Not So Good Vibrations

[SPD TRP]

Ok, here is the deal,
My 1991 Turbo has a problem with a front end shimmy.

Thought I had a bad tire and/or wheel, so bought new wheels and tires. Well that is not intirely true, I wanted new wheels and tires.
Wheels are 18X8 fronts and 18X9 1/2 rears TSW Thruxton with Sumitomo HTRZII tires.
Let me not forget about the hub-centric rings that were also installed.

On the way home from the initial install, they had a vibration, stopped by another discount tire and had them balance the fronts again, when we noticed that one tire had a hop to it, so we got another new tire and put it on, this helped, actually alot, but still the vibration persists.

So the shimmy comes on at about 65 mph and has a tendency to get worse
the faster I go.

I know these are not the best tires by far, but they should be able to balance out.

Can someone possibly shed some light on what may be going on.

I was always told that a vibration in the steering wheel is always a tire or a wheel.

Although the TRSM says it may be a strut or a bad rack and pinion.

Thanks in advance,

Wayne
3rdtimearound

 

[Nick M]

Did it start with the tire and rim swap? Usually balance comes in at a certain speed and leaves by another. Not progressively worse. Maybe a driveshaft problem, hub and bearing, or they still arent balanced right.

 

[SPD TRP]

When I bought the car it had 3 different tires on it, but I had the tires balanced and it was pretty smooth, went to get it aligned and was told both lower ball joints needed to be replaced, so I bought the Toyota OEM parts and changed them myself.

Then went and had it aligned.

Still pretty smooth and pretty straight.
Then, a little at a time, we got more and more vibration. I attributed it to the poor tires that were on it.

Wondering if lower control arm bushings or upper cintrol arm bushings could cause this problem.

Wayne
3rdtimearound

 

[mrnickleye]

Yes, bad, (or getting bad) bushings will certainly cause what you are experiencing. Been there, done that, on several cars and trucks.

 

[SPD TRP]

Have you had this problem with your mkIII?

 

[mrnickleye]

So far, not on my MKIII. But on a customers. Upper arm bushings. Most people on these forums use the poly bushings. I have always used the regular replacement ones, as they tend to not be as 'stiff ' as the polys.

You need to have it aligned afterwards. Best to do all the bushings at one time. :icon_conf

 

[SPD TRP]

Had some other isues with those TSW Thruxtion wheels so I took them back, and put the stockers back on. There is an ever so slight vibration from the front end, far less than with the brand new wheels and tires, and these tires are almost worn out.

Think I will just buy tires for the stockers until I can get a good quality wheel.

Thanks
Wayne
3rdtimearound

 

[mrnickleye]

Well, very true that a 'slightly' bent rim can cause shimmies and vibration. And it sucks to hit a pothole or tap a curb and bend one just a tad. Over the years, with different cars, I've had to replace some. Last year had to get 4, cause I could not find a replacement one for the really cool ones that came on the car. Shit !$$$