Still a front end shimmy

Tarsand-baby · 09-20-2009, 06:24 PM

My steering wheel shakes between 70 and 120 kms/hr, So It goes to the shop and they change one of the tierod ends and do an alignment...still shakes...So it goes back to the shop to have the wheels balanced. All four wheels were way out of balance and are now balanced correctly....still shakes....I change the brake rotors and it still shakes. The tires are three years old with lot's of tread left and no visual bumps on the sidewalls, air pressure is also good. Next I plan on going through the entire steering system myself and looking for anything that looks worn/bent/loose. Any suggestions at all would help alot.

8589 · 09-20-2009, 08:04 PM

Out of the blue?

Raptor13x · 09-20-2009, 10:06 PM

There are only a few things that can cause a steering wheel to shake at speed. Check each suspension component and make sure you don't have a bad ball joint or wheel bearing. That means jacking up each wheel, shaking it back and forth as well as up and down- see if there's any play. It's possible something is loose there. The only other things it could be are a bent wheel or a bad tire. Jack up the car, spin the tires, and inspect them for any shimmying back and forth or up and down. Most tire places only check the balance on the tire, but don't check if it is out of round.

Jackstand Queen · 09-21-2009, 12:42 PM

Worn ball joints, wheel bearings, tie rod ends, really screwed up tires, or a bad alignment could all cause high speed shimmy.

Its a common problem, and it is correctable. Raptor's advice on checking the wheels for sloppy movement is a good place to start.

mr2_jake · 09-22-2009, 12:27 PM

Very strange. I've been having the same problem. Slight skake between 60-70 mph. I went thru and replaced....tie rod ends inner/outer, steering rack, ball joints, bushings, struts, springs, rotors, bearings, sway bar end links, wheels/tires... but it still does it. I suspect it to be steering shaft U-joint....

I heard from one 2 owner that his steering wheel was skakey from bad CV shafts.. But I couldn't understand how that would make the wheel vibrate?

espguitarist33 · 09-22-2009, 12:44 PM

in a FWD car yea that makes sense...not in an mr2 though 0.o

RePete · 09-22-2009, 01:15 PM

I think Raptor13x hit it. I'll betcha a nickel it's the tires. Everyone seems to forget that tires are basically just big (inaccurate) balloons, and the MR2 is super-sensitive to 'out of round' tires. I've found over the years that certain brands and certain sizes/aspect ratios tend to be troubesome on MR2s.

Madlife · 09-22-2009, 02:15 PM

I once had poorly greased caliper parts {after doing pads} cause the steering wheel to shake on my subaru. It would start around 35mph on up... Only thing was it would vibrate for a few minutes, then stop for a few, then start.. but consistently... When i applied the brakes it always went away. No one would have ever guessed it was the brakes if it wasn't for the fact I just did the pads.

09-20-2009, 06:24 PM	#1 (permalink)
Tarsand-baby No Skills Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 10 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	Still a front end shimmy My steering wheel shakes between 70 and 120 kms/hr, So It goes to the shop and they change one of the tierod ends and do an alignment...still shakes...So it goes back to the shop to have the wheels balanced. All four wheels were way out of balance and are now balanced correctly....still shakes....I change the brake rotors and it still shakes. The tires are three years old with lot's of tread left and no visual bumps on the sidewalls, air pressure is also good. Next I plan on going through the entire steering system myself and looking for anything that looks worn/bent/loose. Any suggestions at all would help alot.

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09-20-2009, 08:04 PM	#2 (permalink)
8589 No Skills Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 43 Thanks: 2 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	Out of the blue?

09-20-2009, 10:06 PM	#3 (permalink)
Raptor13x Legendary Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Farmington Hills, MI Posts: 3,989 Thanks: 7 Thanked 40 Times in 34 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (5/100% )	There are only a few things that can cause a steering wheel to shake at speed. Check each suspension component and make sure you don't have a bad ball joint or wheel bearing. That means jacking up each wheel, shaking it back and forth as well as up and down- see if there's any play. It's possible something is loose there. The only other things it could be are a bent wheel or a bad tire. Jack up the car, spin the tires, and inspect them for any shimmying back and forth or up and down. Most tire places only check the balance on the tire, but don't check if it is out of round.

09-21-2009, 12:42 PM	#4 (permalink)
Jackstand Queen Cage Fighter Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 677 Thanks: 52 Thanked 56 Times in 53 Posts iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	Worn ball joints, wheel bearings, tie rod ends, really screwed up tires, or a bad alignment could all cause high speed shimmy. Its a common problem, and it is correctable. Raptor's advice on checking the wheels for sloppy movement is a good place to start.

09-22-2009, 12:27 PM	#5 (permalink)
mr2_jake Many skills... Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Billings, MT Posts: 83 Thanks: 0 Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	Very strange. I've been having the same problem. Slight skake between 60-70 mph. I went thru and replaced....tie rod ends inner/outer, steering rack, ball joints, bushings, struts, springs, rotors, bearings, sway bar end links, wheels/tires... but it still does it. I suspect it to be steering shaft U-joint.... I heard from one 2 owner that his steering wheel was skakey from bad CV shafts.. But I couldn't understand how that would make the wheel vibrate?

09-22-2009, 12:44 PM	#6 (permalink)
espguitarist33 Cage Fighter Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: west chester PA Posts: 415 Thanks: 4 Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts iTrader Rating: (2/100% )	in a FWD car yea that makes sense...not in an mr2 though 0.o

09-22-2009, 01:15 PM	#7 (permalink)
RePete Midship Specialty Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Vantastic, BC Posts: 957 Thanks: 0 Thanked 58 Times in 57 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	I think Raptor13x hit it. I'll betcha a nickel it's the tires. Everyone seems to forget that tires are basically just big (inaccurate) balloons, and the MR2 is super-sensitive to 'out of round' tires. I've found over the years that certain brands and certain sizes/aspect ratios tend to be troubesome on MR2s.

09-22-2009, 02:15 PM	#8 (permalink)
Madlife Cage Fighter Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Cental NY Posts: 115 Thanks: 5 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (2/100% )	I once had poorly greased caliper parts {after doing pads} cause the steering wheel to shake on my subaru. It would start around 35mph on up... Only thing was it would vibrate for a few minutes, then stop for a few, then start.. but consistently... When i applied the brakes it always went away. No one would have ever guessed it was the brakes if it wasn't for the fact I just did the pads.