serious shaking on the steering wheel what could couse this?

[river]

Hi,

It could be something nasty from the aftermath of the crash. Or it could be something very simple like one of the wheel balance weights has come off.

If the wheel was smooth before and now it is vibrating at speed then it could easily just be a weight has come off the rim and therefore puts the wheel out of balance. At slow speeds you won't notice it, but as you go faster you will. Depending upon how out of balance the wheel is and where abouts (on its circumference) the weight once was, the wheel can vibrate badly within a particular speed band and then seem to get less as you go faster.

The cheapest and easiest thing to do is to get the wheels balanced (both front wheels - cause it could be the other wheel that's out of balance) and see how it goes. If it's still there then you start looking at the bearing and other stuff. Eliminate the easiest and most obvious causes first - and I'm thinking it's just a wheel balance issue.

seeyuzz
river

[byrnziecelica]

I agree with River. If it's when you get up to 100km I'd say it's your wheel balance. I hit a pothole last week at unsigned roadworks and have the same thing.

[SL666]

sounds like a wheel balance, or a bent wheel.. swap the wheel off and see if it still does it.

[tourer.v]

ok cheers for all your help guys much appreciate it. it has helped heaps. ill swap the wheel over with my spare and see if that does something if not ill take it to the wheel aligning place and tell him to align it and also have a breif chek if every thing is in place.im thick but were are the wheel balance weights are they the things between the tyre and mag? thanks

[EldarO]

rim could be buckled, wheelnuts could be loose, suspension could be loose, brake rotors could be warped (although that wouldnt have much to do with the crash)

wheel bearing could be buggered etc. etc.

have a look more specifically, jack the car up and see if you can rock the wheel back and forth etc.

Eldar.O.

[tourer.v]

nar it wont be wheel because if they re aligned my wheels and used the same wheel from the crash they would have found out if it was bukeled becuse it wudnt line up my car is on jaks now how do you get the wheel bearing out on a jzx90 haha take of the calipers and then u need a special tool to get the cap of for the hub nut do you? haha

[kingmick]

I think it might be best to get a proffessional to look at it! might be a little safer mate.

[jonra23]

Or buy a manual at least.

regards
jon

[Vios-GT_07]

my car is on jaks now how do you get the wheel bearing out on a jzx90 haha take of the calipers and then u need a special tool to get the cap of for the hub nut do you? haha

yea i agree with kingmick.. u'll need a whole range of tools to be on the safe side.. and i wouldn't attempt that without an air compressor and rachet gun.. especially if it involves what i think it does...

but whoever measured up your car and said all was square i'd take a look at the bearings.. at this point i suggest you make a list of things that have been said by people here and checking them out one by one... of course if u're not sure what's to be done, get it done by a professional

[Hiro]

Just thought I'd add my 2c in there. Over 10,000km ago (ie my last service), the steering wheel on my 102 was shaking like a mofo on light-medium braking from highway speeds, but I wouldn't feel anything through the pedal. In addition, there would be some pretty evident shaking of the steering without braking at those highway speeds, but not always. Gave the car to Toyota for the 250k service, told them what was wrong and they got back to me with warped front rotors. Machined them true again (still plenty of meat left) and the problem virtually went away overnight.

Strange that I didn't feel anything through the brake pedal (and I drive barefoot, so it would have been evident), and the shaking at speed whilst not braking was apparently due to the pads skipping across the surface of the warp, causing individual wheels to brake ever so slightly and tug at the steering. Smooth as a baby's behind now, although she still shakes if the highway is rough (often is, but I know it's due to the road and not the brakes now)

[oldcorollas]

nar it wont be wheel because if they re aligned my wheels and used the same wheel from the crash they would have found out if it was bukeled becuse it wudnt line up my car is on jaks now how do you get the wheel bearing out on a jzx90 haha take of the calipers and then u need a special tool to get the cap of for the hub nut do you? haha

suppose the wheel or hub was slightly buckled.
each time you take it in for realignment, the wheel points a slightly different direction, so it looks like it is going out of alignment.

they don7t usualyl check wheels for buckling when they align.. just change the direction the wheels are pointing.

jack the car up. spin the wheel by hand. also try to wiggle it around.

[river]

Hi,

If the initial accident buckled the wheel or warped a disc rotor then wouldn't the problem be evident after it was repaired?

The first post says that everything was alright for three months, then the shaking started.

As mentioned, a warped disc rotor would be felt in the brake pedal before you'd feel it in the steering wheel. It could be a bearing has gone - assuming it was damaged in the accident, wasn't replaced, and is now falling apart. Or a wheel balance weight has recently fallen off one of the front wheels.

It could be something in the steering system, but these issues are usually evident at slower speeds, not just within a specific speed range, and not at 100kph.

The fact your vibration happens at speed implies it's something rotational, which means it's a wheel, bearing or balance, and not necessarily a steering arm, idler or pitman.

If it's steering, idler or pitman you'll find the car is twichy and when you hit small bump the car will want to lurch sideways. This happens usually at slower speeds around the 50-70kph - at higher speeds the car steering is stable. Also, under braking the car will want to lurch sideways if these components are worn and slack. I have experienced the above twitchiness and brake-lurch, and it was a badly worn idler and pitman.

In any event, get the thing checked properly.

seeyuzz
river

[SL666]

Haven't locked a wheel recently have you?