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Steering Wobble - Help


thomash
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Hi,

I've been reading through many many posts on the forum regarding steering wobble but I can't seem to find any definitive answers to my problem.

Basically I have had my 07 Reg 1.8 Sport for a few years now and ever since I bought it there has been a very bad steering wobble at around 60mph +

I have lived with it for for as I do not normally have do do more than 60mph on a daily basis. This wobble hasn't got any worse since buying the car...

Recently I have swapped wheels from back to front but this didn't help much, then had four new Goodyear Tyres, still didn't help the issue. I've had the front re-balanced by another garage who said driver side wheel was 'out'. Still no difference. The guy at the garage said he can't see anything wrong with ball joints or something similar.

Surely this can't be a balancing problem as it would have been sorted by now. The wheels seems OK, no dents etc..

Light vibration starts at around 40mph then gets progressively worse at 60mph where the steering wheel will wobble around 1-2cm each way.

I know others have had the same problem as myself, but did anyone fix the issue?


Many Thanks

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wheel wobble at speed is wheel related i would find a decent garage as it sounds like the wheel has a buckle in it which means if its bad enough no amount of balancing will fix it so a proper wheel exam and balance with 4 wheel alignment would sort it its also possible for tyres to go oval but im 100 percent sure the issue is the wheels are buckled and not being balanced properly

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Thanks artscot,

I guess I could have the wheels examined, by wheels you mean the alloy?

I'll give the alignment a try as well as I have seen a couple of other posts where alignment has helped with steering wobble.

Any other ideas? - I've read that it could be dry CV joints>


Thanks

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I had this when i first had my car. Got new tyres, balancing and tracking done and no more wobble. It tends to return very slightly when the tyres need replacing and tracking needs doing again.

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I had this when i first had my car. Got new tyres, balancing and tracking done and no more wobble. It tends to return very slightly when the tyres need replacing and tracking needs doing again.

Hi,

Is it worth getting a 4 wheel alignment or just the front wheels?

Thanks again

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Personally i would do all 4, if you can. But just the fronts will be ok, i suppose, as thats what your steering wheel is attached to.

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I also have a wheel wobble exactly as you describe, plus under hard braking.

At my recent service it was noted that both lower arm bushes were perished (note that these are not the same as track rod ends), and the work is being done next week. *

Perhaps this is what your problem is?

Maybe worth checking if your wheel also wobbles under hard braking, like mine?

Also a point to note is that the wheel balancing machine at your tyre place may be out of calibration. Last time I got tyres fitted & balanced I had a wobble, I went back and their machine had been serviced and was 5 grams out - so they rebalanced my wheels for free.

Finally check for a buckled wheel, tracking, worn springs & shocks etc

* the work I'm having done is :

Both front lower wishbones replaced

Both rear trailing arm bushes replaced (unrelated to the steering issue, but need doing)

I've been quoted £230 at a local independent garage, to include parts + labour + vat.

Having the front wishbones replaced as a unit is cheaper on labour, and this offsets the higher part cost.

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£230 is awfully cheap even for an indy since the rear bushes need the rear subframe dropped to get at them unless you have the only ford with greased bolts i paid that alone for the rear bushes that was with me supplying the parts

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I also have a wheel wobble exactly as you describe, plus under hard braking.

At my recent service it was noted that both lower arm bushes were perished (note that these are not the same as track rod ends), and the work is being done next week. *

Perhaps this is what your problem is?

Maybe worth checking if your wheel also wobbles under hard braking, like mine?

Hi,

I do get a wobble when braking also, but I have been told my discs are warped and this is what's causing it??

I have ordered new discs and pads and will fit them soon.

Can you describe where the lower arm bushes are? I'm more of a computer tech than a car tech.

Please let me know if any of the work completed on your car fixes the wobble Pitmaster.

Thanks.

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£230 is awfully cheap even for an indy since the rear bushes need the rear subframe dropped to get at them unless you have the only ford with greased bolts i paid that alone for the rear bushes that was with me supplying the parts

On another thread somebody mentioned that its possible to do the rear bushes without dropping the rear subframe, although many people do drop the frame.

I can only assume the mechanic I'm using can do the job without dropping the frame.

I trust him to do the job properly, and I think he's doing 'mates rates' because I know him well (one of my best mates is his cousin)

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Hi,

I do get a wobble when braking also, but I have been told my discs are warped and this is what's causing it??

I have ordered new discs and pads and will fit them soon.

Can you describe where the lower arm bushes are? I'm more of a computer tech than a car tech.

Please let me know if any of the work completed on your car fixes the wobble Pitmaster.

Thanks.

I had new discs & pads fitted at the front and rear not that long ago, so I can be pretty confident my vibration isn't caused by warped discs.

While this vibration under braking is a symptom of warped discs, its not guaranteed that it's the cause, and because you have a vibration at speed also its worth getting someone to check the bushes - especially before you pay out for new discs which may not actually be necessary.

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hi,
you may have warped disc breaks... this causes this problem aslo.. when slowing down from higher speeds.
I have said this before to someone, if you find out it is the breaks, do it yourself if possible , it will be ALOT cheaper than taking it to a garage you will be able to do it yourself for around £70 with a garage you are looking at around £150+

Hope this helps. :)

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and i have now just read that others have also mentioned warped disc break lol !! My bad...

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On another thread somebody mentioned that its possible to do the rear bushes without dropping the rear subframe, although many people do drop the frame.

I can only assume the mechanic I'm using can do the job without dropping the frame.

I trust him to do the job properly, and I think he's doing 'mates rates' because I know him well (one of my best mates is his cousin)

Apparently you can cut the old bushes out and fit split bushes (without dropping the subframe) - i would not trust split bushes myself though

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Update -

Laser Tracking didn't help on wheels - and I'm £40 lighter.

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Has anyone checked your driveshafts? Just wondering if one is bent. It wouldn't take much misalignment to cause a vibration.

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I believe as i said that youre alloys have a buckle either that or the driveshafts or disks as mentioned laser alignment is what to do after The faults rectified it wont cure it

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I'll get the drive shafts checked on my MOT - due in next few weeks.


Cheers

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