Steering wheel wobble

[Jonff]

Got an issue with steering wheel wobble, symptoms would suggest wheel balancing but balancing them didn't cure it.

The steering wheel starts shaking/wobbling as soon as you reach 75/80 then goes away once you reach 90 (private road of course ) After getting the wheels balanced it did take away a lot of the steering wheel wobble but not completely, after a couple of days it came back so I swapped the front wheels with the back wheels and this didn't make any difference. I then removed the wheel spacers I have fitted and that seems to have taken away most of the wobble again.

Seems to me I have an issue somewhere and the wheel spacers are exaggerating it, anyone else had similar issues?

 

[imprezaworks]

Inbox is full mate

 

[Jonff]

Just cleared some space mate.

 

[Danith]

Ive had this problem on so many cars!! Drives me mad! What is it?!

 

[Gally]

Wheel balancing.

Just because it was done doesn't make it right.

Tyres can play a big part outside of balancing. Try swapping front to back for trial.

 

[Danith]

yeah I only take it to one place now for balancing. some places just whack a weight on anywhere on the wheel and it does nothing.

I take mine to Sheldons in Manchester now, they do it properly. Think it will be the tyres actually thinking about it. It's not on my Clio but it was doing it slightly on my Merc and loads on my Ibiza GTi with SUNNY tyres! God those tyres are sh1te!! Not as bad as the 'Sunews' I had for about 2 days on my Merc.

 

[Jonff]

Wheel balancing.

Just because it was done doesn't make it right.

Tyres can play a big part outside of balancing. Try swapping front to back for trial.

Yeah, also the wheel could have kicked off the weights again, that's why I swapped the wheels from back to front. It was exactly the same as before, if it was a wheel balancing issue surely once I'd changed the wheels over the problem would have either improved or got worse?

What's got me baffled is how intermittent it is.

 

[Junior Bear]

Does your steering also feel a little 'disconnected' at those speeds too? Almost like floating, ive got a similar issue, but only very slight vibration

 

[Brett]

Are you sure its not a slightly buckled wheel Jon? The OZ F1 Cup's go out of shape pretty easily apparently, even a pot hole can do it I was told.

I had a buckled wheel on my ph1, I changed the tyre over to the spare then it was fine. Think mine got done with a pot hole, wobble only used to be over about 60ish.

 

[Jonff]

Does your steering also feel a little 'disconnected' at those speeds too? Almost like floating, ive got a similar issue, but only very slight vibration

I wouldn't say it feels disconnected, still feels like I have full control of the car just you can feel the wobble through the steering wheel and you can see it physically moving if you take your hands off the wheel.

Are you sure its not a slightly buckled wheel Jon? The OZ F1 Cup's go out of shape pretty easily apparently, even a pot hole can do it I was told.

I had a buckled wheel on my ph1, I changed the tyre over to the spare then it was fine. Think mine got done with a pot hole, wobble only used to be over about 60ish.

Wheels are all straight mate, it is a bit weird how it's come on all of a sudden.

 

[Junior Bear]

Might be a long shot, but would a thereof of brake dust affect the wheels?

 

[bengtt5]

worn inner tie rods and/or track rod ends can cause this also

 

[Jonff]

Replaced a track rod end (passenger side) not so long ago, inner tie rod doesn't appear to have have any play. Drivers side Track Rod end and inner tie rod appear fine also.

 

[PP200t]

I have this. It's bloody annoying. Tracking sorted, matching tyres (tread depth and make), pressures ok. Could it be discs?

 

[bengtt5]

other than balancing
tyres?
or worn joints
maybe cv joint

 

[KevF182]

I would still be inclined to think your wheels have not been balanced properly.

Last time I had tyres fitted, at a garage I had never used before (through Blackcircles), my steering wobbled badly. I took it back asking them to do it again and it was still just as bad, if not worse! Took it to my Brother-in-law who works at a garage and he showed me how "off" they were on their machine. Weights were all on the inner edge of the rim, not placed where they should be. After he re-did them its been perfect.

(I logged complaint with Blackcircles and got a satisfactory reply, so no issue with them as a company)

 

[Jonff]

Just to update this if anyone else has a similar issue. Turned out I had a worn tie rod and track rod end. I replaced them both and it solved my problem.