Front left tire makes my steering wheel shake only after 55 mph. What's my problem?
11-03-05, 07:37 AM
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Front left tire makes my steering wheel shake only after 55 mph. What's my problem?
Okay so i got a 88 turbo 2 that when i go 55 mph or faster, i feel the front left wheel shaking my steering wheel. I know its not the balancing on the tire cause the tires are balance. The guy i bought the car from said something about the front 
bearings need to be changed. Dont know what he is talking about. Can anyone help me with my turbo 2?
bearings need to be changed. Dont know what he is talking about. Can anyone help me with my turbo 2?
11-03-05, 08:46 AM
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A tire with a seperated radial would cause this problem. Also, It could be a worn tie rod end. Jack up the front of the car and try to wiggle the tire from side to side. If there is any play, look and see if the play is coming from the wheel bearing, or out at the tie rod end.
11-03-05, 09:00 AM
#3
lift the left front off the ground, grab the tire at 12 and 6 o-clock and wiggle it. If you have play, your wheel bearings are not tight, or are shot. pick up a haynes rx7 manual, or go to the factory service manual (in the 2nd gen faq stickies) and adjust/replace as need be.
Any decent tire shop can do the work if you dont want to.
had an 86NA that had really bad vibration above 60, tightened the spindle nut to spec, and all was fixed.
Any decent tire shop can do the work if you dont want to.
had an 86NA that had really bad vibration above 60, tightened the spindle nut to spec, and all was fixed.
11-03-05, 09:06 AM
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as above.....
Jack up the drivers side... spin the wheel... listen for grinding, etc from the hub.. if you can grab the wheel and wiggle it on the hub, WITHOUT moving the hub.. ie the ball joint or the steering linkage doesn't move.. bad wheel bearing.. a LITTLE bit of movement, like a tick as you move it is OK...
ALSO.. look for roundness... while spinning the wheel stick your beak level with the top surface of the tire and eyeball across the tread... as the wheel spins, there should be no up and down movement of the tire, if it does, its out of round.
ALSO.. while spinning the tire, turn the steering wheel a bit to the right so that you can see the entire tread surface.. now eyeball the tread as the tire spins.. there should'nt be any side to side motion of the tread pattern (this is harder to tell if you've got radical treads, but, normal grooved treads it should be blatently obvious) If the grooves moves back and forth, there is something wrong with the tire, like a broken band, etc
(both of the above symptoms could be the result of a broken band and the tire could balance fine, but when, the tire is in contact with the road and weight is put on the tire, the tire goes apeshit....)
NOW.. have a buddy try and move the wheel side to side while you eyeball the steering linkage (tie rod end) if there is slop in the tie rod end, it needs replaced.
THEN, have your buddy move the wheel in and out from top to bottom.. look at the ball joint... if it slops back and forth.. bad ball joint..
Jack up the drivers side... spin the wheel... listen for grinding, etc from the hub.. if you can grab the wheel and wiggle it on the hub, WITHOUT moving the hub.. ie the ball joint or the steering linkage doesn't move.. bad wheel bearing.. a LITTLE bit of movement, like a tick as you move it is OK...
ALSO.. look for roundness... while spinning the wheel stick your beak level with the top surface of the tire and eyeball across the tread... as the wheel spins, there should be no up and down movement of the tire, if it does, its out of round.
ALSO.. while spinning the tire, turn the steering wheel a bit to the right so that you can see the entire tread surface.. now eyeball the tread as the tire spins.. there should'nt be any side to side motion of the tread pattern (this is harder to tell if you've got radical treads, but, normal grooved treads it should be blatently obvious) If the grooves moves back and forth, there is something wrong with the tire, like a broken band, etc
(both of the above symptoms could be the result of a broken band and the tire could balance fine, but when, the tire is in contact with the road and weight is put on the tire, the tire goes apeshit....)
NOW.. have a buddy try and move the wheel side to side while you eyeball the steering linkage (tie rod end) if there is slop in the tie rod end, it needs replaced.
THEN, have your buddy move the wheel in and out from top to bottom.. look at the ball joint... if it slops back and forth.. bad ball joint..
