Shuttering issue...Can't figure it out!

[Baddog]

So I replaced my wheel bearing about 3 weeks ago with a Koyo bearing. I had to get a new hub so I got a Napa hub. I drove it for about a day or two (no freeway) till I noticed my Axle Seal pissing all over the place. So it sat parked until I payed Subaru to replace the seal. Got that fixed. On my way home I got on the freeway and had a pretty good amount of steering wheel shake.

I thought okay well I will just take it down to the tire shop and have it rebalanced. They rebalanced them. The problem was still there. It comes on about 60mph and gets worse the faster I go. I took it back again and had them check the rims for bends or anything like that and there was nothing of that sort. So I decided to get a 4 wheel alignment (needed one anyways). This didn't fix anything, I was just hoping it would.

I looked under the car there is no play in the Tie rods. Ball joints seem fine (not 100% on how to check them). CV axles were replaced about a year ago with the cheapy Autozone axles. But those have no play in them except for a little bit of up and down play. Maybe 1/4 of an inch. The wheels have NO PLAY at all. I can't figure this out. Even when my previous bearing was bad it never shook like this (and it was bad, it ate the hub some).

Tried my friends rims/tires off her car to see if for some reason the tire shop didn't see something. Nope it feels the exact same at freeway speeds.

Could the wheel hub weight difference (if there is any) cause this? Could the bearing be bad? Could it have been pressed in wrong? I can usually figure things out but this has me completely stumped.

Anyone have a suggestion? It never happened before and I took about a 150 mile drive and it didn't shake at all. But now that it is replaced it's vibrating and shaking the wheel pretty good (no seat in the pants feel).

[TGX4776]

subscribed. Same problem

[Huffer]

Frozen caliper. Happened to me. Service the caliper pins and make sure your pads arent locked in place and are just snug.

[Baddog]

Would it only do it at highway speeds?

[Huffer]

Yep. Mine wasnt a problem below 50mph. I could also tell it was the caliper because one wheel got hotter than the other.

[Baddog]

Well I re-greased both sides. The slider pins, the parts where brake pads sit (the brackets) and the outter ring of the pistons. The vibration has STOPPED! But now my driver side feels like its running hotter then the passenger side? This never happened before and my brakes squeak on braking.

So now I gotta fix that. It's never ending.

[Huffer]

Sounds like you have a frozen passenger caliper. Time to upgrade son! Depending on your preference, you could easily swap in some 98 GT or outback front calipers & brackets - which would bump up your rotor size and get you into a two piston caliper (?).

It's also possible that your rotors and pads are now messed up because of the vibration. As high-tech as people make brake systems out, they are still poor hydraulic systems that are very sensitive to the slightest contamination.

[Baddog]

Believe it or not I am currently running 04 WRX front and rear calipers with H6 rear brackets for the bigger rotor. I will get a reman set of front calipers here shortly.

[SativaMan04]

My mechanic told me if you use OEM/ non stock axles. After a year or so they start to cause a bad vibration. So what they do is rebuild the stock axles, take it apart, clean it, regrease. etc.

I still went with OEM axles though to save money. I shouldve done the rebuild, because the OEM ones they got started leaking and the clamps came loose. I am in the process of getting the same ones (under warranty) and hopefully it will be okay. I hope I don't get the shudder in the future.

I'm not mechanically inclined sooo, my opinion can be way off.

[Baddog]

Well the vibrations are still there. It's very hard to control my car on the freeway. VERY HARD. It's all over the place. Tires still have about 50% tread. Been rotated and balanced and the tire shop said they were all good.

So I was thinking of replacing my ball joints and outter tie rods. With these.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Whitelin ... 1c19f6d30a (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Whiteline-KCA313-Roll-Center-Kit-Subaru-WRX-/120694690570?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item1c19f6d30a)

And then just getting MOOG inner tie rods.

[mycargoesvroom]

Having the same issue except my car has a "whoomp" sound with the vibration. Changed both inner tie rods and DS axle with no change.

[Baddog]

I think yours could be the wheel bearing. Mine have both been replaced.

[mycargoesvroom]

I'm thinking so too. Too bad I don't have access to a press and I can't afford to have someone press them for me : (

[Baddog]

I cannot for the life of me figure out what in the hell is with my car. I have had bad vibrations on the freeways for about 3 months now. Thought it was because of the bent rims and seriously unevenly worn tires. But now I have the brand spankin new rims and tires on and it still does it.

Not only do I Feel it in the wheel I feel it in the seat of my pants. My wheel bearings were all tested and checked out. Going to get new reman calipers Friday to see if that's the case. I already tried to grease them up before and no difference. Other then that I am at a total loss as to what the hell is happening.

[Huffer]

Did you check all four brakes? The piston should slide out freely when the pedal is depressed. If not, it's frozen.

[Baddog]

Huffer: I will need to check that when I bleed the brakes.

So I replaced my steering rack today and it fixed the "walking" that I was having when I went over bumps in the road. It would cause the car to swerve. Had another alignment (I need to get the firestone alignment program thingy).

I still have the shutter. At freeway speeds when I lightly hit the brakes the shutter goes away. Is this the brakes? Or is it just absorbing the vibrations when I do that?

[Huffer]

It's got to be the brakes - if you are tapping the brake pedal you're causing fluid in the system to move, making at least 1 piston move. It's temporarily aligning the pad against the brake rotors.
You're going to have to tear the brakes apart and check for uneven wear - or possibly an incorrectly mounted brake rotor.

[d1giPhux]

Yup.. if your feeling it in the seat of your pants, chances are its the REAR brakes.

You have disc brakes right? I would check the rotors AND the calipers. Its possibly they are binding (seen it happen on a few subarus, including mine), or that the rotors are not seated properly, and or WORN and BENT.

When you placed the rotor back onto the new hub.. did you resurface the face on the rotor? It could have rust making it not sit flat, but chances are its either that, or the disc itself is warped.

Thats what I would say.. i agree with huffer on this issue. check the rears! If you feel shaking in steering wheel, its usually front rotors, in seat/butt area and steering wheel, its usually the rears.

[Baddog]

I should mention the seat of the pants feeling is gone since I got my new rims/tires and dynamically balanced.

I have had multiple shops check the car out. Ball joints are good, axles are not bent, inner tie rods are brand new (came with the rack and pinion). Outter tie rods are in good condition as well. Leaves it to the brakes.

[Baddog]

So today. Tore everything apart. Pads are worn at an angle. Stuck caliper it is! I have re-greased them twice before today.

Also noticed my axle nut was loose actually....Really loose. I hope my wheel bearing is still good.

Updates this weekend.

[d1giPhux]

Ouch.. after all that and you didnt check the pads!?!

[Baddog]

I never tore it off and looked. I just saw there was meat on them. Never even thought of checking for them being warn diagonally.

*Applause for me*

*Facepalm*

[d1giPhux]

Well.. least you figured it out. I'll be sure to keep that in mind if I ever hear of anyone with the same problem. I know subaru brakes in general have 'sliding' problems and sticking problems. I think I'm dealing with a bit of that myself right now.

[Baddog]

Yeah going to get new pads, rotors and reman calipers. For both fronts.

Look hard. Didnt realize I took the picture against the bumper backdrop.

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2012/01/20120118_152545-1.jpg

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2012/01/20120118_152555-1.jpg

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2012/01/20120118_152601-1.jpg

[Huffer]

Glad you figured it out. People underestimate the impact the braking system has on the car.

[Baddog]

Well replaced the brakes, calipers and rotors. Did it in pairs on the front of course.

Axle nut is tightend down now. No play or noise from the wheel bearing. The bad news however is....IT'S STILL THERE!

I am completely lost. Thought it was my brakes this whole time (it did fix the pulling and the brakes actually stop now)

The vibration is very numbing to the hands and arms.

This is the list of things I have replaced.

04 STI struts are in good working order, Top hats are new.
Wheel bearings have been replaced
Steering rack w/ Whiteline bushings
New Inner and outer tie rod ends
New brakes

This leaves me with the cheap autozone axles causing the issue or something is just completely screwed and can't be found.

LCA bushings?
Ball joints? (which dont have any play in them, from what I could see)

[Huffer]

Is the vibration present only past 60mph and can it be felt throughout the entire car or just in the front?

Might be worth checking your driveshaft, possibly your engine and trans mounts... I would start looking at every mount under the car to see if anything is loose, or prone to excessive vibration. If you can, see if a shop is willing to sit the car on a lift and run it up to 60mph.

[Baddog]

Its actually around 45mph on up. Sometimes it worse then others. But it will always do it.

Engine and tranny mounts are new and in good shape. Those have maybe a year of use on them.

[Baddog]

So got back under the car. Looks like my passenger side control is SLIGHTLY bent. Don't know if that will cause this bad vibration or not. Car pulls to the left which would make sense due to the control arm but I am still unsure if the control arm is the cause of the vibration.

Replace it with an OEM one and put new Whiteline bushings in?

Or find STI Aluminum control arms.

[Huffer]

So I replaced my wheel bearing about 3 weeks ago with a Koyo bearing. I had to get a new hub so I got a Napa hub. I drove it for about a day or two (no freeway) till I noticed my Axle Seal pissing all over the place. So it sat parked until I payed Subaru to replace the seal. Got that fixed. On my way home I got on the freeway and had a pretty good amount of steering wheel shake.
....
Anyone have a suggestion? It never happened before and I took about a 150 mile drive and it didn't shake at all. But now that it is replaced it's vibrating and shaking the wheel pretty good (no seat in the pants feel).

Ok so I am back looking at your ORIGINAL post.

Here's what you should do, now that you've fixed your brakes etc. Go back and look at that hub you bought - and also maybe you should have gone straight back to Subaru after you had that axle seal replaced - for them to have just replaced a seal shouldn't have upset the rotation of the wheels unless they had to remove the axle and hub for some reason.

[Baddog]

maybe the hub and bearing didnt seat right or something. was happening before the axle seal.

i thought the seal was the cause like a loose axle. but it wasn't.

[Baddog]

I still can't see how a slightly bent control arm will cause the wheel vibrations I am having. Tried my buddys set of rims today. Still no dice.

Tempted to pull the whole knuckle off and replace it with a good one. Of course with the hub and bearing attached.

Vibrations have actually gotten worse now that I fixed the brakes. They must have absorbed some of the vibrations. I can't keep dumping money into it right now.

[Huffer]

It's not your control arm. Go back to what originally caused the problem. The hub. Thats when your problems started, right?

[Baddog]

yeah. still want to replace the arm. I'll find a hub

[Baddog]

Got a different knuckle and hub from the junkyard. No go on that.

Replaced the axles (both) still no go. No ONE can find this damn shutter.

[Huffer]

Are you sure that new hub was good?

[Baddog]

Replaced the new one with an old one. Complete assembly. Used knuckle hub and bearing.

No go.

[Huffer]

^^ thats what I'm saying. How do you know the used knuckle/hub was a good one?

[Baddog]

I don't know. But that would mean the brand new one was bad too. I have paid shops to find this issue. I'm at the point of a part out and move on.

[chuckthefuk]

Have you checked your engine/transmission mount? Sloppy mounts cause vibration on the highway...
Also it could be your driveshaft... at those speeds the shaft could become unbalanced.. this could also relate to your center diff depending..

[Baddog]

I will check driveshaft. I have group n engine mounts with about 9k on them and a new OEM Trans mount with rallitek insert (4eat)

[chuckthefuk]

ahhh... i see....

[Baddog]

And to add they were not torn and were torqued properly

[jjay03]

You can feel this in the steering wheel? Usually if its a DS you feel it in the seat. None of this happened till the hub was replaced right? Did you do the work or did someone else and was the ball joint replaced at the same time?

[Baddog]

Ordered whiteline LCA bushings. If this doesn't fix it. I will be putting the car up for sale. Or parting it out (if time allows). I have put almost $900 into this issue. Can't afford it much longer.

[Baddog]

Issue has FINALLY been resolved.

Replaced EVERYTHING as far as knuckle and hub and had a new bearing installed. Issue is fixed.

[chuckthefuk]

So which of the three was the issues?

[Huffer]

Wait, so a NEW (factory fresh) hub was installed?

[Baddog]

No i got another used assembly. I think the shop pressed the first one in wrong. Then the uaed one i got had a bad bearing which i didnt notice and this last one i put on waa good.

[jjay03]

No i got another used assembly. I think the shop pressed the first one in wrong. Then the uaed one i got had a bad bearing which i didnt notice and this last one i put on waa good.

That or they used the wrong seals then when you took it in for the new seals they screwed up the bearing. Its easy to get the fwd and awd seals mixed up.

[Baddog]

i bought the seals directly from Subaru