Help, Steering Vibration
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 7
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From: Santiago, Chile
1994 E420 & 1968 RS/SS Camaro
Help, Steering Vibration
Hi everyone,
I recently bought a 1994 e420, it’s a great car but I’m having a problem with the steering, it’s vibrating.
When I bought the car it had 18” AMG replica wheels on it, they where rubbing and the steering was vibrating even though I balanced the wheels a couple of times and changed the steering shock-absorber. I though it could be a problem related it the wheels so I managed to get the original wheels and put them on the car but the steering is still vibrating, I’ve also balanced these wheels twice and the problem persists. Any idea what could be causing the vibration?
I’ve also noticed that the car is about 5mm lower in front right hand side.
Your help is appreciated.
Thanks
I recently bought a 1994 e420, it’s a great car but I’m having a problem with the steering, it’s vibrating.
When I bought the car it had 18” AMG replica wheels on it, they where rubbing and the steering was vibrating even though I balanced the wheels a couple of times and changed the steering shock-absorber. I though it could be a problem related it the wheels so I managed to get the original wheels and put them on the car but the steering is still vibrating, I’ve also balanced these wheels twice and the problem persists. Any idea what could be causing the vibration?
I’ve also noticed that the car is about 5mm lower in front right hand side.
Your help is appreciated.
Thanks
Last edited by Oreste; Jun 25, 2008 at 02:25 PM.
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 356
Likes: 0
From: Glendale, AZ
'95 E420 SE
95% sure it's your brake rotors. V-8 cars are tough on rotors, and the OEM rotors (and aftermarket ones too) will warp pretty quickly due to the heat generated by a heavy car and relatively small rotors.
Pop fresh one's on and I bet your vibration goes away. Better still, opt for a big-brake upgrade because with those 18" AMG replicas, you have room to run a larger rotor, caliper setup. Bigger brakes will build less heat and thus warp less.
Pop fresh one's on and I bet your vibration goes away. Better still, opt for a big-brake upgrade because with those 18" AMG replicas, you have room to run a larger rotor, caliper setup. Bigger brakes will build less heat and thus warp less.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: Santiago, Chile
1994 E420 & 1968 RS/SS Camaro
95% sure it's your brake rotors. V-8 cars are tough on rotors, and the OEM rotors (and aftermarket ones too) will warp pretty quickly due to the heat generated by a heavy car and relatively small rotors.
Pop fresh one's on and I bet your vibration goes away. Better still, opt for a big-brake upgrade because with those 18" AMG replicas, you have room to run a larger rotor, caliper setup. Bigger brakes will build less heat and thus warp less.
Pop fresh one's on and I bet your vibration goes away. Better still, opt for a big-brake upgrade because with those 18" AMG replicas, you have room to run a larger rotor, caliper setup. Bigger brakes will build less heat and thus warp less.
Thanks
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: Santiago, Chile
1994 E420 & 1968 RS/SS Camaro
Thanks
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 356
Likes: 0
From: Glendale, AZ
'95 E420 SE
oh yeah, you have lots to research when it comes to whell fitment, etc. It's worth it, but it's lots of work none the less. In the mean time, drop in some OEM replacement rotors and I bet your vibration vanishes.
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 356
Likes: 0
From: Glendale, AZ
'95 E420 SE
oh yeah, you have lots to research when it comes to whell fitment, etc. It's worth it, but it's lots of work none the less. In the mean time, drop in some OEM replacement rotors and I bet your vibration vanishes.
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Also, I had the same issue regarding the steering vibration and it turned out to be the alignment and warped rotors.
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Member
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 122
Likes: 1
From: Romania, Cluj
'88 300CE
Well my rotors are brand new, steering damper brand new, rebuilt calipers, new bushings allaround, springs an shoks too, balanced the wheels several times, also realigned the steering (twice for the same reason, nothing else), and I still get a vibration... and other random isues: the steering pulls left or right all of a sudden! not hard, but it's not ok!
since none of the above worked, I have two other possible reasons:
1- my servo is shot! now this can be fixed (and it will be this weekend!). I hear the pump in the morning, or when I have to manuvre in tight parking spaces, full turning left or right.
2- some might remember I had a crash last winter (just before Christmas), and this one might be harder to fix. I noticed my left shok is having some isues when turning the wheels left or right. the car was up an elevator when I saw this... maybe I have to do some more measuring, to see if my left shock mount was not afected by the crash...
I've met the second posibility before, when I bought a crashed w201... it was repainted, and "repaired" by our romanian standards. I had to do a full front body work, and it was a b!7ch, seeing that sourceing the parts is really hard around here.
best of luck to you Oreste, and hope you fix your car soon and easy.
since none of the above worked, I have two other possible reasons:
1- my servo is shot! now this can be fixed (and it will be this weekend!). I hear the pump in the morning, or when I have to manuvre in tight parking spaces, full turning left or right.
2- some might remember I had a crash last winter (just before Christmas), and this one might be harder to fix. I noticed my left shok is having some isues when turning the wheels left or right. the car was up an elevator when I saw this... maybe I have to do some more measuring, to see if my left shock mount was not afected by the crash...
I've met the second posibility before, when I bought a crashed w201... it was repainted, and "repaired" by our romanian standards. I had to do a full front body work, and it was a b!7ch, seeing that sourceing the parts is really hard around here.
best of luck to you Oreste, and hope you fix your car soon and easy.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: Santiago, Chile
1994 E420 & 1968 RS/SS Camaro
Well my rotors are brand new, steering damper brand new, rebuilt calipers, new bushings allaround, springs an shoks too, balanced the wheels several times, also realigned the steering (twice for the same reason, nothing else), and I still get a vibration... and other random isues: the steering pulls left or right all of a sudden! not hard, but it's not ok!
since none of the above worked, I have two other possible reasons:
1- my servo is shot! now this can be fixed (and it will be this weekend!). I hear the pump in the morning, or when I have to manuvre in tight parking spaces, full turning left or right.
2- some might remember I had a crash last winter (just before Christmas), and this one might be harder to fix. I noticed my left shok is having some isues when turning the wheels left or right. the car was up an elevator when I saw this... maybe I have to do some more measuring, to see if my left shock mount was not afected by the crash...
I've met the second posibility before, when I bought a crashed w201... it was repainted, and "repaired" by our romanian standards. I had to do a full front body work, and it was a b!7ch, seeing that sourceing the parts is really hard around here.
best of luck to you Oreste, and hope you fix your car soon and easy.
since none of the above worked, I have two other possible reasons:
1- my servo is shot! now this can be fixed (and it will be this weekend!). I hear the pump in the morning, or when I have to manuvre in tight parking spaces, full turning left or right.
2- some might remember I had a crash last winter (just before Christmas), and this one might be harder to fix. I noticed my left shok is having some isues when turning the wheels left or right. the car was up an elevator when I saw this... maybe I have to do some more measuring, to see if my left shock mount was not afected by the crash...
I've met the second posibility before, when I bought a crashed w201... it was repainted, and "repaired" by our romanian standards. I had to do a full front body work, and it was a b!7ch, seeing that sourceing the parts is really hard around here.
best of luck to you Oreste, and hope you fix your car soon and easy.
Thanks
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: Santiago, Chile
1994 E420 & 1968 RS/SS Camaro
I was thinking about the rotors and it appears to me that if the rotors are warped I should be feeling some movement in the brake pedal, which I'm not. Is this assumption correct?
Thanks,
Oreste
Thanks,
Oreste
Last edited by Oreste; Jun 27, 2008 at 11:36 AM.
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 356
Likes: 0
From: Glendale, AZ
'95 E420 SE
probably yes, but possible not-so-much. It depends on the nature of the warping. If it is side to side, then likely you would feel some pulsing through the pedal. If it's radial, then no, you may not feel it in the pedal, but the vibration may persist.
Sometimes, there are inherent inaccuracies (flaws) in the raw rotor casting that results in an imbalance that cannot be felt until the rotor has been worn thinner. The removal of material lightens the overall weight of the rotor. Because the imperfection is internal, and was dampened when the rotor weighed more, the vibration was much less. But, with material removed the imbalance is magnified and results in a vibration that you will never be able to fix, and only gets worse over time.
Sometimes, there are inherent inaccuracies (flaws) in the raw rotor casting that results in an imbalance that cannot be felt until the rotor has been worn thinner. The removal of material lightens the overall weight of the rotor. Because the imperfection is internal, and was dampened when the rotor weighed more, the vibration was much less. But, with material removed the imbalance is magnified and results in a vibration that you will never be able to fix, and only gets worse over time.
Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 202
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From: Little Rock, Arkansas
1995 E 420
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: Santiago, Chile
1994 E420 & 1968 RS/SS Camaro
