Re: Demons in the wheel (part XVII: the cause?!?)

[rdh@sli.com (Robert D. Houk)]

   Well, I took my '93 90CS to the local dealer last week to see if they could
   exorcize the demonic shaking from the front end/steering wheel...
   ...
   The part is on order, and for now the problem remains, despite another
   wheel-balancing attempt. Maybe the ball joint will clear this up, but
   I have my doubts... Maybe the tires are defective... That might explain it,
   as the pressure rises as the tires warm, etc...

I had (have) a similar demon, currently more-or-less on vacation. The
only thing that finally made the d*** thing run fairly smooth was an
on-car balance. It's now pretty smooth up to 75/80 mph, but starts to
shake around 80. New wheels and tires (wheels/tires balanced to 00/00
while I watched the guy...no observable out-of-round/bentness in either
wheel or tires while on spin balancer). Every now and then I can feel
that f***er (the demon, that is) trying to get out and shake the front
wheels, but currently he is pretty much under control. Multiple mechan-
ics checked everything (ball joints, subframe mounts, phase of moon
(amazing how important that can be...), sacrifices to the Audi Gods
(aka MasterCard balance), you name it). I figure whatever is the under-
lying problem will eventually fail sufficiently (or be replaced for
other reasons) to be identified. Meanwhile I just await anxiously . . .

Most shops can't do an on-car balance, so you have to search awhile to
get it done. It worked (for now) on my '83 UrQ; doesn't cost all that
much more.

Good luck.

					-RDH