Tire vibration modes are known to play a key role in vehicle ride and comfort characteristics. Inputs to the tire such as impacts, rough road surface, tire nonuniformities, and tread patterns can potentially excite tire vibration. In this study, experimental modal analysis on the tire in ground contact are performed by a 3-D impact at the center of contact patch to investigate which modes of tire influence the vibration of wheel and axle. Through the experiment, the vibration transmission properties from tire to axle are examined. And we have compared the influential tire modes when the tire is excited by a vertical impact with those when excited by the 3-D impact. Additionally, the modes of ground contact tire are compared with those of the suspended tire.