Shimmmmeeeyy help
Discussion
I need some expert advise... Ever since I've owned the car its had a persistent shimmy or vibration in the front end at 60-75 mph. I don't notice it when going slower and it doesn't get worse if I go faster. The actual sweet (or sour) spot changes day to day in that range.
It changes from a mild vibration in the steering wheel to a major vibration that causes things to rub together and the steering wheel to vibrate (alone with my teeth) and then it recedes for a while - all this in a 30 mile run on a straight highway.
It happens on the the straights. I think it gets a little better on sweepers. I have lower profile tires (IIRC 245) on 16" rims.
Trying to suggest that the obvious has been checked or fixed, this is regardless of...
1) 4 new tire
2) 4 rims checked and trued as needed
3) multiple balancings of the old and new tires/rims pre- and post- truing
4) Changing pressures up and down - lower is a little better
5) several alignments - all near or in spec.
6) several general front end checks (specifically looking for something bent or old that would cause the problem)
7) Front bearing checked, repacked and torqued
8) external temperature doesn't matter
9) Replaced bulkhead bushing
10) and wheel/tire rotations
Some of these fixes seem to help (but not cure) for a while then the bad shimmy/shake comes back.
I'd really like to fix it as it takes some of the fun out of driving. Thanks Grady
It changes from a mild vibration in the steering wheel to a major vibration that causes things to rub together and the steering wheel to vibrate (alone with my teeth) and then it recedes for a while - all this in a 30 mile run on a straight highway.
It happens on the the straights. I think it gets a little better on sweepers. I have lower profile tires (IIRC 245) on 16" rims.
Trying to suggest that the obvious has been checked or fixed, this is regardless of...
1) 4 new tire
2) 4 rims checked and trued as needed
3) multiple balancings of the old and new tires/rims pre- and post- truing
4) Changing pressures up and down - lower is a little better
5) several alignments - all near or in spec.
6) several general front end checks (specifically looking for something bent or old that would cause the problem)
7) Front bearing checked, repacked and torqued
8) external temperature doesn't matter
9) Replaced bulkhead bushing
10) and wheel/tire rotations
Some of these fixes seem to help (but not cure) for a while then the bad shimmy/shake comes back.
I'd really like to fix it as it takes some of the fun out of driving. Thanks Grady
That aint fun
Do you you still have your 14s with tyres on?
I'd stick them back on if you do just to eliminate tyres and wheels completely.
Did the alignments include measuring centre to centre of wheels on the same sdie of the car.
Reason....the caster is fixed, but if the lower link bolts are not equal then it could be either pulling one wheel foreward or maybe putting unequal tension on one side.
I notice you rotated your tyres....do you have asymetrical rubber?
'cos you can't diagonally swap if you do. They can only go front to back.
Do you you still have your 14s with tyres on?
I'd stick them back on if you do just to eliminate tyres and wheels completely.
Did the alignments include measuring centre to centre of wheels on the same sdie of the car.
Reason....the caster is fixed, but if the lower link bolts are not equal then it could be either pulling one wheel foreward or maybe putting unequal tension on one side.
I notice you rotated your tyres....do you have asymetrical rubber?
'cos you can't diagonally swap if you do. They can only go front to back.
I had the same problem on a Vauxhall Firenza a few years ago. Had the wheels checked changed tyres balanced and rebalanced had the front end apart and nothing worked.
To prove it was the wheels I put the fronts on the rear and the rears on the front and Problem solved !!
To prove it was the wheels I put the fronts on the rear and the rears on the front and Problem solved !!
Edited by Hippy on Monday 28th February 10:25
Are they balanced on the wheel bolt holes or the centre hole? On of mine had the centre slightly off centre so to speak and was never right till a half decent tyre place suggested the wheel bolt holes for balancing.
I had an annoying wobble that was temperamental in appearance on the 400. Went down the route of the balance weights on the shiny side rather than hidden behind and that cured that. Not saying that will cure yours, it is unsightly and new tyres mean new patches and the old sticky pads are a mare to shift.
I had an annoying wobble that was temperamental in appearance on the 400. Went down the route of the balance weights on the shiny side rather than hidden behind and that cured that. Not saying that will cure yours, it is unsightly and new tyres mean new patches and the old sticky pads are a mare to shift.
With the front jacked up is there any play if you hold each side and then the top and bottom of the wheel and rock in and out?..Does it happen if you coast at speed?..Have you checked the gaiters for splits and no grease..Wheel bearings..Tie rod ends..Maybe the weights after balancing keep falling off..These are some of the problems i had in the past..I hope you find out whats doing it..Well annoying..Zig
NTEL said:
Have you checked the top ball joints? Mine started vibrating like hell in the last race of the season last year. Initially thought it was wheel / tyre / bearing related but turned out to be a knackered top ball joint. Problem only manifested itself over about 70 mph. Just a thought.
I did not even notice on my, but G told me my one of my wheels looked wobbly on my racer, and on strip down found the ball joints a bit worn so changed all of them, and the bearing to be sure.TVRleigh_BBWR said:
NTEL said:
Have you checked the top ball joints? Mine started vibrating like hell in the last race of the season last year. Initially thought it was wheel / tyre / bearing related but turned out to be a knackered top ball joint. Problem only manifested itself over about 70 mph. Just a thought.
I did not even notice on my, but G told me my one of my wheels looked wobbly on my racer, and on strip down found the ball joints a bit worn so changed all of them, and the bearing to be sure.NTEL said:
Leigh, ended up changing all mine too just in case. Those slicks really take their toll on the old mechanicals don't they.
I just need to do the rear's now to match, as they have a bit of travel in them.The slicks do allow you to corner at 1.4G so a bit more load then designed for.
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