Re: HELP! 20v steering wheel shimmy

[Porsray@aol.com]

I tend to think that you might have a bent wheel problem, but more likely
 a bunch of turkeys who don't know how to balance tires.  

last spring I clobbered a pothole in my '90 Coupe hard enough to blow out
the tire; since this was on my worn-out snows on extra (Centra) wheels
i just took off the snows, stored them, and mounted the summer tires on 
the OE Speedline wheels.  This winter, i went snow tire shopping again,
and purchased 4 Nokia Haaka-whatevers (never could spell them!).  When
my local tire dealer mounted the Nokia on the wheel that had the blowout,
he noted that the wheel was bent, but that the tire tread was running true.
He felt that I would be OK with running the bent rim in the rear.  This has 
been the case; car runs without any vibration all the way to 80+.  

I have had a few problems with tire balance before, but it was largely cured
 
by a reputable tire dealer who had somebody who knew how to run a tire 
balance machine.  My majority of problems have been at the big-name 
dealers (Tire America, Sears).  Car has 110,000 miles on original bushings,
wheel bearings, and rear shocks, by the way.

Might suggest getting in contact with local sports car types and find out
what 
shop they use for tire mounting/balances.  If you give me your state and 
nearest large city, I can probablygive you a Porsche Club contact to 
recommend a local shop.

Ray Calvo (porsray@aol.com)
1990 Coupe Quattro
1995 Porsche 993


In a message dated 96-12-31 17:41:59 EST, you write:

<< 
 From: Glenn Lawton <lawtonglenn@gsmai.com>
 Date: Tue, 31 Dec 1996 13:26:58 -0600
 Subject: HELP! 20v steering wheel shimmy
 
 GREG CIRILLO wrote:
 > ...1991 Audi 90 quattro 20v, with about 63K miles.  It has developed
 > a rhythmic...1/4 inch wobble in the steering wheel at low
 > speeds and a vibration at higher speeds....
 
 In my wife's 1990 Coupe Q 20V, I have been chasing the same kinda thing.
 Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. About a year ago I put on 
 new P600s, but didn't align it until they started showing abnormal wear (toe
out).
 
 At the time I had this 1/4 in shimmy in the steering wheel, and I blamed
 it on the misalignment. Then it still had the shimmy, so I blamed it on
 the abnormally worn (scalloped) tires, and hoped that it would go away
 after the tires wore in some more.
 
 After a year (I don't drive it much or I would have gone crazy), the
 steering wheel shimmy was still there, and so I blamed it on the tires
 "those damn Pirellis, with their cold thump, and constant shimmy"
 
 I can be pretty dense at times.
 
 Winter rolls around, and I dump the P600s for NRWs, and guess what,
 the shimmy is still there. 
 
 I watched the wheel and tire runout on the balancer, and I think they are
round,
 I watched the balance, and it came up spot on zero,
 I watched the new (after NRW) alignment, and it is great, even side to side,
 Tim checked the strut top bearings and control arm bushings, and they
look/feel ok,
 I don't really know what to look for next????????
 
 The wobble starts at 60mph, peaks at 65mph, tails off at 75mph, can't feel
it >80mph
 It seems to reduce when accelerating, braking, or turning.
 
 Do you think I should look at wheel runout with a better instrument than
 my somewhat calibrated eyeball??
 
 Glenn
  >>