So I am over 65k on my 2000 SE I am begining to feel the the front wheels shimmy @ higher speeds. The steering wheel also shakes a small amount left and right.
It's not rotor warpage because I am well aware of what that feels like. And I have had my tires rotated and the problem is still there so i no it's not a wheel out of ballance.
I have not replaced struts or springs yet so they are original as is wheel bearings and anything else up front.

Any ideas on what this may be. Or how to narrow it down. I don't want to give a service guy a general question like this and open the door for him to bend me over.

Thanks for anyones help or suggestions. Mike

 

I know that you don't think it could be a wheel that is out of balance but, in general, 55 - 65 is the exact speed in which you feel the vibration when the wheel is out of balance... If the vibration goes away as you go faster, you most likely have a weight that has fallen off or someone did a crappy job balancing your tires.

Bent wheels shake at all speeds but you can feel them most by driving slowly. If a wheel is bent, it feels like someone is shaking you from the seat from side to side.

A couple of thigs you can try:
- with the car on the ground, crouch by the front tire, grab the tire from the top, with both hands and push in towards the engine (center of the car) in a shaking motion. In other words, get the car rocking. If the bearing is good, you should not hear any noises or feel any wiggle at all. Repeat on the other side.

- The other thing you can try is to jack up the car, loosen the lug nuts, and tighten them finger tight as you are wiggling the tire. You want to ensure that the lug nuts are centering the wheels onto the hub. Do this with all of your lug nuts *before* you torque them down in a star pattern. (sometimes if you take your car to the shop, the tech will put your wheel on and hit the lug nuts, one at a time, with an impact wrench. Problem is once the first nut is tight, the other nuts can't really move your wheel to center it.)

 

i took my altima in a couple of weeks ago to get the tires rotated and balanced and when i got on the highway and was doing 55mph the steering wheel was shaking a lot and it felt like the wheels were going to fall off. i assumed they did not properly balance the tires and when i took the car back, the tires that they put on the front from the rear were older and cracked, but once i got above 60mph the car wouldnt shake. check to see if your tires are cracked i guess. new tires on=no more shaking.

 

thanks. I 'll give that a try.
I just have to wit for the rain to let up here in NJ