After about a year of being put together, my steering wheel started shaking around 45mph and on. It just shakes back and forth, enough to visibly see and definately to feel. My u-joints appear to be in good shape, and both front tires have been checked out and re-balanced as of today, no change. I'm running out of ideas and I'm supposed to drive to the gathering on thursday. Suggestions?
Make sure the front-end is tight. Make sure the tires are in good condition. Make sure they were balanced properly (are the wheels hub-centric or lug-centric?)...
Front end alignment my be off. I had a Bronco once that did that only it would get progressively worse until I had to stop the truck to get it to stop. Turned out to be the tires even though they were balanced and checked for runout.
Vibration is almost always tire related. If the balance was done I have a question...did the car sit for a long time? Sometimes the tires develop a flat spot that cannot be fixed with balancing.
I would ask the tire shop to swap 2 new ones on and test drive it. Tell the you will pay them for them hier time and if it does fix it you will happily buy the tires. Sounds like a tire.
I flipped the driveshaft 180 and it improved by at least 1/3, but there is definitely another issue at hand. The front tires are the 3rd set I have had on this car, and performed fine for some time before this shake started. The front end is 99% new, the only things I didn't replace were the springs themselves. I'm going to do the 60mph on jackstands test tonight and confirm it is the front end.
I agree with the tire issues but a worn idler arm can cause you some shaking problems too although it still probably starts from the tires. You should be able to check that when you lift the car up and move the tires side to side.
All else fails, will I really be hurting anything driving the car 4.5 hours each way to the gathering? I regularly drive it 20-40 minute trips each day of stop and go to and from work/school.
The only way I would take a chance would be to absolutely make sure a tire wasn't getting ready to come apart. If it's only shaking in the steering wheel, you only need to worry about the front tires. I would check with a different tire store and see what they tell you about the steering wheel shaking. I feel sure this is going to be a simple fix such as bad tire, bent wheel, out of balance tire, or something like that. Definitely check it before you go. Nothing worse than being stranded in the middle of nowhere. Hope you make it to the Round-Up with your car. Good luck!
