Does your car vibrate / steering wheel shake?

[shumax]

Let me take you down a path here, in hopes it helps others.

 

My 2016 Sport, with 32k, was shaking from 45-60mph.  I could physically see the steering wheel shake back and forth.  At higher speeds, it was almost something I could not detect unless I focused on it.  Follow me on this journey...

 

I have a Hunter Road Force Balancer in my garage.  Yes, I'm real tuned into this.  Stay here with me on it - it's worth it.  A normal balancer measures static and dynamic imbalance - the side to side wobble as a tire rolls down the road.  The Road Force machine measures the up and down "bounce" of a tire going down the road.  As you balance a tire, it simply MUST be centered on the balancer.  If it's not, it won't roll smooth down the road.  Think about it - you can 'balance' an egg, but it won't roll down the road smoothly.  Let that process.  So, you MUST find a shop that will perform a centering check (every Hunter machine has that option) to be sure the assembly is centered on the balancer.  From there?  Anything over 10lbs of roadforce, on a passenger tire, you are going to feel.  It won't shimmy the steering wheel back and forth, but it will produce a 'hop' going down the road. 

 

Let's say you've gotten all of that sorted - static/dynamic balance is good and the road force figures are 10lbs, or below?  But, you still have a shimmy at that speed range?  Is the wheel centered on the hub?  If OEM, it's almost certain, but check for rust build up on the hub and sand it off, if there.  If not OEM, be sure you have centering rings that are the correct size.  If it's still there, are the control arm bushings in good shape?  No cracks, etc.?  Ball joints tight?  You are sure, right?  Are the axles in good shape?

 

If all of the above checks out?  Enter where I was today?  After a set of tires about 5,000 miles ago, I've been chasing this since then.  Ridiculous.  Replaced two rear tires as they had higher road force figures.  But, my shimmy from 45-60 continued.  Finally swapped front tires to the back and the shimmy went away.  This, despite the fact the front tires balanced perfectly, with low weight, and also had very low road force figures - under 8 lbs.  You know what it had to be?  A slipped belt in the tire.  Nothing you can see to the eye, or see on a machine.  However, when you rule all of the rest out?  That's all that's left.

 

As much as I know about tires, axles, control arm bushings, etc., it stumped me - even with the machine in my garage.  I share this as I know some people chase this and it can drive you nuts.  Don't rule out the tires - even if they balance and road force well.  Move them around the car and see if things change.

 

Shumax

 

[enigma-2]

Broken chord in one of the front tires. 

[WWWPerfA_ZN0W]

It's a bit harder to diagnose on vehicles equipped with systems that use the steering wheel to warn you of potential problems.

 

BUT given that this happens at this particular speed, I would have to agree, look for hardware issues, ALONG WITH any codes that might be stored.  A faulty warning system may be "permanently" on.

 

What tires did you put on, and what did they replace?  Inspect all the bushings (sway bar, control arm, ..) and tie rods in particular, inner and outer, in addition to the tires.  Are the lug nuts possibly torqued incorrectly?

Edited September 6, 2020 by WWWPerfA_ZN0W

[shumax]

Guys, I'm 100% sure it's a bad tire.  That was the point of my post - to share with others' that, sometimes, it's the simple things.  All the equipment, sensors, etc. in the World can't replace common sense.  After chasing that around for several months, I fell in the trap of not considering something obvious like a bad tire.  

 

Have a good one!

Shumax