200 20v wobble in wheel

[Keith Franchetti]

Hey, thanks to everyone for all the help and ideas diagnosing this thing.
Got the car back after alignment and new tie rod end.  No change in
symptoms.  Switched to my new all-seasons which I've been saving till after
alignment.  That took care of virtually all of the problem.  Low speed
wobble definitely gone.  Haven't taken enough of the high speed right hand
bends to know about that for sure, but seems better.

I still think Bob Myers is probably right about control arm bushings.  I'm
just thinking right now they are still good enough as to only act up under
the worst of conditions, i.e. bad belt in front tire AND big sweeper at
highway speeds.

Again, I appreciate the help!

Keith Franchetti

'91 200 20V Pearl (chipped & sprung)
'91 200 20V Zermatt




On 3/5/07, Abe Berman <yellowcuda at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Posting for a friend, please cc: Keith directly as he is not subscribed:
> --------------------------------------------------------
> Can anyone help with this new problem I'm having with my '91 200TQ20V?
>
>
> Here are the symptoms:  A little wobble in the steering wheel at low
> speeds, which quickens along with MPH.  At highway speeds in a
> straight line, it's just an annoying vibration--like a bent rim or a
> tire going bad.  But I'm on the bullet proof stock 15"ers.  Could be a
> tire, I guess they are old Hakk 1s, but I've checked the front ones
> out pretty carefully and they look even and good treat still.  Worst
> symptom:  Above, say, 50 mph, maybe less even, take a long curve
> toward the right side--just that certain amount of turn--goes away
> with too much or two little turn of the wheel--but when you hit that
> certain amount of turn at speed, the vibration turns to a rather
> alarming thunking which is fast (corresponding to wheel rotations).
> Sounds and feels like loose lug nuts at that point.  But I've checked!
> They're all secure.  Reminds me of an inner half axel (inner CV
> joint?) problem I've had twice with a '90 Saab 900.  Thing could all
> of a sudden seem like it was going to shake itself to pieces.  But
> then it would go away for a while.  Would feel like a big chunk of ice
> frozen to one side of inner wheel (which it was once).  But it's not
> that in this case.  In Saab's case though, I don't think it was as
> specific to the amount of turn.  Also, with the current Audi 200
> problem, it's so constant.  Doesn't come and go.  The low-speed wobble
> and the high speed  pretty much always there.  It's in the shop for
> alignment (which it needed anyway--good luck to them, since it doesn't
> have a strut tower bar) anyway, since it has a new tie rod end.  They
> say everything feel tight up front.  They think it could be a strut???
> I could see that if it's in conjunction with a failing tire maybe.
> Guess I'll switch on my summer wheel/tires to see if that eliminates
> it.  But I'm mainly wondering if anyone has had experience with
> failing half axles/inner CV joints, if if there were similar sympoms.
> Thanks.
>
> Keith
>



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