CANNOT get rid of shimmy!!
05-06-2003, 02:17 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 641
CANNOT get rid of shimmy!!
97 I30t with 45K miles on it now. Stock tires/rims were 215s with 15" bbs stock wheels. Then i got 17" wheels with dunlop tires. above 70mph, the steering wheel shook from side to side on the highway. got new tires on the same rims. same problem. had multiple balances at different places, and had allingments done. no solution. finally had enough money to get new rims (thought it was an out-of-round rim) on the same newer tires, same problem. had these new ones balanced/alligned a bunch of times...no solution. lowered the car with kyb agx and maxspeeds...problems STILL there. hubcentric rings were on there for both set of rims.
on the highway just today, I was crusing at 80mph. I noticed the wheel would shake from side to side quite badly for about 10 seconds, then it would smooth out slightly for 5 seconds, and then back to shaking again pretty badly, etc. etc. WHAT could be causing this? As you can see i have pumped nearly THOUSANDS of dollars into solving this stupid problem and NOTHING works. makes me SO mad. WHAT could this be?
on the highway just today, I was crusing at 80mph. I noticed the wheel would shake from side to side quite badly for about 10 seconds, then it would smooth out slightly for 5 seconds, and then back to shaking again pretty badly, etc. etc. WHAT could be causing this? As you can see i have pumped nearly THOUSANDS of dollars into solving this stupid problem and NOTHING works. makes me SO mad. WHAT could this be?
05-06-2003, 03:16 PM
#2
05-06-2003, 03:43 PM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,391
Re: CANNOT get rid of shimmy!!
Originally posted by Stillen_I30
97 I30t with 45K miles on it now. Stock tires/rims were 215s with 15" bbs stock wheels. Then i got 17" wheels with dunlop tires. above 70mph, the steering wheel shook from side to side on the highway. got new tires on the same rims. same problem. had multiple balances at different places, and had allingments done. no solution. finally had enough money to get new rims (thought it was an out-of-round rim) on the same newer tires, same problem. had these new ones balanced/alligned a bunch of times...no solution. lowered the car with kyb agx and maxspeeds...problems STILL there. hubcentric rings were on there for both set of rims.
on the highway just today, I was crusing at 80mph. I noticed the wheel would shake from side to side quite badly for about 10 seconds, then it would smooth out slightly for 5 seconds, and then back to shaking again pretty badly, etc. etc. WHAT could be causing this? As you can see i have pumped nearly THOUSANDS of dollars into solving this stupid problem and NOTHING works. makes me SO mad. WHAT could this be?
97 I30t with 45K miles on it now. Stock tires/rims were 215s with 15" bbs stock wheels. Then i got 17" wheels with dunlop tires. above 70mph, the steering wheel shook from side to side on the highway. got new tires on the same rims. same problem. had multiple balances at different places, and had allingments done. no solution. finally had enough money to get new rims (thought it was an out-of-round rim) on the same newer tires, same problem. had these new ones balanced/alligned a bunch of times...no solution. lowered the car with kyb agx and maxspeeds...problems STILL there. hubcentric rings were on there for both set of rims.
on the highway just today, I was crusing at 80mph. I noticed the wheel would shake from side to side quite badly for about 10 seconds, then it would smooth out slightly for 5 seconds, and then back to shaking again pretty badly, etc. etc. WHAT could be causing this? As you can see i have pumped nearly THOUSANDS of dollars into solving this stupid problem and NOTHING works. makes me SO mad. WHAT could this be?
05-06-2003, 04:25 PM
#5
Check your rotors. Mine had a lip on them and caused a shake that would come and go. Sometimes it got worse than other times plus sometimes they pulsed when coming to a stop. They definitely needed to be turned, but since I had 60K on them I decided to buy a set of Brembo Dimpled and slotted from the GD. I put them on this weekend and everything is smooth again. It started in March when I had my other rims mounted. It was smooth before that. I've spoke with several mechanics that said sometimes older rotors warp when you take the rims off and relieve the stresses.
05-06-2003, 05:50 PM
#6
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Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 641
hmmm...so I should look into having them simply turned around and thats it? I will look into trying that soon.
i just hope its not the bearings or any other steering components as that would a lot of time to figure out.
i just hope its not the bearings or any other steering components as that would a lot of time to figure out.
05-06-2003, 06:37 PM
#8
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Jack the car up, both front wheels off the ground. Start it up and put her in drive. Watch the tread closely as the wheels spin. Look for any side to side tread squirm or up and down motion. You could have a bad hub.
If the wheel & tread looks like it's spinning perfectly straight and solid, and theirs no play in the front end, then you have a balancing issue.
The alignments should have picked up any excess play in bearings, tie rod ends or control arm bushings. If the front end is solid, the wheels are true and the tread is straight, you have a balancing issue.
Any time I feel even the slightest shimmy, I get my wheels balanced. Sorry I don't know what machine my tire shop uses, but it always comes back perfectly smooth again.
If the wheel & tread looks like it's spinning perfectly straight and solid, and theirs no play in the front end, then you have a balancing issue.
The alignments should have picked up any excess play in bearings, tie rod ends or control arm bushings. If the front end is solid, the wheels are true and the tread is straight, you have a balancing issue.
Any time I feel even the slightest shimmy, I get my wheels balanced. Sorry I don't know what machine my tire shop uses, but it always comes back perfectly smooth again.
05-06-2003, 07:39 PM
#10
Originally posted by Stillen_I30
hmmm...so I should look into having them simply turned around and thats it? I will look into trying that soon.
i just hope its not the bearings or any other steering components as that would a lot of time to figure out.
hmmm...so I should look into having them simply turned around and thats it? I will look into trying that soon.
i just hope its not the bearings or any other steering components as that would a lot of time to figure out.
05-06-2003, 08:54 PM
#11
I had the same problem. I had my car balanced about six time by different shops... including two separate dealerships, both of which checked my alignment and said everything was perfect.
Through several sets of tires, rotors, wheel bearings, another set of rims, and I even had springs and struts waiting to go in... I lived with the same problem for 120,000 miles - and the only thing that ever changed was the speed where it was most prevalent i.e. 65, 68, 73, etc... depending on who balanced the wheels.
During my vacation at the beginning of this year I drove my car to Florida (at this point, I was USED to the shimmy - and I drive 80 miles a day to work and back).
While visiting my dad, the topic came up in conversation, and he recommended a local shop. Believe me, you do not know how fed up I was at this point, and pessimism isn't even strong enough a word to describe how I felt about actually finding a solution.
This place was different he says - because they align the wheels ON THE CAR. Humph I say.
Sixty bucks later - NO SHIMMY at all.
That was about 10,000 miles ago.
Between the technician and I, we came up with the theory that it has to do with the wheel locks. Since a couple of my lugs didn't match. My long term solution is to get a new set of lugs (with or without lock) and try to have the car balanced normally.
Also, I bought a Nissan truck while I was down there from my dad and he had this done to it (and all his vehicles) – I recommend this balancing to anyone. It does make a difference for that extra twenty bucks.
Through several sets of tires, rotors, wheel bearings, another set of rims, and I even had springs and struts waiting to go in... I lived with the same problem for 120,000 miles - and the only thing that ever changed was the speed where it was most prevalent i.e. 65, 68, 73, etc... depending on who balanced the wheels.
During my vacation at the beginning of this year I drove my car to Florida (at this point, I was USED to the shimmy - and I drive 80 miles a day to work and back).
While visiting my dad, the topic came up in conversation, and he recommended a local shop. Believe me, you do not know how fed up I was at this point, and pessimism isn't even strong enough a word to describe how I felt about actually finding a solution.
This place was different he says - because they align the wheels ON THE CAR. Humph I say.
Sixty bucks later - NO SHIMMY at all.
That was about 10,000 miles ago.
Between the technician and I, we came up with the theory that it has to do with the wheel locks. Since a couple of my lugs didn't match. My long term solution is to get a new set of lugs (with or without lock) and try to have the car balanced normally.
Also, I bought a Nissan truck while I was down there from my dad and he had this done to it (and all his vehicles) – I recommend this balancing to anyone. It does make a difference for that extra twenty bucks.
05-06-2003, 11:20 PM
#12
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Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 641
hey guys, thanks for the awesome replies. this info really helps...gives me some ideas on stuff to check on. so as of now, I will have to get the following checked/done:
1.) resurface the rotors
2.) jack up the front of the car and see if there is any wheel hop
3.) call around EVERY place in my area for balancing ON the car
4.) if none of that works, then i will initiate plans to have the steering components checked out.
1.) resurface the rotors
2.) jack up the front of the car and see if there is any wheel hop
3.) call around EVERY place in my area for balancing ON the car
4.) if none of that works, then i will initiate plans to have the steering components checked out.
05-07-2003, 05:35 AM
#13
Originally posted by Stillen_I30
hmmm...so I should look into having them simply turned around and thats it? I will look into trying that soon.
i just hope its not the bearings or any other steering components as that would a lot of time to figure out.
hmmm...so I should look into having them simply turned around and thats it? I will look into trying that soon.
i just hope its not the bearings or any other steering components as that would a lot of time to figure out.
05-07-2003, 05:40 AM
#14
Originally posted by deezo
Also, check to see if your tires are locked onto the hub evenly.
Also, check to see if your tires are locked onto the hub evenly.
Good idea. Loosen and re-torque all the lugs to the proper torque and in the proper sequence.
A 400 ft-lb air gun is NOT the way to put lugs on the car. It really makes me mad when shops refuse to put my lugs back on by hand.
05-07-2003, 05:43 AM
#15
Originally posted by mzmtg
Good idea. Loosen and re-torque all the lugs to the proper torque and in the proper sequence.
A 400 ft-lb air gun is NOT the way to put lugs on the car. It really makes me mad when shops refuse to put my lugs back on by hand.
Good idea. Loosen and re-torque all the lugs to the proper torque and in the proper sequence.
A 400 ft-lb air gun is NOT the way to put lugs on the car. It really makes me mad when shops refuse to put my lugs back on by hand.
05-07-2003, 10:29 AM
#16
Originally posted by mzmtg
Good idea. Loosen and re-torque all the lugs to the proper torque and in the proper sequence.
A 400 ft-lb air gun is NOT the way to put lugs on the car. It really makes me mad when shops refuse to put my lugs back on by hand.
Good idea. Loosen and re-torque all the lugs to the proper torque and in the proper sequence.
A 400 ft-lb air gun is NOT the way to put lugs on the car. It really makes me mad when shops refuse to put my lugs back on by hand.
The shop I take it to hand torques and then has you come back 100 miles later... and they hand torque it again, without you even having to get out of the car.
07-11-2003, 06:40 AM
#18
Your tires could be out of round if everything else is in order. I know one of my tires have a slight lump on it because I can here it when I'm driving at low speeds. Basically lowering my tire pressure to 29psi took away what shim was there.
07-11-2003, 06:41 AM
#19
Your tires could be out of round if everything else is in order. I know one of my tires have a slight lump on it because I can here it when I'm driving at low speeds. Basically lowering my tire pressure to 29psi took away what shim was there.
07-11-2003, 10:34 AM
#20
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Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 641
i should list what i have done/made sure of:
1) all new tires
2) all new rims (could have spent this on other mods)
3) messed with tire pressures
4) various balances on various machines (including hunter 9700)
5) a bunch of allignments
6) lowered car and re-alligned/balanced, still no solution
7) new hubcentric rings
i've just about given up. i hope the hubs are bad so that i can finally get the car to drive normally on the highway. its odd because the day i took off the stock wheels and put on the new larger rims/tires is the day this whole thing started. since then, the above list was done. Once I get back with the car in aug and raise the front to see whats giong on, i will update.
1) all new tires
2) all new rims (could have spent this on other mods)
3) messed with tire pressures
4) various balances on various machines (including hunter 9700)
5) a bunch of allignments
6) lowered car and re-alligned/balanced, still no solution
7) new hubcentric rings
i've just about given up. i hope the hubs are bad so that i can finally get the car to drive normally on the highway. its odd because the day i took off the stock wheels and put on the new larger rims/tires is the day this whole thing started. since then, the above list was done. Once I get back with the car in aug and raise the front to see whats giong on, i will update.
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