Slight steering wheel shake

[Mark T.B. Carroll]

2004 WRX STi: When I get to 80mph or so there's a slight shake in the
steering wheel. Is this something I'd expect as being normal within the
limits of wheel balancing, etc.?

-- Mark

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

2004 WRX STi: When I get to 80mph or so there's a slight shake in the
steering wheel. Is this something I'd expect as being normal within the
limits of wheel balancing, etc.?

-- Mark

Rotate the tires and see if it changes. You may have some tread
seperation or something going on with the tires.


Carl

 

[Mark T.B. Carroll]

Rotate the tires and see if it changes. You may have some tread
seperation or something going on with the tires.

Thanks, I'll try that. I think I'm due to rotate them soon anyway.

-- Mark

 

[Mark T.B. Carroll]

Rotate the tires and see if it changes. You may have some tread
seperation or something going on with the tires.

Weird. I can't reproduce it now. I'll look into it if it happens again!
Maybe it depends on the road surface or something, or maybe the winter
tires don't like if it gets much above freezing?

-- Mark

 

[AS]

Yes, roads are tricky, I75 in the vecinity of my city causes all sorts
of weird shimmys otherwise not present in the car.

Wheel shimmy can be caused by many things. When related to tires, very
few balancer machines can really find a problem. See this:
http://hunter.com/pub/product/balancer/4159T/index.htm

Good luck

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

Yes, roads are tricky, I75 in the vecinity of my city causes all sorts
of weird shimmys otherwise not present in the car.

Wheel shimmy can be caused by many things. When related to tires, very
few balancer machines can really find a problem. See this:
http://hunter.com/pub/product/balancer/4159T/index.htm

Good luck

yeah - if its specific to a road surface - could be tramlining;
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=47


Carl

 

[Mark T.B. Carroll]

AS wrote: (snip)

Interesting, I didn't know that. Now I just have to find someone who has
one. (-:

(snip)

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=47

"High performance tires with short sidewalls that develop lots of
cornering power at lower slip angles will be more susceptible to
tramlining" - hmmmm, I guess that helps explain why I've not noticed it
in our less-exciting cars.

-- Mark

 

[nobody >]

Interesting, I didn't know that. Now I just have to find someone who has
one. (-:

(snip)

"High performance tires with short sidewalls that develop lots of
cornering power at lower slip angles will be more susceptible to
tramlining" - hmmmm, I guess that helps explain why I've not noticed it
in our less-exciting cars.

-- Mark

And it doesn't 'have' to be high-performance tires. WA DOT finally
repaved a chunk of I5 here that would 'tramline' about anything. It was
almost impossible to make a safe and sedate lane change on that stretch
of road, you had to intentionally jerk the wheel to get out of the ruts.