Car vibrating over 65 MPH, any ideas?

[[email protected]]

My car has a pretty smooth ride up until around 65 mph on the highway. Then, and only when slightly turning right (such as turning into the lane to the right, or a sloping right curve to the road) The steering wheel vibrates heavily.

This doesn't happen when going straight or left. Is this a simple alignment issue? Shocks? Struts? The car does not pull in either direction. Anyone deal with anything like this?

 

[Wallie05]

Check the wheel balances/weights on the outside of the rims. I had the exact same problem a few months ago, expect my wheel (and even the whole car)vibrated while going straight, also above 60mph or so. My problem was that I scraped off a wheel weight while parallel parking.

Not sure if that's your problem, but check out the rims....

 

[SKycity_BMW]

I agree with Wallie . .

 

[Abdoman]

I had the exact same problem on my 3 series. It endied up being the ball joint. I only felt it when changing lanes or taking curves at high speed. When it did happened the wheel would vibrate so violently it was scary.

 

[Tom]

Both are great tips, but since Wallie's tip is cheaper, try that first before going with Abdoman's.

 

[[email protected]]

Had the tires replaced and balanced about ten months ago--but I suppose a weight could have been lost. I will have it checked out and see what happens. Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[j2azz]

If it vibrates violently on a turn, it's more likely a balljoint especially if you don't feel the vibration on a straight away. If it's real violent, get it fixed before it pops out

 

[[email protected]]

It is actually fairly mild - I would not describe it as violent at all. I mainly feel it in the steering wheel, car still feels pretty smooth.

 

[frolf]

could be a dinged wheel or offset alignment. you can check your balljoints at home i do believe. as the rule goes "if there's play, throw them away"

 

[j2azz]

You can check the balljoint yourself by jacking that wheel up, take the wheel off. Pry a screwdriver between the arm and the housing (carefully) and see if you can move the arm from the housing (thus play in the balljoint). If you can, then it's shot.

 

[Kirby]

IF those items all check out OK, check the adjustment (bearing loading) on the spindle nut. If it is not snug enough it could cause a symptom like this.

 

[[email protected]]

wow, you gentleman are obviously more mechanically inclined than me!

Not sure if I know what the spindle nut is, but I can definately check it out. I have had a couple of the wheels off to make sure the rims weren't bent, and to see if there is any play in the rotor etc. So far I have come up with nothing. I will attempt to check the balljoints and spindle nut this weekend. Thanks for the ideas!

 

[mybabyM3]

Hey guys, I don't know if you know this or not but on our cars the ball joints have 1/8th inch play. I had new tires put on a month ago and they said I needed new ball joints in the front. So I ordered some and was checking around on the net. I came across a site that was saying most mechanics want to replace them because of the play. I would have to agree. The owner of the car on the forum took his car to the dealer and they said it was fine. He said they showed him a couple of other cars and they did it too.
Loosing a Ball joint is one of the worst things that can happen to you when driving. If it goe's so will your wheel. Most likely you will wreck. If you have high milage or any doubt about their condition you should replace A.S.A.P. You could save your car your life or someone else. I can't tell you that the person on the forum was truthful or even knew what he was talking about. But I can tell you that you don't want to chance loosing suspension parts while driving. Most of us drive these cars hard to which could make it worse on some twisty road with a 100ft. cliff to the side.

 

[Faze]

Loosing a Ball joint is one of the worst things that can happen to you when driving. If it goe's so will your wheel. Most likely you will wreck. If you have high milage or any doubt about their condition you should replace A.S.A.P. You could save your car your life or someone else. I can't tell you that the person on the forum was truthful or even knew what he was talking about. But I can tell you that you don't want to chance loosing suspension parts while driving. Most of us drive these cars hard to which could make it worse on some twisty road with a 100ft. cliff to the side.

Wow, that is totally extreme and I disagree! Ball joints will get very crappy long before you have any sort of catastrophic failure. Believe me, I have ruined many ball joints and control arms! The joint is greased, and when the seal fails, the grease will dry, and contaminants will intrude on the bearing housing. This will definitely "crap things up", but you are not in danger of your suspension falling apart! The pronounced wobble of a failed ball joint is not pleasant, but typically not life threatening unless you are the type of driver that over reacts to stimuli.

-J

 

[dewey325]

I can almost guarantee its the ball joints, this happened to me. Replaced ball joints, control arms and control arm bushings.

 

[mybabyM3]

Faze I have seen them go also. I know of a lady in the town where I live that just a couple of months before I got my tires had her ball joint snap and lost the tie rod end on her van. These two items combined with forward inertia and the weight of the vehichle ripped off the passenger front tire going only 35 to 40 mph in town. Needless to say she wrecked the van and ended up paying alot more than a 100 bucks to get a ball joint replaced. Luckily she didn't get hurt but what scares me about these things is you don't know when they will let go. Could be something like that or you could be going 80mph on the freeway next to a semi. I agree with you that is extreme and something I don't want to have happen to me or the guy next to me.

 

[[email protected]]

After my car gets out from a total repaint (was quoted one week--we are now on three weeks and counting) I plan to get that vibration checked out. Either way, it is decreasing my drive quality and at least will likely cause my tires to wear incorrectly, and who knows what else.

 

[Faze]

Seriously, mybabyM3, there has to be something else to that story. There is just no way a ball joint or tie rod end will just snap on their own. That lady you are talking about hit a curb or a mega pothole or something. You don't loose both at the same time without some external influence either. Gotta call BS chief. And, if you want I will bring in people that really know what they are talking about, because if there is one thing I hate it is the spread of FUD (fear, uncertainty and doubt). I leave that shit to the Bush administration.

-J

 

[mybabyM3]

FUD, I like that never heard that before. Yes there could be more to that story I heard this second hand from the mechanic that told me I needed to replace mine.
They spread FUD to me and made me a believer so now I spread the FUD. I do have to agree with the Bush statement but I believe the other losing camp spread as much or more in there statements. But hey John had a plan I just wish I would have heard what it was then I might have voted for him. I am a registered Dem. but just couldn't swing that way this go around.
Anyway I call truce. I'm not on here to fight just to learn and have a good time.

 

[Faze]

That's cool. I just wanted to make sure that people didn't have unreasonable fears. I have thought equally silly things at times, especially after a mechanic I trusted told me something that wasn't completely true. I have some good resources in my family that know a lot about cars, and they keep my head on straight.

-J