Steering wheel shimmy
12-25-2008, 10:31 AM
#24
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: ny
Posts: 239
im going to try and make this short, yes it is a very common problem but there is a fix, my extreme had a shimmy from new, first of all flat spotting is very common and usually will correct itself once driven over a period of time, second issue make sure wheels are balanced both in and out, and the most important balancing issue is how they put the wheel on the machine!!! the cone must go on the inside of the wheel !!! i saw my wheel actualy hop as if it wasnt true because the chrome plating around the outside of the wheel where the center cap goes was slightly thicker in one spot, now very rarely do shops put the cone on the inside because they must still clamp the wheel from the out side and fear scratching the wheel , we cut a hole in a soft shop towel and clamped over it protecting it from any damage my balancing issue was corrected by this method. since then several saleens in my area have all had there issues resolved using this method. so much for making it short.
12-26-2008, 08:29 PM
#25
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 10
im going to try and make this short, yes it is a very common problem but there is a fix, my extreme had a shimmy from new, first of all flat spotting is very common and usually will correct itself once driven over a period of time, second issue make sure wheels are balanced both in and out, and the most important balancing issue is how they put the wheel on the machine!!! the cone must go on the inside of the wheel !!! i saw my wheel actualy hop as if it wasnt true because the chrome plating around the outside of the wheel where the center cap goes was slightly thicker in one spot, now very rarely do shops put the cone on the inside because they must still clamp the wheel from the out side and fear scratching the wheel , we cut a hole in a soft shop towel and clamped over it protecting it from any damage my balancing issue was corrected by this method. since then several saleens in my area have all had there issues resolved using this method. so much for making it short.
12-27-2008, 11:15 AM
#26
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: ny
Posts: 239
i owned a bridgestone auto repair center for many years and ran into problems like this with chrome rims before, my tires were done by a young man who use to work for me, and now runs a mavis in long island... whats funny is i tought him many years ago...and he had to show me the problem with my own wheels, made me feel real old, i cant begin to tell you how many chrome wheels have this problem , take a shot! just make sure they put the cone on the inside!!! and explain to them the chrome where the center cap sits on the outside isnt always true.
12-27-2008, 08:27 PM
#27
Retired Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Posts: 4,099
Guys - as I have stated many times over MANY different threads....this is flat spotting of the tires due to sitting. Most of it is from day one by sitting at the dealership. This has now been confirmed via a TSB dated 12/1/08 issued by Saleen. I have it in front of my on my desk AS I TYPE. I am not going to type the entire document...but the gist goes like this:
Confirm - Vehicle has a vibration when driving
To Minimize the problem - Upon delivery, increase the tire pressure to the MAXIMUM rating of the tire. DO NOT FORGET TO ADJUST BACK DOWN to Saleen's tire pressure rating prior to test drive or retail sale.
Move the vehicle to sit on different spot of tires once a week
If sitting on showroom/garage floor for extended period - place vehicle on 4 patches of thick pile carpet at MAXIMUM INFLATON per tire.
TO SOLVE EXISTING PROBLEM - drive vehicle 3-5 miles to heat up tires, then bring immediately into shop and on a lift. DO NOT let tires cool. Remove wheels and re-balance to spec.
Re inflate to Saleen specs for driving....inflate to tire spec for storage.
There - so it sounds like the gist of this problem is that these short sidewall tires are a major pain in the a$$ for storage....and that techs may not have known the proper way to balance them.
By the way...this is listed as a NON WARRANTY ITEM.
Confirm - Vehicle has a vibration when driving
To Minimize the problem - Upon delivery, increase the tire pressure to the MAXIMUM rating of the tire. DO NOT FORGET TO ADJUST BACK DOWN to Saleen's tire pressure rating prior to test drive or retail sale.
Move the vehicle to sit on different spot of tires once a week
If sitting on showroom/garage floor for extended period - place vehicle on 4 patches of thick pile carpet at MAXIMUM INFLATON per tire.
TO SOLVE EXISTING PROBLEM - drive vehicle 3-5 miles to heat up tires, then bring immediately into shop and on a lift. DO NOT let tires cool. Remove wheels and re-balance to spec.
Re inflate to Saleen specs for driving....inflate to tire spec for storage.
There - so it sounds like the gist of this problem is that these short sidewall tires are a major pain in the a$$ for storage....and that techs may not have known the proper way to balance them.
By the way...this is listed as a NON WARRANTY ITEM.
12-27-2008, 09:37 PM
#28
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 10
Guys - as I have stated many times over MANY different threads....this is flat spotting of the tires due to sitting. Most of it is from day one by sitting at the dealership. This has now been confirmed via a TSB dated 12/1/08 issued by Saleen. I have it in front of my on my desk AS I TYPE. I am not going to type the entire document...but the gist goes like this:
Confirm - Vehicle has a vibration when driving
To Minimize the problem - Upon delivery, increase the tire pressure to the MAXIMUM rating of the tire. DO NOT FORGET TO ADJUST BACK DOWN to Saleen's tire pressure rating prior to test drive or retail sale.
Move the vehicle to sit on different spot of tires once a week
If sitting on showroom/garage floor for extended period - place vehicle on 4 patches of thick pile carpet at MAXIMUM INFLATON per tire.
TO SOLVE EXISTING PROBLEM - drive vehicle 3-5 miles to heat up tires, then bring immediately into shop and on a lift. DO NOT let tires cool. Remove wheels and re-balance to spec.
Re inflate to Saleen specs for driving....inflate to tire spec for storage.
There - so it sounds like the gist of this problem is that these short sidewall tires are a major pain in the a$$ for storage....and that techs may not have known the proper way to balance them.
By the way...this is listed as a NON WARRANTY ITEM.
Confirm - Vehicle has a vibration when driving
To Minimize the problem - Upon delivery, increase the tire pressure to the MAXIMUM rating of the tire. DO NOT FORGET TO ADJUST BACK DOWN to Saleen's tire pressure rating prior to test drive or retail sale.
Move the vehicle to sit on different spot of tires once a week
If sitting on showroom/garage floor for extended period - place vehicle on 4 patches of thick pile carpet at MAXIMUM INFLATON per tire.
TO SOLVE EXISTING PROBLEM - drive vehicle 3-5 miles to heat up tires, then bring immediately into shop and on a lift. DO NOT let tires cool. Remove wheels and re-balance to spec.
Re inflate to Saleen specs for driving....inflate to tire spec for storage.
There - so it sounds like the gist of this problem is that these short sidewall tires are a major pain in the a$$ for storage....and that techs may not have known the proper way to balance them.
By the way...this is listed as a NON WARRANTY ITEM.
Last edited by Saleen2008; 12-27-2008 at 09:44 PM.
12-28-2008, 04:39 PM
#30
Retired Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Posts: 4,099
I bought this car in June of 2008 it now has 5,000 miles on it. The car gets driven over 225 or more miles a week, this Saleen doesnt sit. This Saleen gets driven about four out of the seven days of the week if its just for a mile or two. I don't see where flat spotting could be causing this. It's been to the ford dealership a total of three different times for this issue and seems they can't get this solved. This has always been a dream car for me and I about can't stand driving it. Yeah its that bad. I've have takin this car on a trip of over 250 miles one way and still doesn't seem to clear up. So how long are they saying the car has to sit for the tires to start flat spotting? I by know means am trying to be a smart a$$ but i would love for my car to be fixed. Thanks for all the help guys