Steering shake at 60mph
09-26-2013, 03:07 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: VA
Posts: 9
Steering shake at 60mph
Folks ,
Here's the problem I'm facing and I would really appreciate insighful answers.
I bought my 2007 V6 Mustang coupe 3 weeks ago. Replaced all 4 tires with Fuzion P235/55R17 103W. At 60mph, I get a steering shake. This didn't happen before.
So I went back to the mechanic and all tires were off balance. He did tire balancing again. While driving back I noticed the shake is still there.
Did some reading online and learned it could be any of the following -bent rim, bad tire, bent axle, tire balancing. Read some more and learned
about road force balancing.
My questions :
1. what is the problem here ?
2. Is it just the bad tire.
3. Should I just live with this problem ?
Another observation I have - at 25-30mph...it feels like I'm going over small bumps.
4. Is this an indication that the tires are not balanced ?
5. Would going to a Ford dealer help ? (I'm reluctant to do this)
I'd really really like to fix this problem. Not that I don't enjoy driving now ,but I like things to be perfect.
Any help appreciated. Thank you !
shanlz
Herndon,VA
Here's the problem I'm facing and I would really appreciate insighful answers.
I bought my 2007 V6 Mustang coupe 3 weeks ago. Replaced all 4 tires with Fuzion P235/55R17 103W. At 60mph, I get a steering shake. This didn't happen before.
So I went back to the mechanic and all tires were off balance. He did tire balancing again. While driving back I noticed the shake is still there.
Did some reading online and learned it could be any of the following -bent rim, bad tire, bent axle, tire balancing. Read some more and learned
about road force balancing.
My questions :
1. what is the problem here ?
2. Is it just the bad tire.
3. Should I just live with this problem ?
Another observation I have - at 25-30mph...it feels like I'm going over small bumps.
4. Is this an indication that the tires are not balanced ?
5. Would going to a Ford dealer help ? (I'm reluctant to do this)
I'd really really like to fix this problem. Not that I don't enjoy driving now ,but I like things to be perfect.
Any help appreciated. Thank you !
shanlz
Herndon,VA
09-26-2013, 03:27 PM
#2
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,792
Try to find a place that has a road force balancer or laser balancer.
I had mine road force balanced and its smooth. Not sure why type of balancing method this shop you got the tires installed at uses, but it seems like its not good enough.
I would also try to get fully refunded for the price they charged you to balance the tires
I had mine road force balanced and its smooth. Not sure why type of balancing method this shop you got the tires installed at uses, but it seems like its not good enough.
I would also try to get fully refunded for the price they charged you to balance the tires
Last edited by Andy13186; 09-26-2013 at 03:30 PM.
09-26-2013, 05:15 PM
#3
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Colorado
Posts: 944
My 07 has always been very sensitive to this.
The good old spin balance doesn't cut it.
The balance has to be perfect or i get 50-60 shimmy.
I've seen a lot of posts like this.
Find a shop with a Road Force balancer & good luck.
The good old spin balance doesn't cut it.
The balance has to be perfect or i get 50-60 shimmy.
I've seen a lot of posts like this.
Find a shop with a Road Force balancer & good luck.
09-26-2013, 05:23 PM
#4
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: MO
Posts: 3,234
Take it to a different shop.. one that has a road force balance. I say different shop because they will look at it fresh.. and hopefully cover things the first place will assume they have covered.
I had the same problem with OEM brembo/track pack wheels I bought locally. The wheels with OEM tires literally had no miles on them.. the guy I bought them from had the wheels swapped out when the car was delivered to the dealership.
The dealership, however, took out the TPMS and didn't rebalance the wheels. When I put them on.. the shake was bad..
Took it to Dobbs and they threw what looked like 10 lbs of weights on.. said they had trouble and they couldn't be OEM. Go figure.
Took it to another shop.. to a mustang guy.. and he balanced them right up with no issues.. and barely any weights.
He said, many places don't go through the trouble to deflate the tire, and rotate it on the rim to get the right balance. That's all he had to do to get mine balanced.. no road force needed.
I had the same problem with OEM brembo/track pack wheels I bought locally. The wheels with OEM tires literally had no miles on them.. the guy I bought them from had the wheels swapped out when the car was delivered to the dealership.
The dealership, however, took out the TPMS and didn't rebalance the wheels. When I put them on.. the shake was bad..
Took it to Dobbs and they threw what looked like 10 lbs of weights on.. said they had trouble and they couldn't be OEM. Go figure.
Took it to another shop.. to a mustang guy.. and he balanced them right up with no issues.. and barely any weights.
He said, many places don't go through the trouble to deflate the tire, and rotate it on the rim to get the right balance. That's all he had to do to get mine balanced.. no road force needed.
09-26-2013, 06:55 PM
#5
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Long Island, New York
Posts: 209
Yes, have the wheels and tires "road force" balanced. I would also do an alignment since you got four new tires. Not suspecting a bent rim here cause you said it didn't happen before the new tires, anytime I get a shimmy its because of a bent rim but thats what I get for riding on 20's in and around the NYC area.
09-26-2013, 09:49 PM
#6
6th Gear Member
Ditto the RoadForce balance. It'll pick up tire and wheel problems that a regular spin balance will not catch.
If the car is bouncing at low speeds, you either have a defective tire (likely a bad belt) or a bent rim. If it's the tire, the shop should replace it free since they're new. I had that problem with a Goodyear tire from TireRack.
Additionally, if you recently installed aftermarket wheels, your shop needs to remove any of the wheel lug clips leftover from the assembly line (which are not required for vehicle operation). They prevent most aftermarket wheels from sitting flush with the rotor.
If the car is bouncing at low speeds, you either have a defective tire (likely a bad belt) or a bent rim. If it's the tire, the shop should replace it free since they're new. I had that problem with a Goodyear tire from TireRack.
Additionally, if you recently installed aftermarket wheels, your shop needs to remove any of the wheel lug clips leftover from the assembly line (which are not required for vehicle operation). They prevent most aftermarket wheels from sitting flush with the rotor.
09-28-2013, 10:36 AM
#10
Moderator
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Michigan again!
Posts: 8,577
I had a similar issue with my 2013 after putting new tires on. But the shake felt more toward the rear - had Ford check for suspension issues, driveshaft, and they did find a problem with the transmission that ended up getting rebuilt under warranty.
Still had the shaking though. So road force balance and found one tire, on the rear, was causing it. Replaced it and all was fine, until about 3 weeks ago and the shaking started back up. Stopped at Discount Tire where I purchased the tires and asked them to do the road force (they call it something else) - and a problem was found with a second tire on the rear. Replaced that one and no shaking.
One other question. Do you have aftermarket wheels? If so, and if the brakes were never replaced you may have one of the assembly clips still on a lug nut. It will cause a shake with aftermarket wheels if you don't remove it; the stock wheels have a clearance area on them so that clip isn't a problem.
Still had the shaking though. So road force balance and found one tire, on the rear, was causing it. Replaced it and all was fine, until about 3 weeks ago and the shaking started back up. Stopped at Discount Tire where I purchased the tires and asked them to do the road force (they call it something else) - and a problem was found with a second tire on the rear. Replaced that one and no shaking.
One other question. Do you have aftermarket wheels? If so, and if the brakes were never replaced you may have one of the assembly clips still on a lug nut. It will cause a shake with aftermarket wheels if you don't remove it; the stock wheels have a clearance area on them so that clip isn't a problem.
