steering wheel is having a siezure!

[TurboSilvia7587]

okay...heres the story

so about a week ago, i noticed my steering wheel would shake violently right when i hit exactly 70 mph. so i looked at my stock ties rods and noticed they were pretty much gone so i changed them and got an alignment. Right after that...hopped on the freeway and it was still shaking exactly at 70mph. then i was wondering if it could be the camber wear on my front tires thats causing the steeering wheel to shake a lot so i decide to take it to my work to flip the tires and balance them. then i noticed my tires were seperating so i was like "so this has to be the problem" Then i buy new tires for the front and hope back on the freeway thinking it was the problem for sure, but it was not and it still shakes exaclty at 70mph. WTF!? what can it be?

BTW when im flooring it pass 70 it doesnt shake...but when im steady at 70 it shakes like crazy. Help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[Xracer]

Could be: Loose suspension components, bent wheel bearing(s), improperly balanced wheels/tires, bent wheel(s), even an unbalanced drive shaft.

[projectRDM]

Alignment, suspension damage, steering shaft damage, wheel bearing, ball joint, tie rod end, steering coupler defect, lots of things can cause a loose wheel. Put the car in the air and start inspecting for worn pieces, excess play, etc.

[sentiumprogram]

I have the same problem. except between 60 - 65 mph.

HELP

[1ZlowZ]

Try this before spending anymore money. Get your rotors resurfaced I had that same exact problem it fixed it, or get completely new ones.

[TurboSilvia7587]

nah..my wheels arent bent.

i balanced them myself and made sure they ZERO'd out.

i have new outer/inner tie rods.

and i just got an alignment bout 2 days ago.

[TurboSilvia7587]

GOOD IDEA! about the rotors..cause they do feel warped when i brake. thanks man

[seanc]

sounds like a worn out spring in the steering rack check out TSB #TECHNICAL BULLETIN NTB93-066

here is it copied and pasted from alldata:

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:
JN1HS34N W300146 - Coupe; HICAS=no; 6/4/92
JN1HS36N W300198 - H/B; HICAS=no; 6/4/92
JN1HS34N W300384 - 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

[abunai the drifter]

you also might want to get your wheels balanced

[wangan_cruiser]

worn out tension rod bushing. and check your tires for speed rating.

[Ceepo]

most likely unbalanced tires...

[TurboSilvia7587]

thanks for the info seanc...

and to the other guys...my wheels are perfectly balanced. I did it myself at work and speed rating has nothing to do with why the steering wheel shakes...unless you have a low speed rating tire and ur doing like 120 + mph

[TurboSilvia7587]

worn out tension rod bushing. and check your tires for speed rating.

i dont have stock tension rods...so there is no bushing

[HS13KLS]

do you just have choppy tires?...

[TurboSilvia7587]

do you just have choppy tires?...

no..they are brand new tires

[ericcastro]

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.


THANKYOU DUDE !!

my 89 has always shimmied between 45 and 55ish.
No matter what i have changed, balanced, replaced.

If there was a rep system still, you would have scored POSI 19 rep from me!! :):drama:

[Ali 556]

:blah:
NO
NO
NO
NO

Change your sterring rack bushing and the shack will go....my S14 was doing the same thing then i've done ALL the above (what the other guys said) and still i got the "shack" @ 60-65 MPH

Replaced with ES PU Bushing along with SPL fron Tension rods and the proplem is long gone

My :2c:

Ali

[DALAZ_68]

let me help you out because some Zilvians are blind as fuck when u say somehting :duh:



i dont have stock tension rods...so there is no bushing

thanks for the info seanc...

and to the other guys...my wheels are perfectly balanced. I did it myself at work and speed rating has nothing to do with why the steering wheel shakes...unless you have a low speed rating tire and ur doing like 120 + mph

i dont have stock tension rods...so there is no bushing

thanks for the info seanc...

and to the other guys...my wheels are perfectly balanced. I did it myself at work and speed rating has nothing to do with why the steering wheel shakes...unless you have a low speed rating tire and ur doing like 120 + mph

i dont have stock tension rods...so there is no bushing

thanks for the info seanc...

and to the other guys...my wheels are perfectly balanced. I did it myself at work and speed rating has nothing to do with why the steering wheel shakes...unless you have a low speed rating tire and ur doing like 120 + mph

i dont have stock tension rods...so there is no bushing

thanks for the info seanc...

and to the other guys...my wheels are perfectly balanced. I did it myself at work and speed rating has nothing to do with why the steering wheel shakes...unless you have a low speed rating tire and ur doing like 120 + mph

i dont have stock tension rods...so there is no bushing

thanks for the info seanc...

and to the other guys...my wheels are perfectly balanced. I did it myself at work and speed rating has nothing to do with why the steering wheel shakes...unless you have a low speed rating tire and ur doing like 120 + mph

[Firestorm]

i say check your rotors...my rotors were warped and my steering wheel shook like crazy at about 110 kph.

[TurboSilvia7587]

let me help you out because some Zilvians are blind as fuck when u say somehting :duh:

seriously huh? lol

thanks a lot man

[hondanissan]

:blah:
NO
NO
NO
NO

Change your sterring rack bushing and the shack will go....my S14 was doing the same thing then i've done ALL the above (what the other guys said) and still i got the "shack" @ 60-65 MPH

Replaced with ES PU Bushing along with SPL fron Tension rods and the proplem is long gone

My :2c:
Ali

its been a while...did you ever get this issue fixed?..

i have the same problem now and have changed out the rack and new bushings from nissan and the problem still persist. im lost now too...one thing i still have to do is check my steering knuckle bushings.