Front wheel shimmy, not tire related?
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Front wheel shimmy, not tire related?
07 TSX, 55K. Got four new Michelins and rotors/pads done in March. Car rode like it was on glass for months, but then started to develop a shimmy over 50MPH around curves on the highway.
Took car to my tire shop, he road force balanced the fronts. But then the shimmy was worse. Took it back again, he rebalanced. But then the shimmy was even worse still. Maybe it was his balancer. So the Hunter rep inspected it and its fine. Now back for the third time, another road force rebalance, and the shimmy is worse than ever.
OK...lets rotate tires, one side at a time. No dice. Shimmy bad as ever. Comes and goes, a sweeping turn on the highway will usually trigger it.
What else could it be? Rotors? Maybe an axle on its way out?
Took car to my tire shop, he road force balanced the fronts. But then the shimmy was worse. Took it back again, he rebalanced. But then the shimmy was even worse still. Maybe it was his balancer. So the Hunter rep inspected it and its fine. Now back for the third time, another road force rebalance, and the shimmy is worse than ever.
OK...lets rotate tires, one side at a time. No dice. Shimmy bad as ever. Comes and goes, a sweeping turn on the highway will usually trigger it.
What else could it be? Rotors? Maybe an axle on its way out?
#3
in the 24th and a half...
OK...to clarify:
Shimmy is only on curves?
Shimmy only occurs at 50 or only at/above 50?
Shimmy stops above what speed?
Shimmy stops if you slow below 50?
Is there any shimmy, ever, in a straight line?
Can you identify a side that it seems to be starting on?
Did you try cross-rotating the tires?
OK, now onto the shimmy, have you tired moving the tires while they are jacked up? Grasp the tires at 3 and 9 o'clock and try to move them...then repeat with hands at 12 and 6 o'clock. If the tire moves in the first case (3 and 9), check tie rods...if it moves in the second case (12 and 6), check the ball joints. That's just a rule of thumb...but to me it sounds like a suspension component failing.
Shimmy is only on curves?
Shimmy only occurs at 50 or only at/above 50?
Shimmy stops above what speed?
Shimmy stops if you slow below 50?
Is there any shimmy, ever, in a straight line?
Can you identify a side that it seems to be starting on?
Did you try cross-rotating the tires?
OK, now onto the shimmy, have you tired moving the tires while they are jacked up? Grasp the tires at 3 and 9 o'clock and try to move them...then repeat with hands at 12 and 6 o'clock. If the tire moves in the first case (3 and 9), check tie rods...if it moves in the second case (12 and 6), check the ball joints. That's just a rule of thumb...but to me it sounds like a suspension component failing.
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To update this, my tire guy broke down all four tires and then remounted them and tried again. Here is where it gets odd...he balanced the tires, took them off the balancer, set them down on the ground for five minutes, then remounted them on the balancer and and the balance readings were off. So something was clearly wrong with his machine, so he called in the Hunter rep who inspected it and sure enough the mounting cones were worn out and the mounting shaft on the balancer was worn out, too. So hes getting the new parts for his GSP9700 and Im going back to try again next week.
I suppose I could just run to another shop and be done with it, but hes a local independent shop and Ive known this guy for years and he's always been good to me in terms of repairs and price. I dont mind helping him solve his problems becuase hes always been so patient helping me solve mine.
I suppose I could just run to another shop and be done with it, but hes a local independent shop and Ive known this guy for years and he's always been good to me in terms of repairs and price. I dont mind helping him solve his problems becuase hes always been so patient helping me solve mine.
Last edited by RkFast; 08-07-2012 at 10:24 AM.
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