187

Looking for some input on a slight steering wheel shake at speed between 55-85.

I can see and feel just a small back and forth motion in the wheel at the speeds mentioned. I was thinking the steering rack bushing, but someone has brought up wheel bearings aswell.

Looking for some input from anyone who had a similar problem. Any help is appreciated.

187

Also have rotated the wheel front to back with the same problem no change.

Could a bent wheel or wheels cause this?

SC4Paulo

iTrader: (2)

jack the car up, wear gloves, wiggle wheel to see where there is movement, but your problems sound like mine when i had a bad steering rack bushing, is it making in clicking noises sometimes? where do you think the vibration is coming from mine was on the passenger side.

stockhatch

iTrader: (12)

It could be bent wheels, but it may also be out of balance tires. I had a civic that had a slight steering wheel vibration at speed. I know for a fact that all of the wheels had minor bends from potholes up north. I rotated the wheels with no change. The car needed tires anyway, so I replaced them, hoping for the best, and the new tires solved the vibration 100%. Long story short is that badly bent wheels can cause vibrations, but your problem could also be all in the tires/balance. Just something to check.

stockhatch

iTrader: (12)

Also, when my car had shot rack bushings, it wandered around quite a bit, but I never had a shake or noises.

SC4Paulo

iTrader: (2)

you get noises or shake when your bushing looks like this

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pjurisprudencia/9186299084/http://www.flickr.com/photos/pjurisprudencia/9186299084/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/pjurisprudencia/, on Flickr

the other half is long gone, so it was rack to mount, i was terrified that i was going to crack it while driving.

187

No real clicking noises but ill try jacking the car up and looking for some play.

My tires are like new less than 5k miles on them, so i can't replace them.

I'll check the bushing and wheels tomorrow and report back. Thanks for the input.

*edit also it doesn't really wander, it drives straight even with the slight back and forth.

187

What do you guys make of this?
Drivers Side


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Passenger side


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It looked like the nut is new and the shaft seems newer/ slightly longer maybe?

Checked all the wheels and wheel bearings everything seems fine. One caliper was a little sticky so I took it off and put it back and it was better. Steering rack bushings looks okay, the One large visible one had a small separation where it break to go the rack, maybe like a quarter of an inch so they were not touching completely.

Ali SC3

iTrader: (10)

just make sure both nuts are torqued properly. shocks have probably been changed at some point, not unusual really. the rack bushings can look fine and be toast, get someone to wiggle the steering wheel back and forth, and verify that just the wheels are moving and not the rack. most of the original ones have play by now unless car is low miles or garaged.
a clicking is usually the lca bushings, and you can try and move that around in different directions with a breaker bar and if it has alot of play side to side, then those are shot as well.

I have had similar and it been rack bushings one time, another car it happened and it was the aftermarket wheels/tires. the oem ones do a pretty good job of not shaking if not dented too bad.

187

Yeah I checked both based on information online they were torqued fine. My wheels are off a 350z, and I don't have a good set of wheels to test with. Ill try the steering thing you mentioned if I can get my dad into the garage. My lca bushing do look like crap, I was admiring them when I was under there today buy they dont seem to make any noise.

The whole mystery with the shocks is that the car is significantly lower then stock when I compared it to my 92 sc300 when I had both in the driveway. Also the struts don;t really feel that smooth. I thought they were stock and just shot and low after 150k. The mystery continues...

thanks for the advice

187

Update:

So basically I still haven't solved what the problem is, I'm going to go ahead and blame the rims and tires. The steering was tight, my end link were a little loose and my drivers caliper was sticking but thats all fixed now.

I guess I'll try and find some new rims eventually and hope that resolves the issue.

Maserati

iTrader: (1)

Im having a vibration also, but my caliper is sticking to. I'm going to change all my bushings and caliper to see if that clears my issues.

fried_rice

iTrader: (20)

Warped rotors can cause vibration. It will be more prevalent during braking.

187

I do need to check my calipers again with winter coming.

All my rotors are fine definitely not warped.

Quick update though, I found that the struts in the front don't sit level. My drivers side sits almost 3/4" lower than my passenger side. So it seems like the passenger side was replaced but not drivers which seems likely from that nut being newer mentioned earlier.

I don't know why anyone would try and replace just one strut... anyone think this is a serious issue?

also still have some clicking up from from either the calipers or end link.

SC4Paulo

iTrader: (2)

yeah, you might want to replace that strut or might as well replace all your supsension if funds permit, like you said, why would someone replace only 1 strut, My two rear stock struts were gone, I came up on a craigslist add for ksport coilvoers for 3 brand new so i just went for it.
now about that vibration have you gotten your wheels balanced anytime recently? and if there is a crack in your steering rack bushings just replace it its like 50 bucks and makes such a difference.