I've got the ~~wobbles~~

[Welton]

I've got vibrations coming through the steering wheel at 75mph and despite 2 visits in 2 weeks to a brand new tyre shop (with new equip) they can't seem to get rid of it - it just 'moves' i.e. 70mph to 80mph etc.

They told me all 4 wheels rotate evenly with no flat spots and no buckles and all balanced up well on the (just calibrated) machine.

This is driving me insane now, I had new wishbones 5 months ago and new ARB drop links and new Top Mounts. The wishbones were "first line" or some pattern part not OE ones.

Am I missing something? should I be getting the car up in the air and going around all the suspension again looking for play? could it be wheel bearings? steering rack? I'm wondering if the tyres themselves are weak under load (they're down to 4mm on Khumo's).

Maybe I should get another tyre place to re-balance and try again?

[stevo48]

could be a number of things, my first thought was track rod ends, any play in the track rod end balljoints will give you vibration through the steering wheel.
Try jacking the front wheel up and grab the wheel at both sides feel for any movement, rocking the wheel from side to side.
If any movement present suspect wheel bearing.

Then grab the wheel at the top and bottom and rock the wheel feeling again for play, if any play present suspect track rod end.

i think i have that the correct way around but if i haven't I'm sure someone will be along to correct me.

[scoobysn7x]

When you had the wishbones done did you have the tracking redone, I know from personal experience if the tracking is out it can cause a slight virbration.

[Wogi]

Front wheel drive could be drive shaft out of balance, had this once on xr3i, some tyre places balance tyre on car thus balancing shaft and tyre as one but if you take wheel off it as to go back on in same spot not rotated, check the shafts see if any of the little weights have come off.

[si_james]

Evening all, funny was just going to put a new post on here as i've got exactly the same issue and it's driving me mad aswell.
I've just had 4 new Kumho's fitted 225/40/18, my Medusa alloys all refurbished as not holding pressure and were badly kerbed also one was slightly buckled, all balanced up with new weights etc but still having a vibration through steering wheel at 55 - 70+mph.
I had this before new tyres fitted slightly but not as bad, they say only the one of the back had a buckle all all balanced up spot on so cant see the balancing of the wheels been the issue?
Am i best to get this to my mechanic to look at suspension etc like suggested on here?, hoping this is something thats diagnosed quickly!.

Cheers
Simon.

[scoobysn7x]

I recently got a set of second hand alloys that came with a wobble, was diagnosed as a buckled wheel, you could see it wobble on the balancing machine, had the buckle 'Fixed' even after the buckle was fixed I still had the vibration not as bad, all wheels 'balanced' ok, in the end I sent the wheels back for a refund, brought a new set of wheels = no vibration issues. So put it down to the wheel still being a little buckled although all 4 of the tyres were badly worn on the inside edge so no idea if this wasn't helping. I did move the repaired wheel to the rear of the car and vibration was reduced but still there, you could try moving the repaired wheel around, if you move it to the back and the car vibrates but the steering wheel vibration reduces then it would point to the repaired wheel still being an issue....

[si_james]

Originally Posted by scoobysn7x

I recently got a set of second hand alloys that came with a wobble, was diagnosed as a buckled wheel, you could see it wobble on the balancing machine, had the buckle 'Fixed' even after the buckle was fixed I still had the vibration not as bad, all wheels 'balanced' ok, in the end I sent the wheels back for a refund, brought a new set of wheels = no vibration issues. So put it down to the wheel still being a little buckled although all 4 of the tyres were badly worn on the inside edge so no idea if this wasn't helping. I did move the repaired wheel to the rear of the car and vibration was reduced but still there, you could try moving the repaired wheel around, if you move it to the back and the car vibrates but the steering wheel vibration reduces then it would point to the repaired wheel still being an issue....

Thanks for your reply, the wheel which was buckled was n/s/r and thats where its been put back as before i had a vibration through my seat but i'd always known that was buckled as seen it on balancing machine myself now that buckles been sorted i dont have vibration through seat just sterring wheel.
Which made me think is one of the front ones buckled but after going back earlier to speak to them he said it was just that one which was buckled all others fine and as he's checked tham all as all been fully refurbished, and all balanced up spot on.
He's at a loss really of what to do as he's offered to rebalance but can't see point, surely this must be some other issue?.
Only other thing i can think of previously when i'd had 215/45/18 id always had 38 psi in front high i know but id always been told its that now its 32psi all round with these new tyres so maybe that not helping?.
I'm thinking maybe worth getting suspension checked out to elminate that been the issue?.

Cheers
Simon.

[scoobysn7x]

I was always told vibrations through the steering wheel points to an issue with the front wheels, I had vibration/wobble through the wheel caused by the allignment being out, does the car pull in any direction if you leave go of the steering wheel, an easy option (&free) would be to swap your front wheels and back wheels & if the vibration moves from the wheel to through the car you know its an issue with the front wheels, if not check the allignment.....

Also was there any unusual wear on the old tyres you took off??

[si_james]

Originally Posted by scoobysn7x

I was always told vibrations through the steering wheel points to an issue with the front wheels, I had vibration/wobble through the wheel caused by the allignment being out, does the car pull in any direction if you leave go of the steering wheel, an easy option (&free) would be to swap your front wheels and back wheels & if the vibration moves from the wheel to through the car you know its an issue with the front wheels, if not check the allignment.....

Also was there any unusual wear on the old tyres you took off??

Thanks for your help with this, to be honest I don't recall it pulling to the left but I will try this on way home tonight and let you know.
No the old tyres looked to have worn evenly before I had them changed, the place when where I had them refurbished have said they will rebalance front wheels again next Saturday so maybe see how I go with that and take it from there.
It does seem to be to be a wheel balance issue as this comes on about 55mph and between that and 65mph is when its most noticable, but can feel something through steering wheel above that speed aswell just not as bad.
From what you've said it sounds unlikely to be a suspension issue ie track rod ends etc and if it was surely i'd get problems at all speeds?, it was only serviced few weeks ago and nothing was reported on suspension.
I'm just concerned as its been balanced up on more than one occasion recently and even now after having them all refurbished, checked and balanced again still got same issue.

[C70T5Driver]

I've also been having the wobbles on and off for the last year or so and its getting worse. Strange thing is I can set the car at 60, on cruise control, on a nice new patch of motorway and the vibration through the cabin, noticed through the wheel, accelerator and particularly the passenger seat will come and go about every 30 seconds or so, 30 seconds of vibration then 30 seconds of no vibration.

My car has done 165K of motorway miles since new and runs perfectly apart from this - I'm desperate to fix it as I'm sure it cant be good for the rest of suspension, steering (I'm no mechanic btw)

I also get a lot of wobble on braking , my local non dealer garage recently changed disks and pads about 5k miles back, they told me the old disks were warped, it seemed better for a while but soon the wobbles were back.

Other odd thing, it seems that I have to be driving for 20-30 minutes before the wobbles start, once its starts its there for the entire journey.

Any advice is greatly appreciated