Vibration @ Speed

[cameron]

My T5 has got a steering wheel shake, it starts about 50mph and gets worse as i accelerate. Has anyone else had the same thing and how did they remedy it? I have tried balancing and full wheel allignment to no avail. Im hoping its not anything too serious as cash is a bit short @ the mo.

[Jod T5]

Shake at 50-60 is usually wheel balancing.., maybe get a second opinion.....and check your rims for damage.....
Cheers
jod

[cameron]

Shake at 50-60 is usually wheel balancing.., maybe get a second opinion.....and check your rims for damage.....
Cheers
jod

Jod i think one of my wheels may be buckled, i moved it off the front and put it on the rear, it calmed down for a few days but its back with a vengance, so much im gettin worried about driving it, plus i have no money for any other wheels. If anybody has an odd set lying about it would be greatly appreciated, id swap mine for yours, minus the buckled one, sell them individually they sell on fleabay for £50 + each with decent tyres and centre caps.

[jonno12]

could be a buckled wheel as i had this on my cavalier gsi and it turned out to be that

[jonno12]

beat me to it lol

[nobananas]

Might also be worth checking your brakes. I had a dodgy front caliper on mine that would stick on and start shaking the whole car at about 50 mph and it would happen without braking first !. When it does it try and pull over without braking and check how much heat there is in the discs, if they are all cool or the same temp then they should be fine.

[Jod T5]

Jod i think one of my wheels may be buckled, i moved it off the front and put it on the rear, it calmed down for a few days but its back with a vengance, so much im gettin worried about driving it, plus i have no money for any other wheels. If anybody has an odd set lying about it would be greatly appreciated, id swap mine for yours, minus the buckled one, sell them individually they sell on fleabay for £50 + each with decent tyres and centre caps.

A wheel balance should tell you if your wheel is out of true...,
Personaly i would have another balance done of the front wheels and while the car is off the ground ask them to check of there is and bearing movement...
Also clean the hub and inside hub face of the rim as the rim may not be seating squarely on the hub.....
Cheers
Jod

[Loadsamiles]

steering wheel shake, it starts about 50mph and gets worse as i accelerate.

Drive shaft failure? (CV Joint)

If the shaking is violent it's not likely to be the wheel or brakes, especially if it is mainly under hard acceleration.

[Jod T5]

Drive shaft failure? (CV Joint)

If the shaking is violent it's not likely to be the wheel or brakes, especially if it is mainly under hard acceleration.
Fair point......would they not make a audiable noise tho...a clicking maybe at lower speeds or when turning... Although i have replaced a few c/v joints i have never had one go on my own car so would be interested to hear some confirmed experiences....
Cheers
Jod

[CONDYBOY]

Fair point......would they not make a audiable noise tho...a clicking maybe at lower speeds or when turning... Although i have replaced a few c/v joints i have never had one go on my own car so would be interested to hear some confirmed experiences....
Cheers
Jod

Not necessarally any noise from cv until they're well worn., you should also check for any twisting/bulging of tyres as well as balance and running out of true, again whoever checks your wheel balance should check all of this or the rebalance is a waste of time. hope this helps.

[Jod T5]

Not necessarally any noise from cv until they're well worn
I would expect if they are causing the symptoms described the c/v joints would be "well worn", knackered, i would expect......
Cheers
Jod

[CONDYBOY]

I agree jod but a sstated no clicking when on full lock at slow speeds, all I'm saying is that, that doesn't happen until well worn. hope this clarifies my previous statement. Check cv joint by holdin the outer part and twisting the driveshaft and seeing if any play. any play at all and the joint is knackered.

[Loadsamiles]

I lost a driveshaft just after my engine swap.

That one went very quickly and the vibration was extremely violent, rather like constantly running over cattle grids (only under acceleration). It also clicked and ticked a lot.

Then I put my original one back on (240,000 miles) which went about 10,000 miles afterwards.

That one didn't click or tick, it just gave a dull vibrating under heavy acceleration.

On both of those shafts (the long ones) it was the inner telescopic CV joint that had worn and failed, and sods law, it wasn't replaceable.

The first one failed because Ben smahed it into a rover. We thought it had survived but it failed 500 miles later.

The second one..... Old age.



Other things to check are engine mounts and suspension bushes, both of which will deform under load, and can vibrate as they "bounce" about.

[nobananas]

Drive shaft failure? (CV Joint)

If the shaking is violent it's not likely to be the wheel or brakes, especially if it is mainly under hard acceleration.

When my caliper seized on it was bloody violent ! (nearly ££££ em !). It came on as I booted it to out drag a BM to about 60 then went away as I lifted. (admittedly the disc was glowing afterwards so it was fairly obvious what the problem was !)

[cameron]

I lost a driveshaft just after my engine swap.

That one went very quickly and the vibration was extremely violent, rather like constantly running over cattle grids (only under acceleration). It also clicked and ticked a lot.

Then I put my original one back on (240,000 miles) which went about 10,000 miles afterwards.

That one didn't click or tick, it just gave a dull vibrating under heavy acceleration.

On both of those shafts (the long ones) it was the inner telescopic CV joint that had worn and failed, and sods law, it wasn't replaceable.

HHHMMMMM!!!!!!! Very interesting it is coming from the offside! think i'll check tomorrow, day off! NICE