Shaking Steering Wheel

[Rodman]

I have had the transfer case off about 6 times this year The drive shaft spline fits in smooth, I turned the input spline by hand and it's operation was smooth as glass. Everytime I took the T-case off I could position that first U-joint in any position I wanted and it would stay in place since it was hard to move or pivit. On the other hand the opposite axis on the same U-joint moved freely. Thats why I suspect this area. If one axis of the U-joint moves free and the other does not, it could creat an off set balance or imbalance problem.


thedsmsource can you feel any of the vibration in the floor like me, or is it in the wheel only? Also let us know as soon as you get the drive shaft rebuilt, the suspense is killin me

 

[Rodman]

thedsmsource, do you have any new info?

 

[Rodman]

Did some more digging under the car today and this is what I found. Despite the 'new' raxle axles I got 2 years ago, I found the inner drivers side cv joint to be wasted. I'm positive that the first day I got the axle shaft the inner joint was FUBAR. If you notice Raxles only uses new joints on the outer CV joint and rebuilds the inner. When I get the shaft replaced (life time warrenty) I will post back with my results. So to anyone chasing vibration problems despite good wheels, tierods, balljoints, bushings, driveshafts and suspention, check out the inner CV joints, just becouse they are 'new' doesn't mean they are Lesson learned here

BTW, I have been chasing this problem for 3 years, figured new Raxle axles, they can't be the problem...WRONGE

 

[JJ93TalonTsiAWD]

i have about 6 cents. 6 cents = 3 possible problems. the 1st idea is that when you pulled the driveshaft did you hold it up or try your damnedest to keep it straight so it wouldnt bind, pinch and/or bend anything involving the lobro joint? if you didnt keep it straight this would, in most cases, probably F#*K with something or F#*K something up. the 2nd idea is that could a rock or some sort of "crap" gottin into the inside of a rim (between rim and rotor) or inside a rim (between rim and tire) while you were rolling and bent the rim or something? not the edge so it would lose air or anything like that but simply just throwing the rim permenatly off balance? this kinda happened to my blazer but easy to fix. i took my wheel off after i had them blanced about 3 times and found that i had mud dried and caked on the inner wall of my pimp ass stock blazer rims (J/K). there was like a pound of it which really messed it up cause i would get my wheels balanced one day then some of the mud would fall off when i hit like a pothole or something like that, throwing it off balance again. the 3rd idea is that could it possibly be a dsm? if so theres your problem. . i love my tsi awd but its a bi***. and thats puttin it softly.

later
JJ

 

[larryriverside]

I have been dealing with the same problem for a while now. The other two turbo dsm's in town have the same problem too. (one is a fwd) I think it just has to be the axles in the front. I replaced the one that i thought was really bad (with one off my other car) and it did help for a week or so. I just have to buy new ones i guess. But i am sure that new ones are gonna cost a lot of money. So, does anyone know of any kind of upgraded axle??

 

[highpsi93tsi]

That monster pot-hole you hit has warped one or 2 of your rims. I'd bet money on it. It bent the inner part (the actual wheel, not just the lip on the face) I had the vibrating wheel quite bad because of hitting my inner P/S rear wheel on a curb in a drive through bank machine lane. I had the rims balanced and the warped one really was WARPED!! It even came into balance but the wheel still shook. I thought mabye I wrecked a belt in the tire, I just replaced all 4 tires on my 16s and the wheel still shakes, just a bit though, nowhere near as bad as before. And today I put on 4 18" tenzo Rs w/ Bridgestone potenza S-03 Pole positions and theres no shake at all. Ive done the front wheel bearings. The only other thing could be the bracket that hold the drive shaft up, I had a SICK vibration in the car when one of the two bolts holding it fell out. I'd say youve warped a wheel and or have a bad belt in one of your tires. The guy who balanced your tires prolly didnt see this becasue most new wheel balancers have a safety cover that doesnt let you see the wheel wobble and shake. get new wheels, even steelies. Its worth it out on the highway, that vibration is right up there with a bad rash, alarm clock going on and on and listening to someone snoar. Its the most annoying and aggravating things out there. Good luck with it.

 

[Denji]

perhaps bent rims?

 

[Rally1]

I know you have solved your problem, but in case others have the same issue:
I had the same problem. I balanced tires, checked cv joints etc. and it turned out to be the - hub centric adaptors - on my aftermarket wheels. Ie the wheels were not made hubcentric for the 1G and had adaptors to make them fit, and the they had worn down, making the wheels out of balance when mounted on the car. New rings, and I was vibration free (2 years after it started )

 

[98spyderboost]

front engine roll stop. aka the front motor mount!!! try that they are always goin bad on these cars and they will make the wheel shake like that sometimes!!

I have a 98 with 80k miles on it. I know the rubber spacer and a chunck of my FMM are missing. I need to change this but I am also having a vibration at highway speed. Could this be the problem?