S**t me pink: bad wobble problem!

so driving back home yesterday, after swapping me wheels for some bog-standard disco ones with road tyres (didn't want to chew up me off-roading tyres), I developed a bad wheel wobble at 45mph.

was ok on M62 till hartshead moor services, when I decided to pull in and have a look at what was wrong, nowt was immediately obviuos, when I spotted the front wheels had no wheel weights, so jacked her up on nearside and swapped the front for back (rear had weight on it), thought one balanced wheel on each axle would smooth things out

Got back on m-way, got up to 50, which was maxs speed due to "road works". all was good.

Got to nat speed limit area and thought i'd take her up to 60, where upon the wobble returned instantly, and I literally had to fight the wheel for control!

slowed right down to 40 and still wobble was present, so admitted defeat, pulled over and got the AA to take me home! can't drive at 30mph on m-way!

noticed whilst it was on the back of the truck some grease/oil had been flug over the wheel from the hub in the centre on the front wheels, a thin amount mind.

I read some threads with similar problems, but none sounded as bad as mine.

So, I've made a list of possible repairs and wondered if I was in the right area.

• Get other 2 wheels balanced - cheapest and quickest solution
• Then replace panhard rod and bushes (got spare panhard rod - needs new bushes - disco axles)
• Then track rod and end (got spare)
• Then front bearing bearings (buy 2x bearing kit)

Is there anything else I should be considering?



Thanks

Check condition of steering damper.

Get ya wheels balanced 1st

my money is on shagged bearings and the unbalanced wheels making it more obvious leading to near catastrophic failure of said bearings, or it could just be T.R.Es shagged, i have been told if its the panhard rod you get wander not shake but i also must say when i did mine (polybushed the panhard) it did make things a little better for a day or 2.

good luck and do report back on what you found

nathan5346 said:

Get ya wheels balanced 1st

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top of the list! fotunately I work next door to a garage, say they can do £10 a wheel.

not cheapest, but for the sake of convienence ......

Could be the wheels have wrong off-set for your motor. I tried some boosts on mine, they had been balanced. but as soon as I went over 45 I got the comedy death wobble. Swapped back to the wolfs problem gone.

£10 a wheel, feck me thats 50 quid for the lot, screw that they are having you over mate, way way too dear

DiscoPol said:

£10 a wheel, feck me thats 50 quid for the lot, screw that they are having you over mate, way way too dear

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£5.00 per wheel is what i charge,even if weights are visable and present it does not mean they are actually balanced(some change tyres and dont remove them) also ive seen inexperienced fitters balance wheels incorrectly by counter balancing,ie- by knocking weights on opposites resulting in cancelling the original ballance weight,usually noticable by loads of weights present.

wil2813 said:

also ive seen inexperienced fitters balance wheels incorrectly by counter balancing

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that's not inexperienced, thats sheer bloody stoopidness!

well, I was thinking of just getting the 2 un-weighted wheels done or should I get all of them done?

Tronicus Maximus said:

well, I was thinking of just getting the 2 un-weighted wheels done or should I get all of them done?

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dont be a tight git. the bearings will thank you for it.

just priced up the cost of the jobs above: £72.23 (ebay)

and found this little gem: Wheel_wobble

philvy said:

dont be a tight git. the bearings will thank you for it.

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I'm a yorkshire man, with a bairn on the way. My head'll be saved from the missus!

Tronicus Maximus said:

...and found this little gem: Wheel_wobble

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Fantastic link - it should be incorporated into a sticky if possible as this is a reoccurring and much discussed problem. :blabla:

well I'll post what I did to cure mine and maybe sticky that perhaps.

Another suggestion today from a friend: Tracking may need doing.

Given that I moved to road tyres, I have more surface on the road, compared to me knobblies, and so more fight between them trying to go their seperate ways.

so, I guess if I want to replace my track rod ends, do them before I get tracking done at garage....unless someone knows how to do tracking and could tell us?

i hade same problem with my r/rc did all you have said ,diden't cost a lot did work myself

sorry push wrong button.
turn out tobe steering damper and i had one in the corner of work shop all the focking time well peed off:frusty:

ok update
I fitted a new panhard bar and replaced the trackrod ends as per buster buses guides.

took it in to get the tracking aligned, quick bomb up the road and then back home: was ok up to 50, then 55, then 60 and the wobble made itself known, but at least this time stop when slowed down to 50-55mph, also it felt like it was getting worse the more i drove up to 60.

Next, wheel bearings I think.

Another update

Not replaced wheel bearings....instead I replaced the track rod on the steering arm.

wobble has disappeared somehow. Will keep updated

Tronicus Maximus said:

well, I was thinking of just getting the 2 un-weighted wheels done or should I get all of them done?

Click to expand...

some time ago I was ****ting peanuts when I went through the death wobble for the first time, quick look in rear view saw it was clear enough to stamp on the brakes then of, then on so it put weight transfer forwards and it stopped about 30 `ish.
I too was doing just 55 - 60 mph, but found it was a road bump what set it off wobbling while on the major roads.

In the end I changed the front tires, but had them balanced,
now seems ok at 60 `ish..

I took of the steering damper to check it out, and was fine,
so painted it and put it back on.

must say I have one worn ball joint on steering bar to replace yet, and I now know It needs a wheel bearing already in stock.

I`m not using standard steel wheels, but they are wider offset steel with the round holes in and smaller holes near the rim.
Sorry dont know make, but are on my signiture picture.

but my point is they have more offset = wider track,
putting more strain on the bearings/hubs...