17 replies to this topic

[OBEY]

My UC has bad steering wheel vibration. It use to shake noticeably once I got up to around 100kph. I replaced the rag coupling joint on advice from the wheel alignment mechanic because it had a little play in the steering. That made the steering so much better but now the vibration is worse! Starts shaking badly above 60kph now and gets worse as I get to 100kph. Its been doing it for over 10 years and I've always assumed it was the front tyres so I got new front and rear tyres.
 
I've uploaded some videos of me moving the top and bottom steering shaft. Does this look normal or could the bearings need replacing?

[dron]

Sounds like a balance problem. Possibly a warped disk or bent rim. 1st check is wheel balance.

[Bigfella237]

I can't see those videos for some reason but it could be a heap of things.

 

I will assume that since the tyres are new there are no delamination problems and the wheels were balanced after the tyres were fitted?

 

A lot of cars were "on-car" balanced from the factory, the thing with that is, if there was an imbalance in the disc rotor it was countered with wheel weights as the whole assembly was balanced as a unit, which is all well 'n good but tyre shops typically balance replacement tyres off the car, meaning that the wheel is now balanced again but the disc rotor isn't any more.

 

It could also be wear in any of the suspension and/or steering components, if the coupling mentioned above was buggered then the other bushes and joints can't be far behind? And the nylon steering rack bushes were notoriously bad in Toranas, they go hard over time and simply disintegrate. Also how good / well adjusted are the wheel bearings?

 

You will likely find it's a combination of things, a little balance issue combined with a little slop in the suspension combined with a bad wheel alignment and there's your vibration.

[DMLC71]

Try swapping the front wheels to the back and back to the front
Cheers

[S pack]

Does the vibration disappear when you are changing direction at speed?

[rodomo]

Steering vibration starts at the wheels and works it's way up.

[fuzzypumper]

While those bearings as showing the usual wear, dont believe its the issue. 

You need to look at discs/ bearings, rims, bushes , linkages, steering rack. etc..

[OBEY]

Thanks for all the replies. I jacked the front of the car up to swap the front tyres with a spare set I have. I noticed that one of the wheels had a slight play in it that made a faint clicking sound if i jiggled it back and forward. So I tightened the wheel bearing up just enough until it there was no play. I also found a crack in the steering wheel boss kit through the tapered section of the steering shaft. The crack hadn't made its way to the spline section but it probably eventually would. I put a new SAAS boss kit on it. It seems better quality than the last one. The bad shaking has gone now. I test drove it with the spare wheels and original wheels on the front and I i'm only getting the same symptoms which is only a small amount of vibration over 100kph. Both sets of tyres that were fitted are only one year old were balanced. This gives me more confidence the wheels are ok. Its got new brake rotors on it from a recent UPC front brake upgrade. I guess I need to look into the other steering components that has been suggested to rid the remaining vibration that occurs at 100kph.

[Statler]

Have you checked the rack end bush?

[OBEY]

Have you checked the rack end bush?

Not yet thanks for the suggestion

[OBEY]

I found this crack in the lower control arm wishbone. Would this be the cause of steering wheel vibration?

 

[Bigfella237]

I'd say that's more of a symptom than a cause?

 

But it definitely needs to be fixed either way.

 

Also, I know that welding isn't allowed on any steering components, but I'm not sure if that extends to wishbones? If it was me I think I'd be looking for a replacement LCA as it all needs to come apart anyway.

[claysummers]

That could be very effectively repaired with mig once dissembled, and when dressed, undetectable.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[fuzzypumper]

Its been a few years , with all those vibrations, have your tyres shown any odd signs of wear?  

[warrenm]

I'd say that's more of a symptom than a cause?

 

But it definitely needs to be fixed either way.

 

Also, I know that welding isn't allowed on any steering components, but I'm not sure if that extends to wishbones? If it was me I think I'd be looking for a replacement LCA as it all needs to come apart anyway.

 

A control arm is a suspension component, not a steering component. 

Still needs to rectified.

[OBEY]

Its been a few years , with all those vibrations, have your tyres shown any odd signs of wear?  

 

Nope... :(

 

I've ordered new coil over shocks from the rod shop, control arm bushings and ball joints. When all the new parts arrive in a few months i'll fix it all up and report back. 

[UCSLE]

I know its a old thread but did you fix the steering column ? In your original video the shaft looks collapsed and not seating on the bearing properly .

[OBEY]

I know its a old thread but did you fix the steering column ? In your original video the shaft looks collapsed and not seating on the bearing properly .

 

Yeah I fixed the problem! I put a new upper bearing and converted the lower bearing to a real bearing. The steering column is dead smooth now and has zero play in it. Doesn't vibrate anymore.