2003 vibration in steering wheel

[alexandervdr]

I get vibration in the steering wheel consistently between 60 and 80 mph. It could be out of spec tire balancing, but why nothing below 60 or above 80...?
ideas someone?

 

[Injun neck]

I get vibration in the steering wheel consistently between 60 and 80 mph. It could be out of spec tire balancing, but why nothing below 60 or above 80...?
ideas someone?

I have the same and all my tires are in balance.
I also need to know

 

[biddle]

Please include the model year in the subject. Added for you.

 

[alexandervdr]

Please include the model year in the subject. Added for you.

View attachment 4345

will do next time!thanks for correcting

 

[cdbintexas]

I get vibration in the steering wheel consistently between 60 and 80 mph. It could be out of spec tire balancing, but why nothing below 60 or above 80...?
ideas someone?

Tires are inexpensive when compared to Hospital Bills. My advice is to take it to a tire store first and ask they check the balance. An out of balance tire will bounce in resonance at certain speeds.
If it were mine, I would not drive it over 40 till I get it looked at. But that is just from a conservative pilot with no stories to tell......

 

[usmcdad]

If your tires are relatively new, you should go to a tire dealer that can "Road Force" balance both wheel and tire. It can make your ride smooth as glass (unless your tires are cupped or badly worn). Check it out. http://www.motorweek.org/features/goss_garage/road_force_balancing/

 

[hemiguy]

Hi.
The reason it vibrates at a certain speed is when the wheel/tire imbalance reaches a resonant frequency and vibrates. In or out of this speed not so much.
If you think your tires are balanced because the guy at the shop said so, be skeptical. Ask him when he calibrated the balancer last. Ask if he checked that your rims are straight and round before balancing. Did he remove all the weights, and any gobs of tar, dirt, oil that may have accumulated on the rim. You can balance a bent or out of round rim, but piling on more weight will not fix it. Don't get me wrong, some shops are really good, but the trick is finding one.
I have a lot of cars and always seemed to have trouble with vibration, not to mention the hassle of bringing cars or wheels to a shop. So I bought my own Accuturn dynamic balancer, and a manual tire changer, since then no more vibration issues. No more hassle dealing with tire shops either.
I have attached some information from the Accuturn user manual that explains more than you probably want to know about balancing.

Thanks,
John

 

[usmcdad]

I used to have wheel/tire balance problems frequently unless I paid the extra charge for a Road Force balance. Fortunately I have a good friend and neighbor that is an ASE mechanic and has his own Coats tire changer and balancer. I've never had a wheel or tire that he mounted and balanced for me that vibrated.

 

[alexandervdr]

thanks guys for the advice, it's most probably a tire balancing problem. I'll have it checked by a (good...) specialist

 

[PhilD]

Just for peace of mind I would also check tie rod ends and control arms in case the bushes (which are fluid filled) are not broken as if these are just a bit out they could also cause these problems, especially if the balancing is off very, very slightly.

 

[Mach5]

In my Sebring Conv I used to feel a "wobble" in my steering wheel when I went over a bump. On the Sebring club website we had a member who fabricated a strut tower brace that bolted in using the existing bolts - no drilling. It definitely improved the cowl shake and the wobble in the steering wheel. I think a strut tower brace is an excellent addition to any convertible. However, in poking around the web I didn't see any for our retrobirds. . .

 

[Azstar]

Looking for ideas. Getting a small vibration through steering wheel first 5 miles of driving. It then smooths out. New tires. Took it back to check balance. Balance OK. Car is new to me.
2002 with 18K miles.
Steve

 

[Mach5]

I had a similar issue in the past. (Hankook Ventus tires if that matters.) It occurred when I left my car sit for 2 weeks while away on vacation.
I'm guessing you drive it infrequently ? (only 18k miles) I'm thinking the car sits for long periods between uses, maybe, and the tires are "taking a set" - from sitting? After you've driven ~5 miles the tires warm up and are round again.

You might test this theory by driving two days in a row.

 

[Azstar]

Thanks Mach5. Just got car. Put new tires on before driving. Didn't pay close attention during test drive as it had original tires. 18 yrs old. I have been driving a couple times a week for the last few weeks. That's when I noticed it. When I get a chance I'll change PS pump oil. Maybe when the oil warms up it goes away. Time will tell.