17 replies to this topic

[luismx123]

Hey all,

Never had this issue until today.
I just changed my old broken rubber front subframe mounts this past weekend and swapped my old shocks for new Gaz shortened length dampers. 

Since then, well basically today on the highway, once i got above 100km/h the steering wheel started wobbling quite a bit to the point where it didnt feel safe. The whole car started to shake too. 

Weirdly, it isn't directly tied to the speed at which i was travelling as the wobbles would sometimes go away and come back as it chose. i.e... driving 100- wobbles, keep accelerating to 120 - no wobbles, keep speed at 120, wobbles back. It came and went as it felt, but usually stayed for quite some time--- 1-2min maybe then off for 30sec-1min. Forced me to drive home at 80kmh where no wobbles would start.

Whilst at work, i removed the front wheels thinking it might be counterweight related, but theyre all there. I then put the tires back on and did a 12-6 and 9-3 shake check. What I found was the left wheel (driver side for me) didnt shake at all. The right wheel moved in the 9-3 plane with some clunking going on deep in the rubber boot/gaiter of the steering rack. There was enough movement to think that this is the reason that at speed the wheel would start bouncing back and forth a few degrees, causing the wobble... Id say there was around 1-3mm of movement with a clunking sound.

Is there anyway to "tighten" whatever is loose in there? I already checked the U-bolts holding the rack and theyre perfectly tight. The steering wheel only turns 1-2* until it properly engages.

Any advice/help/experience with this would be great.
Thanks

[cal844]

Sounds like you need a replacement steering rack, however first check that the wheels and CV joint nuts etc are tight.

Get an assistant to rock the wheel 'on the play' then look to see where the movement is. If it's under the rack end I'd say to replace the whole rack, as replacing the rack ends would still leave play on the worm and pinion.

Hope this helps

Edited by cal844, 20 August 2019 - 04:48 PM.

[phillrulz]

I had vibrastion at speed, turned out to be a bad alloy. 

[cal844]

I had vibrastion at speed, turned out to be a bad alloy.

I've had it with my Estate where I couldn't hold the wheel at 60mph, the stud holes were ovalled on the wheels

[luismx123]

I had vibrastion at speed, turned out to be a bad alloy. 

nah its 100% not the wheels. Checked them yesterday :/

[richmondclassicsnorthwales]

Are the wheels all balanced up - worth checking - one bad wheel makes the difference

[luismx123]

Are the wheels all balanced up - worth checking - one bad wheel makes the difference

Yes they are. Got them from jbw early this year and all the weights are still there.

I made a video of the movement. I removed the rubber gaiter and checked to see if it was the ball joint or play inside the steering rack. From what I can see - unfortunately the video doesnt do it justice - the play is coming from inside the steering rack. I checked if the rack would move but thats bolted on solid with the U bolts. The arm that comes out of the rack seems to move but I didnt check if it moved up and down or just front and back when pulling on the wheel. Will need to check that again -.-

Heres a video of the issue. not sure if its visible: https://photos.app.g...oH27ZmMe7jGVkd7

[Bobbins]

How do you really know it's not a wheel problem? When wheels are balanced they are clamped via the centre hole, that's not how they're mounted on the car and other wheel faults might only show up when mounted. Start by swapping your wheels front to back and see whether it makes any difference.

 

You've certainly got play in the rack but well balanced wheels would hide it.

Edited by Bobbins, 21 August 2019 - 09:14 AM.

[Icey]

One of the most common reasons you get a vibration that occurs at or around 60mph (100kmh) is an out-of-balance wheel, and the most common reason for that is that a wheel weight has come off.
 
Second reason is worn dampers and then onto other suspension components (typically rubber bushings).
 
It never hurts to double-check everything around the hubs (tie-rod ends, ball-joints etc..), so do that too but I would also look around the wheels to see for damage or a missing weight. Most tyre shops will re-balance wheels for £10-15 a corner (including removing and refitting the tyre if needed).

Edited by Icey, 21 August 2019 - 10:14 AM.

[luismx123]

How do you really know it's not a wheel problem? When wheels are balanced they are clamped via the centre hole, that's not how they're mounted on the car and other wheel faults might only show up when mounted. Start by swapping your wheels front to back and see whether it makes any difference.

 

You've certainly got play in the rack but well balanced wheels would hide it.

Im pretty sure as this problem litteraly only started yesteray and the weekend before it was perfectly fine. All I did was swap the dampers and subframe mounts. I have the wheels back on the same way they were before I did the dampers so that for me doesnt seem logical. I will however get them checked on friday just to be sure, but I cant imagine that being a possibility...but its a mini, who knows

 

 

One of the most common reasons you get a vibration that occurs at or around 60mph (100kmh) is an out-of-balance wheel, and the most common reason for that is that a wheel weight has come off.
 
Second reason is worn dampers and then onto other suspension components (typically rubber bushings).
 
It never hurts to double-check everything around the hubs (tie-rod ends, ball-joints etc..), so do that too but I would also look around the wheels to see for damage or a missing weight. Most tyre shops will re-balance wheels for £10-15 a corner (including removing and refitting the tyre if needed).

Ill have to check maybe the dampers having an issue :/ theyre new GAZ adjustables, and ive set them slightly harder than my old bilsteins (marginally harder). Ill see if making them softer does anything :/ or the other way round just making them harder.

I checked all surrounding parts whilst we did the install. All were in good order, all bushes etc 1yr old tops, nothing lose. 

[phillrulz]

 

I had vibrastion at speed, turned out to be a bad alloy. 

nah its 100% not the wheels. Checked them yesterday :/

 

 

Hmm, i got mine balanced and they still vibrated like mad but good luck 

[luismx123]

so just went to get them balanced. all perfect. not one was off -.-

The search continues

[Miki Leyland]

Heres a video of the issue. not sure if its visible: https://photos.app.g...oH27ZmMe7jGVkd7

 

 

Say no more. There is an internal PVC ring that goes inside the rack. When it gets old or deintegrated, the rack has that play making a clac sound. Check the Manual under the product description to see where this goes exactly. Typically many people leave the old inside and push the new one into the rack.

 

https://www.minispar...px|Back to shop

Edited by Miki Leyland, 22 August 2019 - 08:54 PM.

[Syma]

 

I had vibrastion at speed, turned out to be a bad alloy.

I've had it with my Estate where I couldn't hold the wheel at 60mph, the stud holes were ovalled on the wheels

 

I'm having a similar issue, not ovalled yet but metal shavings from the wheels on the stud and a thread pattern on the wheel stud holes. Did you find out what caused your issue?

[luismx123]

 

 

I had vibrastion at speed, turned out to be a bad alloy.

I've had it with my Estate where I couldn't hold the wheel at 60mph, the stud holes were ovalled on the wheels

 

I'm having a similar issue, not ovalled yet but metal shavings from the wheels on the stud and a thread pattern on the wheel stud holes. Did you find out what caused your issue?

 

hey

 

yea it was the steering racks play. I swapped it out for a new one and since then its been fine. 

wheels were balanced, nothing was loose, wheels and tires were new so not used or oval.