Steering Shimmy

[corbs]

While getting back from doing some wheeling yesterday I experienced some steering/front end shimmying. The steering wheel would shake back and forth about an inch in each direction while decelerating at about 30-28 mph and accelerating at about 40 (well actually add about 15% to those speeds for tire size). Any Braking or steering stopped the vibrations. At all other times it is completely normal, and I only felt it after pulling off the highway onto a regular road after driving a good 60 or so miles after wheeling.

What do you guys think it might be? And are these the correct ways to diagnose?

1) Wheels not balanced, I could have thrown a weight or two. . . they are new tires just put on Saturday. Diagnostic: Rotate tires and see if shimmy continues. . .
2) Worn Tie-Rods ends Diagnostic: ??? ???
3) Loose Wheel bearings: Diagnostic: shake the tire, how much play if at all should their be??
4) New front drive shaft was installed on Saturday, could it be out of balance? Ran fine (really smooth in fact) until I mentioned earlier. Diagnostic: Remove drive shaft and see if shimmy continues?
5) Knuckles need replace/rebuild. Diagnostic: ???

Anything else?

 

[GXO]

[quote author=corbs link=board=2;threadid=16887;start=msg162985#msg162985 date=1085425560]
1) Wheels not balanced, I could have thrown a weight or two. . . they are new tires just put on Saturday. Diagnostic: Rotate tires and see if shimmy continues. . .
[/quote]
Yep....
[quote author=corbs link=board=2;threadid=16887;start=msg162985#msg162985 date=1085425560]
2) Worn Tie-Rods ends Diagnostic: ??? ???
[/quote]
Visually inspect and check for loose TREs and/or damage or bending or TREs.
[quote author=corbs link=board=2;threadid=16887;start=msg162985#msg162985 date=1085425560]
3) Loose Wheel bearings: Diagnostic: shake the tire, how much play if at all should their be??
[/quote]
No play at all if you hold tire at 12 and 6 and push on 12 while pulling on 6 and vice versa.
[quote author=corbs link=board=2;threadid=16887;start=msg162985#msg162985 date=1085425560]
4) New front drive shaft was installed on Saturday, could it be out of balance? Ran fine (really smooth in fact) until I mentioned earlier. Diagnostic: Remove drive shaft and see if shimmy continues?
[/quote]
Check it for damage or binding, could be something that happened to it on the trail...I would pull it and test with CDL locked.

[quote author=corbs link=board=2;threadid=16887;start=msg162985#msg162985 date=1085425560]
5) Knuckles need replace/rebuild. Diagnostic: ???
[/quote]
How long has it been? It is usually rotor/caliper or bearing damage that causes the death wobble vs. the birfs. Usually you will get clicks and pops in turns if the birf is a problem.

Suggest you check the calipers carefully and check the torque on their 2 17mm bolts in addition to the other things above.

 

[MoJ]

I'm sure this is too simple but.....mud stuck on the inside of the wheels? Has happened to me if I really bury it.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

New tires installed on Saturday with fresh soapy water. Did you air down?

My guess is that you spun your rims inside your tires and now you are out of balance.

 

[corbs]

[quote author=LandCruiserPhil link=board=2;threadid=16887;start=msg163238#msg163238 date=1085444480]
New tires installed on Saturday with fresh soapy water. Did you air down?

My guess is that you spun your rims inside your tires and now you are out of balance.
[/quote]

Yup, aired down to about 16, not too low, but that could very well be, it was both cool and moist on Sat & Sun. I'll probably check that first.

Thanks!