New tires... New steering wheel shimmy
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Super Member
Joined: Jul 2005
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W210 W140
New tires... New steering wheel shimmy
I just had a set of Yokohama YK520's put on. I've only put about 8 miles on them. I noticed past 40mph that my steering wheel starts to shake from side-to-side. It isn't drastic, but is definitely noticable, and was not occurring before my tire replacement.
My car is due for an alignment. Should I go back to the tire shop to have the balance/bead on the tires checked before I go for alignment? Could the installation these new tires (assuming they are balanced and true) have thrown off my alignment? Any help is appreciated. Thanks,
My car is due for an alignment. Should I go back to the tire shop to have the balance/bead on the tires checked before I go for alignment? Could the installation these new tires (assuming they are balanced and true) have thrown off my alignment? Any help is appreciated. Thanks,
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2007
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From: Atlanta, GA
97 E320
I just had a set of Yokohama YK520's put on. I've only put about 8 miles on them. I noticed past 40mph that my steering wheel starts to shake from side-to-side. It isn't drastic, but is definitely noticable, and was not occurring before my tire replacement.
My car is due for an alignment. Should I go back to the tire shop to have the balance/bead on the tires checked before I go for alignment? Could the installation these new tires (assuming they are balanced and true) have thrown off my alignment? Any help is appreciated. Thanks,
My car is due for an alignment. Should I go back to the tire shop to have the balance/bead on the tires checked before I go for alignment? Could the installation these new tires (assuming they are balanced and true) have thrown off my alignment? Any help is appreciated. Thanks,
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From: Pittsburgh,PA, Cambridge, Ontario, CN
2003 S210 3.8L Brabus wagon
your front tires are out of balance. I have had two shops in the same day put different weight values on mine withing 4 miles. A road force balance cured all issues. In PA it is about $40.00 per wheel at the dealer. When the wheel is on the tire balancer the mech can check for out of round or warp. It is rare that the wheel is out unless prior hits to the wheels have occurred. Get a road force balance it will be worth it.
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From: West Virginia
2001 E320 RWD - Brilliant Silver/Ash: 100,000+
Another vote for out of balance. If your alignment was off, the car would likely pull to the left or right. Does it go in a straight line if you let go of the steering wheel?
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From: Albuquerque
'10 CL550, '12 GL550
Another vote for balance. Or defective tire.
BTW, there's no such thing as "due for alignment" unless you just periodically agree to your pocket being fleeced.
A car only needs alignment when something is worn out or damaged by accident. In either case--all cases--you need new suspension parts. Putting on new tires does not expose this and you would have noticed an alignment problem previously.
BTW, there's no such thing as "due for alignment" unless you just periodically agree to your pocket being fleeced.
A car only needs alignment when something is worn out or damaged by accident. In either case--all cases--you need new suspension parts. Putting on new tires does not expose this and you would have noticed an alignment problem previously.
Last edited by lkchris; Jul 27, 2008 at 05:50 PM.
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300E a couple 1994 w124wagon E320 Wagon/,1971MGB Track/Rally, MG Midget Autocross ,2000 E320 wagon.
Another for
balance.The other possible cause ,the shop torqued the rims improperly and warped the rotor,or in some cases did not torque them at all and the rim will go flying past you
ohlord
ohlord
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From: West Virginia
2001 E320 RWD - Brilliant Silver/Ash: 100,000+
That caught my eye too but neglected to comment. Whenever I buy tires, the guy asks about an alignment and I usually decline. That's an extra $75 that the service writer and shop get you for, needed or not. However, certain types of tire wear patterns will indicate you need one.
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W210 W140
I'm due for an alignment because I replaced my shocks a little while ago. Plus, I have been feeling a slight pull to the left for a little while. This is still present, but the shimmying was bad.
Update: I went to Discount Tire today and had them rebalance the wheels. I didn't know about a road force test until reading these posts, so I don't know if this got done. After rebalancing, I took it back on the road and I still felt the shimmy. I took it back and they rebalanced. They tried to tell me that the spacers I have in my Brabus rims are what is causing the shimmy. This hasn't occurred in the three years I've had them, so I did dispute it with them. They then installed the spacers onto the rear wheels and not the front, which I was told the spacers are supposed to be on the front. I drove the car around and the shimmy was gone.
-Do I really need to run 5mm spacers on the front wheels if I have 17"X8.5" Brabus Mono XI's?
-Does anyone see any potential harm with the spacers being on the back wheels for the next few days before I have an opportunity to take them off?
Update: I went to Discount Tire today and had them rebalance the wheels. I didn't know about a road force test until reading these posts, so I don't know if this got done. After rebalancing, I took it back on the road and I still felt the shimmy. I took it back and they rebalanced. They tried to tell me that the spacers I have in my Brabus rims are what is causing the shimmy. This hasn't occurred in the three years I've had them, so I did dispute it with them. They then installed the spacers onto the rear wheels and not the front, which I was told the spacers are supposed to be on the front. I drove the car around and the shimmy was gone.
-Do I really need to run 5mm spacers on the front wheels if I have 17"X8.5" Brabus Mono XI's?
-Does anyone see any potential harm with the spacers being on the back wheels for the next few days before I have an opportunity to take them off?
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