Wobble comes and goes??? Help pelase

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I'm experiencing a periodic "wobble" in my '73 when I drive it between 50mph and 60mph on the highway. Trying to diagnose it is beginning to drive me nuts, since I've had so much stuff replaced and restored in my front end.

Here's the symptoms: At lower speeds, she's steady as a rock. When I get her on the highway and bring the speed up to between 50-60, I start to experience a "periodic wobble". In other words, the wobble comes and goes in waves. She'll be moving along nice and steady, then I'll start to feel a slight shake, which intensifies and then subsides and dissapears. Each of these "wobbly waves" lasts for maybe 10-15 seconds, then all is steady for a couple of minutes, until it happens again. When it's wobbling, my steering wheel rotates back and forth about half an inch in either direction.

Now, this is bugging me, because I've had a lot of work done on my front end over the past year or so - of course this isn't to say that something wasn't done correctly, or a part hasn't worn out prematurely. The front axle beam is brand new, and I just replaced the steering knuckles, bearings, ball joints, brake backing plates, rotors, misc internal brake parts and hoses, etc. Looking under there, nothing looks obviously worn out or anything. The front end was just aligned, too (though it was doing this before the alignment as well). The tires are also brand new (less than 400 miles on them), and the wheels were all balanced when the new tires were put on.

I know that shimmies and shakes are common VW problems, so I'm wondering if anyone has run into this before? Do the symptoms sound familiar? What did you do to diagnose and fix it?

All advice is kindly appreciated.

[bljones]

the only thing i can think of that isn't on your list of replaced parts is the tie rod ends- jack up the front, and give the wheels a good wiggle and pull. if everything still feels nice and tight, then maybe a tire has thrown a belt. to check, rotate the rear tires to the front and take it for a drive.

[Touch Nicks Thing]

Steering damper?

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Yes, do just what bljones says. rotate your tires. It happened to me alot, just without the steering wheel shaken. My car would start shaking at about the same speeds, like a wave, would come then go. I put brand new tires on it all the way around, never happened again!

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I'll try rotating the tires, just it's wierd, since these are brand new. I've also read (in Muir's) that you're not supposed to rotate tires on a VW - something about camber on VW rear ends, and the tires working their way in their individual places on the car. Since these are essentially brand new tires(still have those tiny extra rubber tab things on the tread), I don't think rotating them should do any harm. Could the vibration just be part of the tires wearing into place?

Gonna also check the steering dampner (I've heard that if it shimmies after hitting a bump, it's likely the steering dampner).

Also heard that worn front shocks can cause this symptom.

[[email protected]]

Yeah, give all those a try, it wont hurt. Also, jack up the front end of the car. Grab the front passanger side wheel at 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock at the same time and and pull at 9 and push at 3 and vise versa with some elbow grease and see if there is any play. There should not be any play whatsoever. Do this to both front wheels. good luck and let us know how u fixed it.

[TimGud]

I had close to the same symptoms and couldn't find it until a lower ball joint came out of the torsion arm. Seems the previous mechanic had pressed in all the ball joints without paying attention to the direction they were pressed in and I didn't catch it in time. Luckily only the torsion arm that the joint popped out of was ruined,and we were only going about 5 miles an hour off-road when it happened. Needless to say all the joints were immediately replaced. So you might want to have a close look at your ball joints.

[keifernet]

All good tips and investigation should find the trouble... if it is the tie rod ends ,the ball joints location (pressed in wrong) or just bad/wobbly tires.

but the steering dampner will shake at about 25-35 MPH not at those speeds....

it is possible that, even though you had the tires "balanced" recenty,
a. they may have done a half asssed job

b. the half assed job resulted in a weight falling off

c. one of your rims is tweaked and instead of telling you ... the tire place just slaps on as much weight as they can and calls it good ( sort of like point a... but even worse IMO)

I always look at and take "inventory" of what weights are on my rims, more than a couple ounces MAX total combined on inside and outside of rim.... and that is sketchy...

I like to see (obviously) as little weight as possible so if I get a rim that takes alot of weight, I start trying to find a replacement ASAP.

and you guys thought I would leave you 2 alone in this forum...
tsk..tsk... LOL!

[TimGud]

Aha ,the local know it all finally chimes in, and I believe you do need to take inventory bud! What's this 2 ounce stuff, hell, I don't even bother balancing them till the balancer reads over 2 ounces, and my limit is the good old 6 ounce monster weight . LOL . Checking the small things first always makes sense. Good advice as usual keifernet.

[keifernet]

well, maybe 2 oz is being a bit picky for old thing rims!

but I do hate to see alot of lead hangin on my rims... never a good sign!

alot depends on the tires and the equipment/personnel as well as the shape of the rims...