...steering wheel shake?

I recently replaced my rims, had them mounted and balanced by Mavis Discount Tire, and I'm noticing vibration at my steering wheel. It seems to be the most prominent between 72 and 82 miles per hour. Any ideas on what else could be damaged and in need of replacement? Tie-rod ends? Suspension arm bushings?

Thanks
AL

 

do you have hubcentric centering rings?

 

The rims are the OE 16" five-spoke rims from the 4th Gen SEs. I don't think hubcentric rings are needed.

 

Sounds exactly like the problem I had on my 91 stanza when a ball joint went bad. I'd check them first.

 

I had this exact problem (steering wheel shake at 70mph +) on my 95 SE with 109,000 miles. After I replaced the passenger side lower control arm assembly, it completely disappeared. I also lowered the car with B&G Springs at the same time, but this shouldn't have explained the fix. I did nothing to my tires at this time. Check out www.nissanparts.cc for a decent price on this part. Good luck.

 

The lower control arms have the ball joint intergrated into them. If you replaced the control arm, you replaced the ball joint as well.

 

GET AN ALLIGNMENT!

 

ejj5875: Is this ball joint the one that the upright joins to the lower control arm? Is there a bushing in this ball that goes bad? How do I know which side to change? Are there telltale signs that the ball joint has gone bad when I look under the car?

MikeD95SE: I just had the alignment done by the same place that mounted and balanced the tires. The car has had no problems tracking straight.

 

Yes, I think.

Other than that I can't help you. I found out that was the problem with my Stanza from a shop, before I knew a damn thing about cars.

I've never had problems with them on my Maxima(s).

Check out this thread: http://forums.maxima.org/showthread....ball+AND+joint

 

First bring them back to get REBALANCED. That could be the problem.

 

For free...Mavis was actually quite apologetic...they forgot to remove the old weights which were taped inside the rim and covered with duct tape.

So, the tires are balanced, car still tracks pefectly straight...but I've still got vibration. I did notice that the ride was smoother at slower speeds and the vibration comes on at around 70, but not as severly. Also, it seems as though the severity of the vibration varies...almost none when cold. I also realized that my brake rotors are warped...after only 8 months of service. Could severly warped rotors cause vibration at high speed?

Wouldn't worn bushing show vibration at any speed?

Thanks
AL

 

my alignment was WAY off because of f*cked up tie rods and my wheel wasn't shaking, just wasn't steering straight...does that happen when u brake or just when u driving? if when u brake then i think u have bad rotors cause my friends toyota was shaking till he changed his rotors....if happening while driving...hmmm.....maybe your axles? could be bad alignment...normally alignment fixes everything anyway ...

 

There is steering wheel vibration when I'm driving...but a different mode of vibration in the steering wheel AND brake pedal when I brake hard. I'm pretty sure my rotors are warped, I'm just questioning whether or not my non-braking vibration could be caused by the rotor warpage.

 

just to add - steering rack bushing

 

Try having the rotors cut. That might slove the braking problem.