Steering Wheel Vibration

[N3M3S1S]

In the last few months my wheel has been vibrating quite excessively, particularly between 100-120 Km/hr. Any ideas what this could be? I was thinking my front end links may be shot. Mechanic down the street said possibly just a wheel balance is needed, but I just put new rims and balanced tires on about a month ago. He also mentioned the axles? I don't want to go replace the axle if that isn't the problem.

Any ideas? I have to drive 3000 KM in 4 weeks, so I'd like to fix this this week.

[Dead91silvia]

How many miles are on your car and what wheel are you getting the vib from?

It's could be...
-struts
-wheel needing balanced
-bad tie rod ends
-bad ball joints
-bad tire...

A wheel balance would be the easiest and cheapest to start with. Next I would think about new struts if they have over 80-100K on them... I have a wheel vibration on my right front and I know its because the strut is shot...

[N3M3S1S]

Its the steering wheel itself that vibrates, not the wheel itself. Tires are new and i was told they were balanced when i got them a month ago. I put on used struts a year ago so i dont think its that.
Thanks for the input I will check ball joints and tie rod ends now too this week.

[Baddog]

Wheel bearing

[mlitz]

Wheel bearing
+1

[02_Legacy]

have you curbed your rims after getting them balanced? I curbed my rims once and knocked a wheel weight off. I would say over 50% of the time a shake only at higher speeds is going to be wheel balance.

[N3M3S1S]

I doubt its a bearing, ive had that issue in the past and it comes with a very annoying humming noise amd i dont have that.

[Dead91silvia]

Used struts can look good, be be blown out...

Also, you never did say how many miles...

Wheels bearing dont really give out a vibration when they go bad, they make a tone of noise and make your car drag... not ruling it out though...

[N3M3S1S]

Oops. I got 356000km on it. Its def not a wheel bearing though.

[Baddog]

You can say it's not the bearing all you want. Go look at my thread. I was chasing an issue such as this for almost a year.

I am just saying. It did happen to me.

MY wheel bearing was shot and it didnt create a humming noise. However what it did do was have a lot of play in the hub when I took it off the car. With the tire on I could shake the wheel without play.

It was until I took off the hub/knuckle from the car that I noticed "oh shit this is bad"

[N3M3S1S]

ill look at it again, but they have all been checked recently. Im thinking tie rod ends, wheel balance, or struts. I replaced the ball joints less than a year ago, so I doubt its that.

[Dead91silvia]

Your car has a butt load of miles...

As a Mechanic this is what I would do... and in this order...

-Have the wheels balanced
-Check and or replace tie rod ends and have a GOOD alinement done... Remember you have 4 tie-rod ends, inners and outers...
-NEW struts! Not used... (This is what I would personally to #1 after a tire balance. Struts last a max of 100K miles at best.)
-Wheels bearing if needed...

That is in order of price, lowest to highest, and also what parts would most likely be bad or worn...

A bearing could be bad, but the one the was bad in my BD didnt do a thing to the steering, but it did 'clunk' every now and then. Also took out my caliper and brake pads. It made a lot of noise, but never made the steering funny... The others I have replaced wear just noise, but this is just my experience...

[02_Legacy]

Personally I don't see how a strut can cause a steering wheel shake unless the mount at the top is totally toast. Everything else on the list should show signs of play. What I would do is bring it to a shop to have the wheels balanced and ask them to check ball joints, tie rods, and wheel bearings while it is up in the air. If any of that is bad they should be able to find it.

[Dead91silvia]

Have you ever watched cars going down the highway and seen the wheels bounce up and down really fast? It's from the strut being blown, or weak. The top hats could also be worn out.

Right now, when I'm on certain parts of I-5, I get vibration from my right front, and I know its the strut that is weak... But like I said, this could be a number of things...

[N3M3S1S]

I just got back from the shop, and im having all of the above mentioned looked at, except ball joints which are already new. Like you said, im doing a balance first, then will wing it from there.
The struts will cause a vibration...kinda. I've had first hand experience with this when I hit an open pipe hole the city failed to cover, and blew both my struts. I could definitely notice play in the wheel, but in a different way. It was more of a hard movement that moved side to side in the wheel about an inch in length, and it moved suddenly, not evenly. The vibes I'm getting now, are very fast and even, and dont throw the wheel more than a quarter inch. Also as I mentioned, its only between about 100 and 120km/hr.
I also dont believe its a bearing. I checked, and there is no play in any wheels.

[chuckthefuk]

And yet you did not mention:
- 18" rims with low profile tires!
- Your underbody is a rust bucket (not an insult. just fact)
- You manage to get run off the road several times by stupid drivers.
- You curbed your rims.

[N3M3S1S]

No meed to mention. Problem was happening with the steelies. The curb is so minor its not worth mentioning. And the rust im working on fixing. You have a ton of rust too and i dont see ur wheel doing this. What does getting run off the road once 3 days ago have anything to do with this?

[Baddog]

What does getting run off the road once 3 days ago have anything to do with this?

Bending things you didn't know you could bend.

[N3M3S1S]

Yes, but this happened on saturday. The vibration started months ago. And the incident only forced me to swerve onto the side and lay on my hellas lol

[Baddog]

Hmmm. Well like I said. I replaced my steering rack. Inner and outter tie rods. Brand new rims and tires. Brand new front and rear brakes. New axles. Even though I JUST had the wheel bearing done. It was improperly installed by a shop. Took me a year to find it.

I couldn't tell it was bad until I had the hub removed. It had play in and out. Not up and down.

[N3M3S1S]

Im going to take a closer look at the bearings on Friday. I have checked for play in the manner you speak of, but it was a quick look, I kind of just didn't bother because I know what a busted bearing feels like.

[chuckthefuk]

Muahahahahah.. I love teasing you on SLi.. its just not the same in person..

I say wheel bearing.. like the posts before.. boat load of miles + stop go driving in the city + rust + salty Toronto roads + driving your car into a hole large enough to blow your front struts.

Its a combination of things..

Seven (tyler) should be up and running this weekend and all his hoists/alignment rack/tire balancers/etc will be there. Give him a call.. This is the preview of the shop :-D

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/8489/img20120507220147.jpg


P.S.

My car only has rust on the quarter panel. Its in top notch shape! I repaired it before I put it on the road. Your car has been repaired many times and the fact that every time your car goes on the hoist things keep breaking / seizing. Again not knocking your car.. just pointing out that your underside is in bad shape. You knew this from day one.

[Dead91silvia]

I give up... Post what fixes it so we know whats going on. I think you have enough to go off of now to get it fixed...

[N3M3S1S]

I did know that. But its being fixed you know that. And ur car was in top knotch shape, not now lol.
Im getting the a/c recharged and getting a wheel balance from the guy on my street, but ill call tyler for this issue for sure.

[N3M3S1S]

So I went to the shop yesterday and got a full look over. Turns out there is nothing at all wrong with my car! It was just a simple wheel balance. I can now drive without feeling like im driving a dune buggy lol!
Thanks everyone for your input, as always, much appreciated.

[Dead91silvia]

Turns out there is nothing at all wrong with my car! It was just a simple wheel balance.

Look at that! It was the cheap fix after all! :smt023

[N3M3S1S]

Ya i was pretty happy.