Wheel Shake at 70mph....Any Ideas?

[Force_Fed_4Door]

I did a quick search the on forum and didn't find anything on wheel shake or wheel vibration so I'll post my question here.

 

I am getting a noticeable vibration through the steering wheel between 65-80mph. There doesn't seem to be anything under that speed in terms of vibration.

 

- this has been present for about 4 months

- just had new tires put on and balanced about a month ago and it is still there (hoped that would cure the issue)

- had all four wheels checked for any dents when tires were installed

- car drives totally straight and doesn't pull to either side

 

I have a service appointment with Subaru next week and want to ask them to check on this but I figured I would check with the members here to see if there are any suggestions. I'd love to have some ideas before I just hand them the keys and as them to "take a look":cool:

 

Since the vibrations only happen at a high speed I'm thinking it might be something out of balance vs tie rods or steering components but at this point I just not sure.

 

Car is totally stock with 47K except for the new 225 tires.

 

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

K

[planelazy]

Get an alignment

[whitetiger]

if the car drives straight, its not an alignment issue. maybe the shop did a crap job balancing your wheels. Id get the balance checked. if the balance is good, maybe ther is something up with an axle.

[Force_Fed_4Door]

Thanks for the replies.....I am a little stumped with this one.

 

That is my though in regards to alignment. It doesn't pull so I kind of ruled that out.

 

The shake was there with the old tires (original ones) and I figured I would wait it out another month or so for when I got new tires. I got the wheels checked and figured I might have lost a wheel weight or something since it was delivered in 05! But the shake was still there with new tires and a balance.

 

Everything felt tight when I did the brakes a few weeks ago. I thought it might be a wheel bearing or something.

 

K

[ShadowImg]

Could also have a blown strut or a torn bushing somewhere.

[mperez865]

alignment or rotors

[Force_Fed_4Door]

Everything felt tight when I did the brakes a few weeks ago.

 

K

 

Yea... I did 4 brand new rotors when I did the brakes a few weeks ago and the issue what there before and after the brake job so I've ruled them out as well.

 

K

[AZP Installs]

Check the lower control arm bushings. They are going to be ripped but it would explain having a good alignment but shaking in the wheel. Although crap wheel balancing is also something to check. Tie rods and ball joints shouldn't have gone at 47K but anything is possible.

 

-Jake

 

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[Max Capacity]

I'm with the crappy balancing thought.

[paintpollz]

I had the same issue. Ended up being the lug nuts, I overtightened them everytime I rotated my tires. Quite often, as I have the hankook v12s, they are a directional tire and I rotate every 3k. I was on a fresh alignment and balance as I just put the new wheels on, it happened shortly after I rotated them for the first time.

 

I used to tighten the lugs by standing on the tire iron. My buddy at work mentioned that you only need just muscle them tight by hand. Started doing that and the vibration went away, completely. Even at 120mph, nothing. I originally thought that these cars just got out of alignment really quickly. But it was just me over tighening the lugs by standing on the tire iron.

 

Maybe them overtightened them at the shop?

 

Just a suggestion, and most likly its the other things that everyone mentioned.

[Max Capacity]

Rotate the tires back to front, front to back.

 

See if you can feel the vibration in the drivers seat.

 

 

torque the lugs to 80ftlbs, I also put a little anti-sieze compound on them.

[BAC5.2]

I'd inspect the CV joints.

[Force_Fed_4Door]

Ok, thanks guys.

 

I'll see what I can do to inspect the lower control arm bushings if possible.

 

Is there a certain way you can inspect the CV joints?

 

I can swap the tires (front to back) but I did that with the previous set and the vibration was still there. Figured maybe all 4 were out of balance.

 

- I always use a torque wrench when putting my wheels back on at 85 ft/lbs

 

K

[ehsnils]

One more thing - remove each wheel, check that there's nothing between rim and rotor surface, use a steel brush if necessary and remount wheel.

 

Also watch out severely for "tricks" one member did get a washer between rim and rotor on one screw by a shady shop which created an vibration issue.

 

See thread here: http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/careful-guys-tire-shop-tried-screw-me-and-could-have-150959.html?t=150959

[goneskiian]

I'm with the crappy balancing thought.

 

I had tires mounted by one shop and they were balanced according to them but they still vibrated. Took them somewhere else... butter smooth.

[shutterbc]

In my area, I unfortunately have a longer list of shops NOT to get my wheels balanced at than a list of places that balanced my wheels correctly.

 

My wheel shake is due to the brake rotors now... but I occasionally re-bed them and all is well again. You could also check for a seized brake caliper (though that usually causes pulling)

[eurolatin33]

im having the same issue with mine. So far inner tie rod right has been replace, both front wheel bearings and now due to subaru a front left axle, all of this was done under warranty, which good on subaru, but im starting to loose confidence in the car.

 

Also my breaks apperantly have about 4 mil left and rotors are warped to crap to the point that any harsh slowdown from 120k to 60k they litterally feel like they are sticking to the rotors and even the rotors them selfs have groves on them on the right side.

 

I am waiting until next month to get a set of DBA4000 front rotors and endless ssy pads, my rear rotors and pads are new, this being my last hope to get rid of the vibration.

[ehsnils]

Brakes are notorious for creating vibration issues.

[Force_Fed_4Door]

Brakes are all new and the vibration was there before I replaced pads/rotors.

 

She is going to the dealer tomorrow. I'll start with wheel balancing and go from there.

 

Thanks for the ideas and suggestion. I'll follow up with the results.

[DirtyDan]

I'd bet on a wheel balance. Luckily, I have my own balancing machine. I find a lot of things when I do my own mount & balance.

Subaru's are quite sensitive to bent wheels and tires out of balance. When I spin a wheel on the balancer, I get to see if it's straight, then after a tire is mounted, if the tire is round and straight.

[sachilles]

oem wheels or aftermarket? Many times aftermarket wheels need hub centric rings, otherwise it's a pain to get them on centered.

[Force_Fed_4Door]

Well the LGT just got an oil change and I had them look at the vibration issue.

 

I always like to post up the results to anything that I ask on the forum as it is too bad when you find a post with a similar problem/question that you have and they never came back with the results or findings....

 

Dirtydan and all the others who pointed to the balancing where right. I had the new tires mounted and balanced at the Ford dealership because Subaru said that they couldn't take me for another week. The fronts were out 1.25oz on one side and 1.50oz on the other.

 

The result was $15 and she is perfectly smooth at 80mph.

 

Thanks for all of the suggestions and I am obviously relieved that it was the simplest of all the probable suspects.