Steering wobble.

[JimX]

I've had this problem on virtually every car I've ever owned and never really gotten to the source of it. I've improved it significantly on 1 car (Commodore) by replacing the rims with new ones, but it was still never perfect.

The problem is that at a certain speed (130kph or so on my current car) the steering wobbles slightly when travelling in a straight line. I had new tyres put on about 10000km ago, but surely they don't need rebalancing this often? I would think that if it was wheel balance it would wobble at any speed, not just 130+. I also had the wheels aligned at the same time so I don't think it's alignment either. My tyre wear is fine so I don't think I could get the alignment any better if I tried.

It could still be wheel balance or alignment though, I'm not sure. Other possibilities I thought of include warped rim/rims, worn steering rack, or worn wheel bearings. The gearstick doesn't wobble at all so I've pretty much ruled out an unbalanced tail shaft.

I'm looking at replacing my tyres with better ones within a few months, I'm thinking that at that time I will also send the rims off for a repair/balance in case they need it, and also replace the bearings even though there is no free play at all. Anyone have any other ideas of what it might be?

[NFS]

My mate had the same problem, listen carefully does it do it while it's at a lower speed? Can you feel a vibration? I may be able to help you out if this is what's happening.

[JimX]

None at any lower speed, and no vibration really other than through the steering wheel. Passengers can't feel it, including me testing it as a passenger when my gf was driving on the freeway.

[Silver-Arrowz]

Check the bushes. Mate of mine's 200SX wheel wobble was cause by a worn bush that had too much free play.

[ferni]

It's nearly always wheel balancing, even after only 10000kms, especially if you have bigger rims/tyres, it seems to happen more...

take it in for a wheel balance, and see?

[myr332]

don't mean to hijack your thread jim, but i have a similar problem except my streering wheel fully vibrates when under gentle - mid braking. under hard braking it feels fine.

very strange. no idea what is causing it either.

I've had this problem on virtually every car I've ever owned and never really gotten to the source of it. I've improved it significantly on 1 car (Commodore) by replacing the rims with new ones, but it was still never perfect.

The problem is that at a certain speed (130kph or so on my current car) the steering wobbles slightly when travelling in a straight line. I had new tyres put on about 10000km ago, but surely they don't need rebalancing this often? I would think that if it was wheel balance it would wobble at any speed, not just 130+. I also had the wheels aligned at the same time so I don't think it's alignment either. My tyre wear is fine so I don't think I could get the alignment any better if I tried.

It could still be wheel balance or alignment though, I'm not sure. Other possibilities I thought of include warped rim/rims, worn steering rack, or worn wheel bearings. The gearstick doesn't wobble at all so I've pretty much ruled out an unbalanced tail shaft.

I'm looking at replacing my tyres with better ones within a few months, I'm thinking that at that time I will also send the rims off for a repair/balance in case they need it, and also replace the bearings even though there is no free play at all. Anyone have any other ideas of what it might be?

[(B1) MR_fanny]

yeah id check ur bushes too.

[SKY031]

Nobody has even mentioned tyre pressure yet

You say that you had them balanced 10,000k's ago, that is a long time.

It's quite possible that you've lost one (or more) of the lumps of lead attached to the rims. It's very common for them to just fall off, you only need to take a walk down the street and look in the gutter to see how many bits of lead get thrown off.

myr332 your discs probably need machining.

[CroatianR33]

get a wheel balance.

[JaseR33]

Mine wobbles only at 100km/h. At about 110 it stops...odd. It only started after i got a balance and rotation tho.

[Birnie]

Also think about cleaning the inner rim.

Bit's of clogged up dirt can wreck your balance, acting just like a bit of lead they use to balnce it.

I had a wheel balance once then on the way home a here this clunk on the left wheel.

What the???

Then clunk on the right 10 kms later

Well that was a waste of money.....hehe

[NFS]

don't mean to hijack your thread jim, but i have a similar problem except my streering wheel fully vibrates when under gentle - mid braking.  under hard braking it feels fine.

very strange.  no idea what is causing it either.

Does it do this while turning at mid-low speed?

[Topkart R33]

Mine had same problem and i changed the radius rod bushes this evening. Problem solved!! Check for silicone grease under front of car, bushes split and leak it out.

[JimX]

I've got new radius rod bushes, via whiteline's suspension kit. The problem was pretty much the same before and after. I did an alignment afterwards. Like with JaseR33, the wobble stops above a certain speed. Seems to only be one "spot" where it happens. Except on my Torana, where it just got worse and worse as the speed went up

[SKY031]

Get a balance.

It doesn't cost much, and if it doesn't fix the problem, then it rules out another possibility.

Almost everyone has said the same thing, and as I mentioned (Birnie's post backs me up) the fact that your last balance was done 10,000k's ago is a good indication that that is all the problem is.

[gts4diehard]

1... have the tyres developed any bulges on the sidewalls? this can happen to new or old tyres and this will throw out the balance.

2... have you been getting the wheel balances done at the same place?, some place only balance to the nearest 10 grams, see if they can balance down to 5 grams or so, some car's steering/suspension are more accepting of out of balance wheels and you wont notice it so much and with others it will drive you crazy.

3 ...another imbalance cause can be just that the tyre looses it shape, some tyres are not perfectly round or do not retain their shape perfectly and this can cause the balance to go out as they wear thus needing rebalancing.

you may need to take the tyre guy for a drive, their machines are not likely to show an imbalance if it occurs at 130 km/hr as their machines dont spin that fast - for safety resaons i've been told (in case things fall off).

I nearly always end up getting tyres balanced more than once.

good luck

[Red Sky II]

I have a similar problem and in fact have had it since I had the car 2 years ago. When I got the wheels aligned (4 wheel steer alignment) was told that there was "run out" in the front rims - ie slight buckling meaning they are not perfectly round.

Mine does it just above 100kmh but then disappears above 110, also none at lower speeds.

They tried aligning it for ages but couldn't do any more. Solution they tell me is to get wheels repaired or replaced.

I just live it with now

Cheers, Al

[myr332]

Does it do this while turning at mid-low speed?

not at all... it's only when i'm on the anchors..

[Anquetil]

I have a similar problem when going over 115, I suspect my Rim is warped in some way, as I unknowingly drove on it while it was punctured.

[NFS]

not at all...  it's only when i'm on the anchors..

Hmmmm while brakeing hey, sounds like your rotors could be slightly warped.