Steering wheel shake at 50-55 not wheel balancing problem.

[gsxr]

Wait, the whole car is shaking? Is it moving the steering wheel side to side, and that's shaking the whole car, or is the whole car shaking, and you're feeling it in the steering wheel?

I'll second that question!!!

 

[GeorgeYu27]

The steering wheel is shaking bad. It's going side to side But you can tell the car is shaking a little.

 

[ktm525]

1) Double and triple check the wheel balance (road force). Move the rears to the front and front to rear to see if it changes problem.
2) Check rotors (proper runout on rotors when installed). However this should manifest mostly under light high speed braking
3) make sure caliper pins are not binding in the calipers. Again this should become more pronounced under braking.
4)_ tie rods and then check control arms
5) Wheel balance lol

 

[avslash]

Do you have number of the TSB your mechanic is referencing?

I have a hard time seeing a steering wheel being involved in a front end shimmy, but I would like to read it.

Did you ever check your hubs/bearings for wear?

Can anybody point to a diagnostic procedure for the steering rack itself? As noted above, rack itself could be the issue.

Try swapping rear tires onto to front just to fully eliminate tires/wheels as a cause?

Mentally working backwards for potentially involved items:

Tires
Wheels
Brake rotors
Hub/bearing assembly
Tie rod ends
Tie rods
Upper/lower control arm ball joints
Upper/lower control arm bushings
Steering rack
Steering shaft
Front differential/half shafts

Define your population of possibilities and start eliminating them.

 

[Michael Gain]

Subscribed. I have a steering wheel shake from 52ish-70mph. No shake before 52ish mph, and it stops after 70mph.

I have not had time to take avslash's diagnostic advice, but I will tell you that it started post brake job. Pads, rotors, and front calipers have less than 100 miles on them. I also had to add 5mm spacers to clear the calipers but doubt that is the problem. Also, I have new, front wheel bearings. I bought them intending to install with the brakes but the ones on the car tested fine (no play, no noise), and I'm lazy.

I just picked the vehicle up from getting tire balance and alignment. They rotated the tires as well. Still no change.. if I figure it out, I'll post something.

 

[Steve T]

How many miles on your LR4?

Have the front lower control arm bushings been looked at or replaced? Those are the ones that go out most often, not the upper ones.

Also, you may want to think twice about having your full residential address in your profile.

had this exact same issue. front bushings replaced for ~$300. LR tried to sell me control arms etc... $2500. a competent mechanic can just "Press" new bushings cheaply.

 

[gsxr]

. I also had to add 5mm spacers to clear the calipers but doubt that is the problem.

Spacers... hmmm. Does anyone know if the LR4 wheels are hubcentric, meaning the hole in the center of the wheel uses the hub to center the wheel? If so, the spacers COULD be causing a problem.

GeorgeYu, does your LR4 have any wheel spacers, and are the wheels stock or aftermarket?

 

[Michael Gain]

Gsxr,

I do not think that it matters, honestly. My spacers are slide on, hub and lug centric from their fit. There is also more than enough lip on the hub assembly for the wheel to align against. The lug nuts would also center the wheels on the studs.

But again, I see your point. It is a variable. I hate to admit it, but I used washers on the wheel studs while I waited for the wheel spacers-- read nothing that suggested that I needed spacers and did not plan for them. I do not remember if the steering wheel was shaking with the washers.

I'll take the spacers off, and add the washers again, and see if the shake is still there.

 

[GeorgeYu27]

So replaced the inner tie rod and it has improved by 80%. Going to take it in again tomorrow and see if a tire rebalance will solve the remaining steering wheel shake issue. Thanks for your help guys.

GSXR I have tuffant 18 wheels and spacers.

 

[avslash]

Somebody in this thread said tie rods, and then doubled down on it...

Change the tie rod ends, as well. The outer section on each side with a ball joint connection to the steering knuckle and I bet that clears up the rest.

Glad you've got it going in the right direction.