute or so and then slowly returns to smooth ride. Doesn't drift to any side, tracks pretty straight. Pulled off at a rest stop and checked torque at 97lbs (TRD BBS) and each lug clicked. (didn't loosen and readjust which is what I plan to do tomorrow now that I'm at my destination after 500+ miles).

Seems strange it's not a constant vibration on steady cruise at 70-80 MPH. Wondering if a wheel weight came off shortly after hitting the highway this AM.
Visiting family in SC before heading to Relic Run LC event in NC on Wed.
Considering going to a local tire shop recommended by parents and neighbor and having them look at it, possibly rebalance using road force.

Really regret getting this done a day before a roadtrip.

Any thoughts on why the vibration is sporadic, even on cruise control doing 70-80 MPH?

 

[Sandroad]

That’s not at all an unusual symptom for a balance issue. The bad balance sets up harmonics that vary vibrations. By all means get them rebalanced. It’s likely one of the fronts, but if the shop screwed up one I’d do them all.

 

[TheIcemanCometh]

I agree with the above. Bad balancing. They may have been balance fine but then once on the road the weights may have been thrown.

 

[prharper]

I called the shop in VA this AM who said they did not the rotate wheels/tires (marked with chalk) and it was possible wheel weights may have come off. I crawled under the truck this AM and each wheel had several weights on the inner rim. I could not see anything that resembled one missing.

Took to a tire shop in SC this AM. Requested a road force balance. Tech did confirm he had to adjust weights from previous balancer.
Will get it out on the interstate tomorrow and test out.