Shake, rattle and roll ... steering.

Hi all,

After ideas for the following symptom: around 55 mph there is a slight shake on the steering wheel as if a wheel is out of balance. I don't think it is that though as I've just switched over to the summer wheels and it has made no difference! Coasting in neutral makes no difference. Sometimes it does it and sometimes it doesn't. I had the steering alignment checked earlier in the week and was told it was perfect.

In the past 6 months or so the following work has been done that may or may not help diagnosis:

New shocks (Boge)
New brake discs on the front.
New brake calipers on the front.
New brake pads all around.
New steering damper.
New track rod assembly.
New drag link assembly.
Put a new CV boot on a month or so ago. Feels like the vibration is more the other side though.

It went straight through an MoT test last week with no issues.

I checked the VCU a month or so ago using a 2' breaker bar on the hub nut and it turned slowly with steady pressure. I also tried reversing aggressively on full lock round a car-park (got some odd looks there!) but didn't hear or feel anything out of the ordinary.

I'm thinking maybe wheel bearings but thinking I'd probably hear something or it would stop if I turned one way or the other?

This link talks of worn swivel joints: http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f10/shake-rattle-roll-114506.html. How would I test/diagnose that?

I guess failing dual mass-flywheel might induce vibration but surely that would go away in neutral and be present at all sorts of speeds?

Any other possibilities?

Difference in wheel diameters from front to back. New tyres should do the trick

the wheel/s IS/ARE out of balance, or out of shape tyre maybe

Done it with 2 sets of wheels though. I do have a third set I can try!

I'd say steering damper but I note that you've already done that.

Could it be defective, possibly maybe?

Or slight play in the steering box?

Slight play in the steering box is something I don't want to hear!

Are the hubs and half-shafts the same for petrol and diesel? If so I can swap one over and test it. Come to think of it, are the steering boxes the same too?

The steering box can be adjusted, but making it too tight will cause more damage. As far as I'm aware hubs and drive shafts are all the same only difference I think are the 2 and 4 pin diff but they all have the same spline pattern as a 4 pin will fit a 2 pin and vise versa.

Grrrrrr said:

Slight play in the steering box is something I don't want to hear!

Are the hubs and half-shafts the same for petrol and diesel? If so I can swap one over and test it. Come to think of it, are the steering boxes the same too?

Click to expand...

Can't think of any good reason why the steering boxes would be different.

As said, they are adjustable to a certain degree but as you have recently MOT'd the car it's unlikely any excessive slop will be present. Easily checked, with an assistant, though.

Check for "clunk" when wobbling steering wheel with engine off - if you hear it, then check steering column.
Also replace panhard and radius arms bushes with new genuine ones. Aftermarket doesn't work.

Great, if I get a spare day I may swap a hub over and see if anything changes.

I did crawl under and look at the bushes. They certainly aren't new but didn't look too bad. Had a little tickle with a crow-bar and no movement apparent. Mind you, I tried grabbing the wheels and shaking them and no movement there either! All feels solid!

I've got the same issue. Thought it was the cv joint but the front propshaft just broke and I've no drive in low box or anything. Mines a manual. 70 something quid on island4x4. 8 bolts 4 each side which will be a nightmare to get off. Can all so see front diff is at at upward facing angle. Have a look at yours that would explain the problem.

carmadciarain said:

I've got the same issue. Thought it was the cv joint but the front propshaft just broke and I've no drive in low box or anything. Mines a manual. 70 something quid on island4x4. 8 bolts 4 each side which will be a nightmare to get off. Can all so see front diff is at at upward facing angle. Have a look at yours that would explain the problem.

Click to expand...

I gave all prop-shafts a twist but no movement. I'll check again tomorrow though.

When you say the prop-shaft broke, do you mean the spicer-joint went or the shaft / yoke itself?

And the answer was ... REAR TYRES!

New (nearly, anyway) tyres all round and drives perfectly. Job done!

That's a tie between Willos and wil2813 I'd say!

Grrrrrr said:

And the answer was ... REAR TYRES!

New (nearly, anyway) tyres all round and drives perfectly. Job done!

Click to expand...

What was up with the tyres out of balance? Worn? Pressures iffy? Are these motors sensitive to front and rear or side to side differences?

stustrong said:

What was up with the tyres out of balance? Worn? Pressures iffy? Are these motors sensitive to front and rear or side to side differences?

Click to expand...

Pressures good - all by the book.

The 2 rear tyres were badly worn, down almost to slicks. One side of one had been badly scrubbed too. Almost certainly out of balance from wear, I'd have thought. Also, one of the old ones turned out to have a nail in it! Wasn't losing air though.

The wheels in question were 18" rims. The 18" rims seems to be a lot more sensitive to any sort of imbalance.

Oddly enough my boy was helping make space for the latest set of rims in the garage and remarked the 16" were much lighter than the 18" rims.

However, it must also mean that my winter tyres need balancing / replacing!

Are you on 16s or 18s at the moment. Mine went away after doing steering bars drag and track arms. Reason i as is it has came back. No where near as bad as before. Both near side tyres are like new and both offsides are over half done. Should all the tyres be within a tolerance of eachother side to side? Or front to back due to the viscous coupling

18s at the moment.

I just don't know, TBH. Mine were OK side to side but front to back was knackered. I'd have thought side to side would be worse but only guessing. Tyre pressures can make a lot of difference too. If official 28/38 doesn't work try 33 psi all round and see if that helps.

Are all your tyres directional?

Thinking about it, how come you've got such difference in wear? Ever decreasing circles? My wear was pretty even side to side - it had to be as the old tyres were directional and I had to leave them on the relevent side.