Steering Wheel wobble at lowish speeds (30mph)

[jamiez]

...Strange one, and its only started to happen since BMW changed a leaking tire valve a couple of weeks back.

Bascially, driving the car and the steering wheel wobbles slightly at lowish speeds, around 30-40 mph, but goes away at higher speeds.
Car feels to pull to the left (could be placebo)

Car was hunter alligned a few months back and since then i havent hit anything but do go over a fair few speed humps - but at low speeds!

I had a puncture (rear) last week, so whilst getting that fixed, i asked them to balance the front drivers wheels where BMW repalced the valve - it was way out so they rebalanced it. I didnt have them check the otherside....

Any thoughts as to what this could be ? Allighment again? Balance? Tire bulge?

Car is back in BMW again this friday (roof straps under warranty again!) - so will mention it to them, but wanted some insight from here before they try and give me some C and B story

Cheers!
Jamie

 

[cj10jeeper]

Check the left hand caliper and see if it's getting warm. Soemtimes binding calipers show as a wobble at low speeds but at higher speeds it smooths out to become more of a pulll.

I suggest this first as it''s real easy Vs all the usual wheel balancing, bent rims, shocks, alignment, etc. that take time effort and money.

 

[EdButler]

Im pretty sure youll have an unbalanced tyre mate... Front wheel vibration usually manifest itself at around 30mph through the steering wheel, rears somewhat higher speeds through the chassis.

Let them know about it making it clear it wasnt doing it before. Maybe you have a bulged tyre or buckled wheel; but the balancing machine should see this anyway.

Pulling to the left slightly is perfectly normal. The camber of the road causes this. Many cars with standard grometry will pull left on the flat too, as if the driver were to fall asleep on a straight stretch of road, the car will pull to the left edge. This is a result of why the white hard-shoulder line on motorways and new carriageways have rumble strips - to wake the driver up!