Wobbly steering...?

D

Daaaaan

Member
I have a strange issue with the steering....

When I am driving on asphalt that is not perfectly smooth and I accelerate or when I press the brake, the steering wheel wobbles in my hands and I have to get a pretty firm grip for 2-3 seconds until it steadies.

Does anyone know what the hell is going on?
 
I might be a little unexperienced about the mechanical stuff...but how could a broken rear spring affect the steering wheel?

How can you tell if it's broken?
 
start with a full wheel balance, preferably on decent kit like the Hunter. If that doesn't sort it, move on to the next potential thing....
 
lacroupade said:
start with a full wheel balance, preferably on decent kit like the Hunter. If that doesn't sort it, move on to the next potential thing....
Click to expand...

As far as I know, wheel balancing is required if you feel vibrations at speeds above 90mph...my steering wheel is actually wobbling about 2 inches left and right for a couple of seconds...at speeds between 10-50 mph... Am I wrong?
 
Its the fact it wobbles for just a few seconds that perplexes me... with any of these faults it should be constant.. wheel balancing issues or wheel damage should produce consistent wobble at all or specific speeds. Not just for a couple of seconds. If it was warped brake discs, that too should be consistently happening, especially under braking... odd one this... Is there any more information you could give us?
 
Hi,
have you checked your tyre pressures, sounds like they may be too high and the road is feeding back all it's inperfections to your steering ..maybe ?

or jack up the front and check for a buckled wheel or tyre (by rotating the wheels and veiwing from the front)..this can be more noticeable at low speeds.

Other than that I don't know, need more info., good luck !
 
Daaaaan said:
I have a strange issue with the steering....

When I am driving on asphalt that is not perfectly smooth and I accelerate or when I press the brake, the steering wheel wobbles in my hands and I have to get a pretty firm grip for 2-3 seconds until it steadies.

Does anyone know what the hell is going on?
Click to expand...

I have this and thought it was because I'm not very strong. An answer would be good.
 
fixit man said:
Hi,
have you checked your tyre pressures, sounds like they may be too high and the road is feeding back all it's inperfections to your steering ..maybe ?

or jack up the front and check for a buckled wheel or tyre (by rotating the wheels and veiwing from the front)..this can be more noticeable at low speeds.

Other than that I don't know, need more info., good luck !
Click to expand...

I checked my tyre pressures and they were too high, sorted that out but the problem still there although for some reason I didn't think it was a problem with the car.
 
RubyBlueZ4MC said:
fixit man said:
Hi,
have you checked your tyre pressures, sounds like they may be too high and the road is feeding back all it's inperfections to your steering ..maybe ?

or jack up the front and check for a buckled wheel or tyre (by rotating the wheels and veiwing from the front)..this can be more noticeable at low speeds.

Other than that I don't know, need more info., good luck !
Click to expand...

I checked my tyre pressures and they were too high, sorted that out but the problem still there although for some reason I didn't think it was a problem with the car.
Click to expand...


Maybe it's not a problem with your car..try staying off those bad roads ?? :D
 
Right, I've done a bit of digging online for you and its likely a damaged or worn suspension/steering component. What happens is that something starts a vibration, say a bump or just tram lining, this sets of a sort of cadence in the steering which as long as you continue to move will then settle down. I'd have the car professionally checked as a bush could be damaged, steering arms, rack etc. This is the only thing I can find that fits with the fact your issue lasts just a few seconds.
 
Hi,
have you checked your tyre pressures, sounds like they may be too high and the road is feeding back all it's inperfections to your steering ..maybe ?
or jack up the front and check for a buckled wheel or tyre (by rotating the wheels and veiwing from the front)..this can be more noticeable at low speeds.
Click to expand...

Tyre pressure is ok. If it were too high, I would feel minor vibrations or, like you said, the imperfections of the road. Thing is...my steering wheel actually moves in my hands, I have to get a pretty firm grip, otherwise the car steers a bit left or right!

Right, I've done a bit of digging online for you and its likely a damaged or worn suspension/steering component. What happens is that something starts a vibration, say a bump or just tram lining, this sets of a sort of cadence in the steering which as long as you continue to move will then settle down. I'd have the car professionally checked as a bush could be damaged, steering arms, rack etc. This is the only thing I can find that fits with the fact your issue lasts just a few seconds.
Click to expand...

I took the car to my local dealer to get the oil changed and filters and stuff...and they said that both front bushes are cracked, but not severely damaged, and that I could keep going like this until I hear them clunking when I hit potholes. Could those front bushes be the issue?...They cost about 200EUR...
And indeed, this happens only 2-3 times a day, mostly when I drive over tram lines or areas where the asphalt is not perfectly flat. I don't neccesarely have to hit the brakes or the gas pedal in these situations to get it to wobble, but I noticed that I can go over big potholes and the issue does not occur...
 
Are the tyres warm and round,after a hot run when you park being so big flat spot,takes a few miles befor all back to normal,nice an round plays hell with steering untill up then. :) :driving:
 
Daaaaan said:
lacroupade said:
start with a full wheel balance, preferably on decent kit like the Hunter. If that doesn't sort it, move on to the next potential thing....
Click to expand...

As far as I know, wheel balancing is required if you feel vibrations at speeds above 90mph...my steering wheel is actually wobbling about 2 inches left and right for a couple of seconds...at speeds between 10-50 mph... Am I wrong?
Click to expand...

Noooooo!! As a general rule of thumb, vibration through the steering column, from say 30-60 then fading out tends to be front wheel imbalance, while vibration through the floorpan, starting around 60-70 and carrying on the faster you go, tends to be rear wheels unbalanced. But thats only a rough guide and there are many causes of inconsistent wheel vibration from irregualrly worn tyres, through mud on the inside of the rims, to steering/suspension slack.....but it always pays to go through a clear diagnostic path and eliminate the cheap and cheerful things first.

In fact the cheapest one is free, just swap your wheels around, preferably front to back assuming you aren't running wider rears. if the problem goes away then its specific to that pair of wheels/tyres, as opposed to the axle.
 
lacroupade said:
Daaaaan said:
lacroupade said:
start with a full wheel balance, preferably on decent kit like the Hunter. If that doesn't sort it, move on to the next potential thing....
Click to expand...

As far as I know, wheel balancing is required if you feel vibrations at speeds above 90mph...my steering wheel is actually wobbling about 2 inches left and right for a couple of seconds...at speeds between 10-50 mph... Am I wrong?
Click to expand...

Noooooo!! As a general rule of thumb, vibration through the steering column, from say 30-60 then fading out tends to be front wheel imbalance, while vibration through the floorpan, starting around 60-70 and carrying on the faster you go, tends to be rear wheels unbalanced. But thats only a rough guide and there are many causes of inconsistent wheel vibration from irregualrly worn tyres, through mud on the inside of the rims, to steering/suspension slack.....but it always pays to go through a clear diagnostic path and eliminate the cheap and cheerful things first.

In fact the cheapest one is free, just swap your wheels around, preferably front to back assuming you aren't running wider rears. if the problem goes away then its specific to that pair of wheels/tyres, as opposed to the axle.
Click to expand...

My problem is NOT vibration, like you tried to explain in your post...it's WOBBLING!
The steering wheel actually turns left-right in my hands with 20-30 degrees, if I don't get a firm grip!
 
zedx21 said:
if my take on what you're trying to describe is correct, then its tram lining. I get the same issue.
Click to expand...

I got this from Wikipedia, as I didn't know the term "tramlining"...
"Tramlining is the tendency of a vehicle's wheels to follow the contours in the surface upon which it runs. The term comes from the tendency of a car's wheels to follow the normally recessed rails of street trams, without driver input in the same way that the train does. The same effect is sometimes called Nibbling.
Tramlining can usually be blamed on tires, and its incidence depends greatly on the model of tire and its state of wear. Although not normally dangerous, at very high speeds it can become a source of instability.
Vehicles with large and wide low profile tires are more prone to the effects as well as vehicles which have wheels fitted that are larger than the manufacturers recommendation or have reinforced sidewalls. People who are relatively inexperienced with driving with this tendency will feel that they have to make continual course corrections and it is very easy to overcompensate the steering, which could potentially lead to veering off the road especially if the road is a narrow track/country road.
The effects of tramlining can be eased by subjecting the vehicle to an inspection and calibration of the wheels (i.e. a full geometry check) or replacing the tires with non-reinforced (soft sidewall) tires."

...the symptoms seem identical...but not quite...
1) they say vehicles are prone to tramlining if they have wide and low-profile tyres - my tires are R16
2) this should happen to all Z4s, because most of them have bigger tires with lower profile than mine
3) this should happen to all Z4s that have reinforced-wall (runflat) tyres
4) my tyres are 50% worn out...so...i suppose tramlining cannot be caused by this.
5) wobbling is not constant, it just happens once in a while, sometimes more agressive, sometimes milder.
 
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