steering wheel shake

[rb25crazy]

hello guys i did a search and didn't come up with anything.

so, my question is i got an s14.... and sometimes the steering wheels shakes left to right a lot. any ideas on why the shaking occurs? i didn't have shaking when i was around 100k miles only started when i hit about 125k.

my guess is the bushings or something like that, but, i'd like to know more specifically which ones so i don't have to change all of them hehe. very time consuming.

thanks for the help!:aw:

[beeracing s14]

i had same thing whenever i hit 60mph. i just changed all my tires to brand new and they are ok. if not check your tie rods. something is loose.

[Pho Man]

could be the tension rod bushings but that would only make your steering wheel shake around 50mph and up.

If it's all the time it could be tires. might try having them rebalanced. or just get new ones.

Could be a host of otherthings too. Did you do any modifications recently?

[soreballz]

Shaking could be several things. Bad alignment, weird tire wear, bad wheel bearings...

[Codrifter]

It could also be that you have a bent rim i had that and anytime i went over 50mph it would shake

[Jakob]

it also could be your steering rack bushings + a poorly balanced wheel.

those bushings are soft as chewing gum

[i8yourfwd]

check your alignment and if your wheels are properly balanced

[nismo tuned s14]

My Toyo proxes 4's made my steering wheel shake. I got them balanced at two different shops and they couldn't get rid of the shake. The next set I got did the same thing. Then I got a different brand of tires and it quit.

Toyo's suck.

G/L

[5t341tH]

get ur wheels balanced first since its easy. then look elsewhere

[rb25crazy]

hmmm. well i only recently lowered my car on coilovers not by a bunch either maybe an inch or two just to remove the wheel gap.

as for the tension rods that could be it, since i lowered my car the front makes some "dut dut" sounds when i accelerate and decelerate. but, i got some spl tension rods v3 or whatever the new one is :naughty:

tie rod, well i saw the tie rod bushing they're torn up pretty much =/

wheel balance, not sure about that one i guess that could be it, i do inflate the tire sometimes because it loses air so that could be it.

not sure about that steering rack bushing is it the rubber thing that covers the tie rods to the power steering unit?

bent rim, don't believe so well doesn't look like it the last time i looked at least.

i do have a somewhat bad alignment car pulls to the right when going straight haha.

oh yeah, the shaking is only noticeable when i hit 50+


thanks for the help!:keke:

[stillmatic]

it also could be your steering rack bushings + a poorly balanced wheel.

those bushings are soft as chewing gum

Yeah, I had the same problem before and my steering rack bushings were shot.

[Ineedparts]

Tie rod ends, tie rod ends, tie rod ends.

[SR_Elliott24]

Does the shaking occur while braking?

[seanc]

its due to a spring in the rack itself wearing out.

copy and pasted from the TSB:


Steering Wheel Shimmy
Classification:
ST93-002

Section:
Steering

Reference:
TECHNICAL BULLETIN NTB93-066

Models:
All 240SX(S13)

Date:
April 1, 1993

240SX(S13) STEERING WHEEL SHIMMY

APPLIED MODELS:
All Model Year 240SX(S13)

APPLIED VIN; HICAS; DATE:
JN1HS34NW300146 - Coupe; HICAS=no; 6/4/92
JN1HS36NW300198 - H/B; HICAS=no; 6/4/92
JN1HS34NW300384 - H/B; HICAS=Yes; 6/12/92.
JN3HS - Convt.; HICAS=no;.

SERVICE INFORMATION:
Some owners of 240SX vehicles built before the Applied VIN may complain
about steering wheel shimmy while driving at approximately 55 mph. The
wheel
shimmy complaint can usually be resolved by balancing the front tires.
However, in those cases where the complaint is not resolved by this
repair,
adjustment of the steering rack friction may be necessary.

SERVICE PROCEDURE:1. Road test vehicle to verify that the customer's
complaint is steering wheel shimmy [slight rotational vibration of the
steering wheel at approximately 55 mph] and that it occurs without
braking.

2. Verify that the steering rack, rods, and joints are secure and the
steering system is within specification.

3. Balance the front tires with an on-car balancer, if available;
otherwise,
use a calibrated off-car dynamic balancer.

4. Perform another road test of vehicle. If shimmy is not resolved, it
will
be necessary to adjust the steering rack friction.

5. Remove the steering rack adjusting screw. Clean the adjusting nut of
any
remaining locking sealant. Reassemble the lock nut to the adjusting
screw
with the lock nut backed off fully.

6. Replace the spring with P/N 48237-10V02. This is a direct
replacement,
original-equipment part. Be sure the spring washers remain in place, in
the
same orientation.

7. Coat the adjusting screw with Loctite 272 Threadlocker or equivalent
and
screw into the rack. Tighten the lock nut finger-tight.

8. Torque the adjusting screw to 43-52 inch-pounds.

9. Loosen the adjusting screw, then, lightly tighten by hand.
NOTE:
The actual torque value for this screw is 0.43 to 1.74 inch-pounds.

10. Move the rack through its full travel, left and right, several
times.

11. Center the rack in the "straight-ahead" position. With road wheels
off
the ground, turn the steering wheel a half turn in each direction to
find
the maximum friction spot. Stop at the maximum friction spot.

12. Loosen the adjusting screw, then torque screw to 43-52 inch-pounds.

13. Loosen the adjusting screw approximately 40 degrees (just shy of
1/8
turn).

14. Prevent movement of the adjusting screw and torque the lock nut to
29-52
inch-pounds.

15. Test drive on a level road to verify that the steering wheel
returns to
center when the steering wheel is released from a turn (approximately
20
degrees). Also, verify that the steering shimmy was corrected by
driving on
the road surface where the incident was diagnosed.

16. If less pre-load is needed (to achieve steering wheel
return-to-center
after a turn)- based upon the results of the test drive detailed in
Step 15,
you may loosen the pre-load position of the adjusting screw, up to the
90
degree position.


Or, if more pre-load is needed to reduce shimmy, you may tighten the
adjusting nut up to the 20 degree position.

NOTE:
The pre-load range of adjustment is 20-90 degrees loose, from the
baseline
established at Step 11.

17. Road test, again, to confirm shimmy complaint is resolved and
steering
wheel will return to center after a turn.

18. If the above procedure is not successful, please call the FIXS
Hotline
for assistance.


PARTS INFORMATION:

NOTE
This is a standard replacement part number; it is not a
countermeasure/revised part.

Part Description Free Length Part Number
Spring-Retainer 27.9 mm 48237-10V02

[HalveBlue]

^^Very good post!

Thanks for the info.

[silnismo]

The symptoms you describe could be 1 of 3 things guaranteed.

1) Tie rods

2) front lower control arm ball joint

3) Wheel bearings

All very common problems in 240's.