Shimmy/wobble on highway - not balance or alignment - HELP!

adzidek · Post by **adzidek** » September 11th, 2007, 11:02 am

If anyone can shed some light on this problem for me, I'd be forever indebted. My 94' 4-cyl. shakes on the highway. It's not in the steering wheel, and it's not while braking (although my rear brakes need to be done - I have a wobble and squeal - but this is unrelated, I think).

I have had the front brakes done, so I don't suspect a rotor imbalance. I have had all 4 wheels balanced, and the alignment checked. I don't have any noise or clunking while turning, so I don't suspect a driveshaft, either. But this shaking from 80 km/h + is driving me crazy, and I think it's getting worse.

I feel it in the floor - no noise or clunking, just the shake. I have no pull or wobble in the wheel - I have no idea what it could be!

Anyone have any ideas?

Yoda · Post by **Yoda** » September 11th, 2007, 12:49 pm

There are a number of things to look at. Worn shock, a broken spring and bad suspension bushings and even a wheel that is balanced.

The first three create some instability in the suspension. I the conditions are right they will either cancel out or magnify the problems and if you hit the right speed the frequency of shakes and shimmies that they amplify each other or total cancel each other out.

Having worked as a tire tech. I know it is possible to make a tire balance on the machine and still have a shake on the car. The wheel could have a bend in the rim, often what happens is a belt in the tire breaks of shifts after hitting a pothole for example. The tire is still perfectly round but looking at the tread you may see the tread surface or side wall move side to side. which will create a shake at speed that make not be felt in the steering wheel. Also many tire shops hire kids with minimal training and I've rebalance wheels that have come from big name wheel and tire shops where it must have been balance on the wrong settings or set for static balance instead of dynamic balance as a example.

adzidek · Post by **adzidek** » September 11th, 2007, 12:54 pm

Yoda,

I'm going to rule out a shawdy balance job, because my brother is a tech, and he did it, so I trust him. But he did tell me that I need new struts in the back - he said they're bone dry.

Could this be the issue?

Typhoonk · Post by **Typhoonk** » September 11th, 2007, 10:50 pm

Typhoonk · Post by **Typhoonk** » September 11th, 2007, 10:50 pm

are your tires new? I just had to change my wifes rear tire, because it has a large indent on the outside top of the tire- like she parked on a heated railway track for a long time. The thing felt like a wobble like the rim wasn't on right!!! so scary but it just need a new tire

adzidek · Post by **adzidek** » September 12th, 2007, 7:47 am

Interesting thought, but although I didn't change my tires, I did rotate them.

nickmx3 · Post by **nickmx3** » September 22nd, 2007, 10:17 pm

did you balance your tires after you rotated them? or did you check your tire rods/rackends.

neutral · Post by **neutral** » September 23rd, 2007, 8:57 am

adzidek wrote:If anyone can shed some light on this problem for me, I'd be forever indebted. My 94' 4-cyl. shakes on the highway. It's not in the steering wheel, and it's not while braking...

...I have had all 4 wheels balanced, and the alignment checked. I don't have any noise or clunking while turning, so I don't suspect a driveshaft, either. But this shaking from 80 km/h + is driving me crazy, and I think it's getting worse.

I feel it in the floor - no noise or clunking, just the shake. I have no pull or wobble in the wheel - I have no idea what it could be!

Anyone have any ideas?

fwiw I had same prob a couple years back. In my case it was a wheel bearing. A worn rear wheel bearing can induce speed sensitive shaking through the body/floorpan of the car. If found to be worn, replacement is via a new hub assembly and usually makes sense to do both sides. One worn side means the other is probably not far behind. Reman hub assembly runs ~40USD and sometimes a pair will show up on ebay for >$50USD. That's where I got mine.

A worn/broken motor mount can also cause something similar although felt more from low on the the front of the car.

atlantamx3 · Post by **atlantamx3** » September 23rd, 2007, 11:23 am

Jim!!

Great to see you posting agian, buddy.

adzidek · Post by **adzidek** » September 24th, 2007, 7:36 am

Thanks neutral - I'll look into that!!

tazman734 · Post by **tazman734** » September 24th, 2007, 7:28 pm

ask your brother what kind of balanceer he used . if it was a older one it is out dated and my be the prob. the newest balancer out ther is the "hunter " thay use what thay call road force test to the tires even if the tire is round and you cant see it the road force my be off and be fixed by spineing the tires on the rims the balancer will tell the tec where to spin it . i do my own tire and always road force them even the most trained tire tec cant do it by eye ... good luck

neutral · Post by **neutral** » September 27th, 2007, 9:19 pm

atlantamx3 wrote:Jim!!

Great to see you posting agian, buddy.

Thanks Perry. Been jammin doing other stuff for a few months and time has a way of passing fast. Didn't realize how long it'd been.

MX-3.com

Shimmy/wobble on highway - not balance or alignment - HELP!

Shimmy/wobble on highway - not balance or alignment - HELP!

Struts?

Re: Shimmy/wobble on highway - not balance or alignment - HE