Wheel shimmy at 60 MPH

Spider · Post by **Spider** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 3:28 pm

Hey suspension experts,

Just had my lanos alignment checked. The mechanic says it is good.
I also bought two new front tires. One of the old tires (right-side) showed more wear than the other. It was worn on the outside edge.

Anyway, while driving in town (max speed=45~50 mph) all was well. Than I started home and got out on the open road.
When the speed reached 60 mph a slight wheel 'shimmy' started. This can be felt at the steering wheel.

I returned to the tire shop. They re-balanced the new tires and put the wheel weights on the inside of the wheel's this time.
When I got up to the 60 mph speed again the shimmy was still there.

I am now wondering about the tie rods, ball joints, control arm bushings etc.
This car has just over 100k miles on it (mostly all highway miles) The car has power steering.

Any advice is apreciated,
Thanks in advance

lanos2001 · Post by **lanos2001** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 5:37 pm

it could be any of those. but i always go with the most simplistic thing first. i would check the lugbolts to make sure they're on there tight.

nick

daewoomofo · Post by **daewoomofo** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 10:35 pm

also even though the tires are new one could have a defect in it.

Spider · Post by **Spider** » Sat Mar 03, 2007 5:26 am

After I wrote this origional post. I went out and swapped wheels around.
Put the new front tires/wheels on the rear and the older rear tires/wheels up in front.
Than,
Took a drive on a nice smooth road. No shimmy whatsoever !

So, I called the tire shop and told them the results. I reminded the guy that they had balanced the new tires twice. I also pointed out that the shimmy went away when the wheels were transfered to the rear.
I ask him if one of the tires could have been defective. He said "No" it would have showed up on his wheel balancing machine.
Than,
He said " I did notice your aftermarket wheels didn't have 'hub-rings' So when we bolted em to the hubs they probably didn't center on the hub perfectly like the factory wheels do. Thats why you had the shimmy".

Hub rings ? I ask.
He explained that some aftermarket wheels need em. That they are plastic rings that snap into the bolt holes in the wheel. They take up the minute space between the wheel orfice and the bolt.
Makes for a perfectly centered bolt.

I never heard of em.
Sounds like an after-thought/fix by the wheel manufacture. But my wheels need them. And he is ordering them and will install the wheels back and rebalance everything at no charge to me.
So, I'm just out my time. And I have a sore back from swapping and torqueing my woo's wheels.
No charge for the tire shop.

The good news is I don't need any suspension work/parts.

daewoomofo · Post by **daewoomofo** » Sat Mar 03, 2007 4:37 pm

good shit, i actually had that exact same thing when i got wheels on my woo, i just totaly forgot. glad its nothing major

Spider · Post by **Spider** » Sun Mar 04, 2007 2:58 am

daewoomofo wrote:good shit, i actually had that exact same thing when i got wheels on my woo, i just totaly forgot. glad its nothing major

Thanks,
Yeah, the wierd part is I bought these wheels from this same tire company about 4 years ago.
As far as I know, they never had 'hub-rings'.
Now I am remembering the times, after buying new tires, I "went back to get the wheels re-balanced."
Jeeeez !
hub-rings...who knew ?