Steering Shake - Have I been done by a garage?
Discussion
Hi there,
My car (Mk3 MX5) recently developed a problem where at speeds around 60 the steering wheel starts to shake, and at higher speeds the entire car shakes violently.
After speaking to Mazda and a couple of garages on the phone they all seem adament that this is most likely due to a wheel balancing issue.
So, took it to a garage I've used before who did a good job then, and was told it was definatly wheel balancing. They told me they'd fixed it, drove off, and about an hour later hit the first NSL road, up to 60/70 and it was exactly the same. Phoned them back and they said that it must be some other problem, but the wheel balancing was definatly, one hundred percent incorrect.
For the sake of the tenner it cost me I'm not too bothered, however I'm a little concerned over a few things. First off, they mentioned that whoever had balanced the wheels previously had done it completely wrong, and this was the cause of the problem. This obviously leads me to think that one of the balances hadn't fallen off, and it was just incorrectly set up. However, the wheels were balanced well over a thousand miles ago (have the receipt somewhere of the date and mileage and is most likely more than 1k miles), surely any problem would be evident from then and not so far down the line?
I'm no expert, in fact I know nothing, however repeating what I was told at the garage [roughly] "whoever set it up before set the weights up to counterbalance each other, and that's completely wrong". Does that sound about right?
The next thing that is a cause for concern, is that when I dropped the car off they were quite busy so I left them the keys and mobile number and said I was going in to town while I waited, and asked them to ring when it was done.
I ended up going to a KFC over the road, which happend to give a view of the car park outside the garage. I saw them reverse my car outside (I had parked inside behind one of the ramps) and park it in the car park, they then drove out the car that had been on the ramps in front of me, and I had expected them to drive it back in and onto the ramps, but they just left it in the car park. Heard nothing and then half an hour later got a phone call to say it was all done.
I was a bit suspicious but to be honest knowing nothing about how they go about balancing the wheels, I didn't really want to accuse them of conning me. It's definatly possible, I'd like to think they were a good, respectable garage but they were extremely busy, who's to say they wouldn't fob off what is at the end of the day a £10 job for them for something that's going to bring them more money?
I've booked it into Mazda in two weeks time, but ideally I'd like to get it sorted as soon as. At worst it could be a serious safety risk or cause damage to the car, at best it means I have to potter about like a granny for two weeks. =\
I'm planning on going back to the original garage on Monday who fitted my tyres/balanced the wheels and asking them what they make of the situation. I'd happily pay another £10 to get the wheels properly balanced if that is the actual problem, but it seems a waste to throw away another tenner if the last garage did actually do it properly.
Any ideas? I'm quite concerned, what else could it be?
Thanks
Tom
My car (Mk3 MX5) recently developed a problem where at speeds around 60 the steering wheel starts to shake, and at higher speeds the entire car shakes violently.
After speaking to Mazda and a couple of garages on the phone they all seem adament that this is most likely due to a wheel balancing issue.
So, took it to a garage I've used before who did a good job then, and was told it was definatly wheel balancing. They told me they'd fixed it, drove off, and about an hour later hit the first NSL road, up to 60/70 and it was exactly the same. Phoned them back and they said that it must be some other problem, but the wheel balancing was definatly, one hundred percent incorrect.
For the sake of the tenner it cost me I'm not too bothered, however I'm a little concerned over a few things. First off, they mentioned that whoever had balanced the wheels previously had done it completely wrong, and this was the cause of the problem. This obviously leads me to think that one of the balances hadn't fallen off, and it was just incorrectly set up. However, the wheels were balanced well over a thousand miles ago (have the receipt somewhere of the date and mileage and is most likely more than 1k miles), surely any problem would be evident from then and not so far down the line?
I'm no expert, in fact I know nothing, however repeating what I was told at the garage [roughly] "whoever set it up before set the weights up to counterbalance each other, and that's completely wrong". Does that sound about right?
The next thing that is a cause for concern, is that when I dropped the car off they were quite busy so I left them the keys and mobile number and said I was going in to town while I waited, and asked them to ring when it was done.
I ended up going to a KFC over the road, which happend to give a view of the car park outside the garage. I saw them reverse my car outside (I had parked inside behind one of the ramps) and park it in the car park, they then drove out the car that had been on the ramps in front of me, and I had expected them to drive it back in and onto the ramps, but they just left it in the car park. Heard nothing and then half an hour later got a phone call to say it was all done.
I was a bit suspicious but to be honest knowing nothing about how they go about balancing the wheels, I didn't really want to accuse them of conning me. It's definatly possible, I'd like to think they were a good, respectable garage but they were extremely busy, who's to say they wouldn't fob off what is at the end of the day a £10 job for them for something that's going to bring them more money?
I've booked it into Mazda in two weeks time, but ideally I'd like to get it sorted as soon as. At worst it could be a serious safety risk or cause damage to the car, at best it means I have to potter about like a granny for two weeks. =\
I'm planning on going back to the original garage on Monday who fitted my tyres/balanced the wheels and asking them what they make of the situation. I'd happily pay another £10 to get the wheels properly balanced if that is the actual problem, but it seems a waste to throw away another tenner if the last garage did actually do it properly.
Any ideas? I'm quite concerned, what else could it be?
Thanks
Tom
Look at it logically.
the wheels must have been balance correctly as you said you've driven it and its been fine.
What has changed?
If nothing has changed - then if it IS a wheel balancing problem then
- A weight has fallen off
- You have smashed over a pothole and bent a wheel
They are the options. You can check these yourself - if a weight has fallen off you'll usually see the remains of its sticky pad on the inside of the rim.
Think back if you've whacked any massive holes. Check your tyres walls, and the rims for damage.
If neither of these things have occured, and nothing on the wheel has changed - then its not the wheels.
the wheels must have been balance correctly as you said you've driven it and its been fine.
What has changed?
If nothing has changed - then if it IS a wheel balancing problem then
- A weight has fallen off
- You have smashed over a pothole and bent a wheel
They are the options. You can check these yourself - if a weight has fallen off you'll usually see the remains of its sticky pad on the inside of the rim.
Think back if you've whacked any massive holes. Check your tyres walls, and the rims for damage.
If neither of these things have occured, and nothing on the wheel has changed - then its not the wheels.
Has your car got standard or after Market wheels fitted to it? I have had cases where after Market wheels that are not a direct fit to the hub cause lots of vibration unless fitted with spiggot rings to take up the play between the hub and the wheel, also there are several differant ways to balance an alloy wheel so may be a case of trial and error and getting the garage to try again and hopefully they won't charge you for the balancing again
It is possible that the vibration has in some way damaged bushes/balljoints which may be contributing to the problem. You asked them to balance the wheels and the they probably did just that, one wheel at a time on a wheel balancing machine. It may have been prudent to have them test drive it after and inspect for wear & tear. Chances are the Mazda will pick it up. Hard to prove that the last garage screwed up to be honest.
swiftpete said:
If you watched them park it in the car park for half an hour, not touch it, then call you to say it's been fixed then yes I'd say you've been done. Why did you pay?
+1I realise you 'may not know how they balance wheels' but you must surely realise it cannot happen without them touching it?
They didn't move the car out until about 10 minutes after I'd left, I don't think they could have put it up on ramps but wasn't sure if they could balance the wheels without doing this.
As it happens, a hose under the car seems to have sorted the problem. Turns out there was a hell of a lot of sand caked in to the underside, washed it away and everythings fine.
All in all, £10 down so hardly the end of the world, and won't be using that garage again.
Thanks for the help anyways
As it happens, a hose under the car seems to have sorted the problem. Turns out there was a hell of a lot of sand caked in to the underside, washed it away and everythings fine.
All in all, £10 down so hardly the end of the world, and won't be using that garage again.
Thanks for the help anyways
Yes, they can easily balance your wheels without putting it on a ramp. They will simply use a trolley jack instead.
I can't say whether you've been done or not but without any evidence, & only what you've said to go on, I'd say probably not.
mx5tom said:
"whoever set it up before set the weights up to counterbalance each other, and that's completely wrong". Does that sound about right?
Yes this does sound correct, there should never be opposing weights on a wheel.I can't say whether you've been done or not but without any evidence, & only what you've said to go on, I'd say probably not.
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