Crazy Wobble, PLEASE help
 

I have an 88 GTU. So a few months ago I rotated my tires, and I go for a test drive and it feels like my wheels are going to fall off. I go and check to make sure I tightened all of my lug nuts and they're all as tight as can be. So I think maybe I just need my wheels balanced, I get that done and nothing. So I switch the wheels around to the original places and still not fixed. I start asking around and end up changing front wheel bearings on both sides even though they looked fine. Then I'm told I might have a bad tire. so I go and get new tires and it feels even worse now.

I finally break down and take it to a shop, they tell me I have a bad ball joint and a bent rim...I changed the ball joint and that didn't fix anything...I haven't had my rims checked for being bent yet...but I really don't think they are. The wobble doesnt start until about 40 or 50 and stops at about 70 or 80.

I would really appreciate any help with this, because I've been battling this wobble for a while now and its just making driving the 7 very annoying considering its my daily driver.

Why do you think you don't ahve a bent rim? Have you taken them all off an checked them? Also, what kind of vibration is it? Do you feel it in the steering wheel, or is it the whole car shaking?

I guess they could be bent, just a few people telling me they probly weren't got the idea stuck in my head. I'm going soon to have them all checked, and its just feels like its in the steering wheel, not really a vibration but more of a violent shake back and forth.

bunch of things could cause it...my first guess was gonna be bearings but you replaced them, weird it started after the rotate and wont go away even after you re-rotated.

are they stock or aftermarket rims?

kevin.

have you had an alignment done at any point during this process?

u know, when the stock rear wheel steering bushings go bad, that causes swaying. Expecially when you hit bumps. Check them out, they are in the middle of the hub going up and down with a bolt attached.

might also check your driveshaft u-joints,they cause those same symptoms...

According to mazdatrix, the u-joints cause vibrations that either get worse or better as speed increases, depending on which one is bad. They don't cause a vibration at a specific speed like he said.

u-joints are very likely problems here. get under the car and check for play at the front and rear u-joint. after you've done that, jack the rear of the car up, making sure both rear tires are off of the ground and wiggle them in and out and wiggle them to check for play in the rear bushings. the next step is to get each front wheel off of the gound and do the same, wiggle them in and out and just give them a good wiggle. you're checking for tie rod play, ball joint play and loose wheel bearings(even tough you replaced them, check to be sure). are your brakes dragging at all? post back what you find and we can go from there.

no, this is not a U joint or bad rear bearing. If it was, then it would happen at different speeds dependent on gear. In addition, U joints will show up with more vibration on Accell or Decel, and not just at cruising speeds. Bearings can easily be checked by jacking the car up and slowly spinning a wheel, There wille either a click or squeel as the wheel is turned.

If it is consistently a vibration at 40-60 MPH regardless of gear it is either a wheel (or multiple wheels) that are out of balance. They can be out of balance from simply a thrown weight, or poor tire condition (such as flat spotted tires) or a bent or damaged wheel.

It is pretty hard to see a bent wheel unless you check it for round or that it has a major bend to it. Has the wheel been checked for round??? You generally will not be able to visually see this. You will need the correct tools.

In addition if the wheels were tightend improperlly (out off correct order) it is very easy to bend a wheel at the hub, which again you would not be able to visually check without a high speed spin balancer or round gauge.