Steering wheel wobble - not balancing!

[hemingway]

I have the oddest problem.....please help,

I've got serious steering wheel wobble at 65-80 mph. Below this it's not noticeable.

Had two new front tyres as I thought it was due to previous use of "slime product" (albeit 10k miles ago), had the rears balanced too. Local indi thought it was the front upper bushes, so had these done BUT STILL THERE! Driving me insane as I do 150mile round trip commuting. Bizzarely I tried at 90 briefly today and seems to have no vibration...

Car is 2006 3.0si with 90k - all mine!!

 

[wilbo]

Seen quite a few of these threads recently so worth having a search on here. Mine experiences the same issue and after checking or changing the usual suspects, I am fitting new tyres on the fronts as currently have Eagle F1s rear and Falken fk452 fronts, which I have heard it doesn't like. I assume you have had all wheels balanced and checked tytre pressures all round?

 

[Stratts]

These are normally the symptoms of the rear bushes on the front control arms ("wishbones"), but could also be any part of the front suspension or steering gear.

Jack up the front of the car and give the wheel a good shake around, plenty of YouTube videos showing what to look for.

 

[Nelly Welly]

Feel the temperature of the wheel and disc , mine is Defo being caused by a sticky caliper.

:thumbsdown:

 

[Ed Doe]

Would this occur if the sticking caliper was a rear one?

Are they servicable or do they have to be replaced? Rough costs associated?

 

[Stratts]

Can't see it being a sticking caliper as your symptoms just don't match - calipers will cause wheel vibrations at lower speeds than you quote and the smell and heat will be obvious, as well as the visual appearance of the disc.

But to answer your question, yes you can service them but it's just as easy to replace them. You basically buy refurbished ones for something like £120 each, then send back the old ones for a rebate, usually nets out at about £80 a corner all in.


You said your indy replaced upper bushes, I don't follow what these are, but bushings or balljoints are the most likely culprit so they are on the right track. I've had the same symptoms on a number of BMWs over the years, and vibrations through the wheel at 50 -80mph have always been bushing/ball joint related. None of these parts are expensive btw, nor is fitting that difficult.

I've been wrong before, but checking bushes and balljoints is a 30 min job (even quicker for a garage with a lift and a pry bar).

 

[alane29]

my first check would be rear wishbone bushes a known issue bit of a pig to change as a DIY job

 

[henry1]

I had this exact problem on a scimitar GTE about 20 years ago, I had the wheels balanced about three times at different places but it was still there, finally got a puncture and had to use the spare on the front nearside, problem gone, no more vibration it was some distortion on the wheel I was told later.
henry1

 

[TheHoff]

Check, in the order:

Tyre pressures ok
Tyres not damaged
Movement of wheels when jacked up (will highlight bush problems
Alignment
Warped discs

 

[hemingway]

thanks all.

sorry it was rear bushes on front control arms which were replaced.

went back into indy - went out for a test drive and they were horrified at the wobble - after a few days though, they just couldn't diagnose. so now its going into a main dealer. annoyingly this is just before I put it up for sale after 90k largely trouble free miles - had a new set of rear springs and a new roof motor, but otherwise has been perfect! cliche but "baby forces sale"….

do cars know when its coming to the end ? this one seems to.

 

[Ed Doe]

It can't deal with the break-up!

 

[Zedyx]

Would be interested to see what the dealers come back with. Having a similar issue and as already mentioned it seems like its cropping up more & more on the forum.

 

[hemingway]

Very belatedly, this was fixed! After five garage visits, with every time being told that suspension brakes and so on are all fine, the solution was a full alignment, and fine wheel balance.

So to be fair to the dealer, they were the ones that identified and sorted the issue. I live down a farm track, so I suppose it's fair enough. Did a motorway trip this week and fell back in love with the car.

Unfortunately, one month old baby boy plus 2006 model with no airbag de activator means it has to go - gutted!

 

[msanders]

I had the exact same issue, it all came down to balancing and a full wheel alignment. The annoying thing is, I paid for everything to be checked and spent a couple of months hating the car, all for what was about £50. :?