Hard Steering Wheel Shimmy at Highway Speed
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 81
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2002 C32 amg
Hard Steering Wheel Shimmy at Highway Speed
I bought my wheels off a board member. After putting them on the car, I hit the highway and that's when I was like WTF. My steering wheel starts shimmying back and forth like crazy at speeds greater than 40mph. Now, here's the catch, the board member told me that the wheels felt fine, were not bent at all and that he hadn't experienced the shimmy. So I bring them in and the kid throws some weights on the rim to balance the wheel. I hit the highway again, hard shimmy is gone, it is now a hard vibration at the same speeds.
Tire Center #1 Diagnosis: You bought a bent rim dude, never buy used online from strangers.
Tire Center #2 Diagnosis: If the shimmy went away through the addition of weights, it's a tire problem, not a rim problem. Chances are the uneven wear from the previous owner is causing it and a new tire will fix it.
I'm going to try rotating the front 2 wheels to see if that makes a difference in the meantime because the front tires have a lot of life left. Both diagnoses make sense to me, hoping for the latter to be true....
Tire Center #1 Diagnosis: You bought a bent rim dude, never buy used online from strangers.
Tire Center #2 Diagnosis: If the shimmy went away through the addition of weights, it's a tire problem, not a rim problem. Chances are the uneven wear from the previous owner is causing it and a new tire will fix it.
I'm going to try rotating the front 2 wheels to see if that makes a difference in the meantime because the front tires have a lot of life left. Both diagnoses make sense to me, hoping for the latter to be true....
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Joined: Oct 2009
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From: bay area, california
Aston Martin V8 Vantage
I bought my wheels off a board member. After putting them on the car, I hit the highway and that's when I was like WTF. My steering wheel starts shimmying back and forth like crazy at speeds greater than 40mph. Now, here's the catch, the board member told me that the wheels felt fine, were not bent at all and that he hadn't experienced the shimmy. So I bring them in and the kid throws some weights on the rim to balance the wheel. I hit the highway again, hard shimmy is gone, it is now a hard vibration at the same speeds.
Tire Center #1 Diagnosis: You bought a bent rim dude, never buy used online from strangers.
Tire Center #2 Diagnosis: If the shimmy went away through the addition of weights, it's a tire problem, not a rim problem. Chances are the uneven wear from the previous owner is causing it and a new tire will fix it.
I'm going to try rotating the front 2 wheels to see if that makes a difference in the meantime because the front tires have a lot of life left. Both diagnoses make sense to me, hoping for the latter to be true....
Tire Center #1 Diagnosis: You bought a bent rim dude, never buy used online from strangers.
Tire Center #2 Diagnosis: If the shimmy went away through the addition of weights, it's a tire problem, not a rim problem. Chances are the uneven wear from the previous owner is causing it and a new tire will fix it.
I'm going to try rotating the front 2 wheels to see if that makes a difference in the meantime because the front tires have a lot of life left. Both diagnoses make sense to me, hoping for the latter to be true....
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,510
Likes: 2
From: bay area, california
Aston Martin V8 Vantage
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,490
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From: Dallas, Texas
W203 C55 and SAAB 9-3 2.0T
OR! Your could take into consideration that maybe the miss-waited wheels caused a miss-alignment and you need to get a new alignment? 
Maybe, if not, offer still stands and you can send them my way. 
Maybe, if not, offer still stands and you can send them my way. I bought my wheels off a board member. After putting them on the car, I hit the highway and that's when I was like WTF. My steering wheel starts shimmying back and forth like crazy at speeds greater than 40mph. Now, here's the catch, the board member told me that the wheels felt fine, were not bent at all and that he hadn't experienced the shimmy. So I bring them in and the kid throws some weights on the rim to balance the wheel. I hit the highway again, hard shimmy is gone, it is now a hard vibration at the same speeds.
Tire Center #1 Diagnosis: You bought a bent rim dude, never buy used online from strangers.
Tire Center #2 Diagnosis: If the shimmy went away through the addition of weights, it's a tire problem, not a rim problem. Chances are the uneven wear from the previous owner is causing it and a new tire will fix it.
I'm going to try rotating the front 2 wheels to see if that makes a difference in the meantime because the front tires have a lot of life left. Both diagnoses make sense to me, hoping for the latter to be true....
Tire Center #1 Diagnosis: You bought a bent rim dude, never buy used online from strangers.
Tire Center #2 Diagnosis: If the shimmy went away through the addition of weights, it's a tire problem, not a rim problem. Chances are the uneven wear from the previous owner is causing it and a new tire will fix it.
I'm going to try rotating the front 2 wheels to see if that makes a difference in the meantime because the front tires have a lot of life left. Both diagnoses make sense to me, hoping for the latter to be true....
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,510
Likes: 2
From: bay area, california
Aston Martin V8 Vantage
if you're the one who sold these to him, then i apologize for my last comment and am sure you will help him out
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,490
Likes: 5
From: Dallas, Texas
W203 C55 and SAAB 9-3 2.0T
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,660
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From: Orange County
a land yacht.
Vibration sounds like a tire problem. I doubt it has anything to do with your alignment. It sounds like uneven wear on the tires or even a flat spot (can happen when a car sits for a long period of time, warps the tire). It's easy to see if the wheels are bent, if they seem to be true, tires are the issue.
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,308
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From: Houston - Clear Lake
C63 coupe, Z3M Roadster garage queen
The tire dealers should be able to tell you if the rims are bent. Its also easy to check yourself. Just jack the car up and spin the wheels. To get precise, use something stationary - like a stack of boards - next to the spinning wheel, and put something pointed - like a pencil - on top of the stack with the point very close to the rim. Look for both lateral movement (wheel looks like it moves in and out relative to the tip of the pointer) and vertical (indicating wheel is out of round). It's a good idea to check both the outside and inside faces of each wheel. If anything is bent, it'll be real obvious.
