Steering Wheel Shake

Suspension, brake, and hydraulic/electric steering discussion.
Nate68c10
Posts: 70
Joined: Sun Aug 18, 2019 1:23 pm

Re: Steering Wheel Shake

Post by Nate68c10 »

I'm also in the same boat, I've replaced tires and rotors with no success, I did replace both swaybar links and that made a huge difference but there's still a slight shake at highway speeds that is worse in a slight left turn. There is a tiny bit of play in my right outer tie rod and that is where I was going to go next. But I will say the steering shake goes away around 100mph I noticed that at the dragstrip. I have replaced all the struts and I have white line strut mounts up front with ss springs all around. The alignment shop had no explanation for it either they said the tie rod was the closest thing they could think of but it wasn't enough slop to call it bad? I have had a few problems with the electric rack but I haven't had any trouble since I took the connector off and filled it full of die electric grease. I've taken it up to 156mph and it was stable as can be until around 80mph on the shutdown then everything was fine around 60mph.
2014 Caprice
Tsp LS3 stage 1 cam
3400 circle D converter
3.27 Camaro diff
Jba long tubes solo 2.5 exhaust
Nitrous express proton system with standalone fuel system
Hoosier dr2 drag radials.

11.86 at 117mph
JUNKYARD_JACK
Posts: 134
Joined: Mon May 17, 2021 10:13 am

Re: Steering Wheel Shake

Post by JUNKYARD_JACK »

Nate68c10 wrote: Tue Oct 05, 2021 1:04 am I'm also in the same boat, I've replaced tires and rotors with no success, I did replace both swaybar links and that made a huge difference but there's still a slight shake at highway speeds that is worse in a slight left turn. There is a tiny bit of play in my right outer tie rod and that is where I was going to go next. But I will say the steering shake goes away around 100mph I noticed that at the dragstrip. I have replaced all the struts and I have white line strut mounts up front with ss springs all around. The alignment shop had no explanation for it either they said the tie rod was the closest thing they could think of but it wasn't enough slop to call it bad? I have had a few problems with the electric rack but I haven't had any trouble since I took the connector off and filled it full of die electric grease. I've taken it up to 156mph and it was stable as can be until around 80mph on the shutdown then everything was fine around 60mph.
I'd have someone look closely at this because I thought I had a ton of play in my tie rods, like an absurd amount of play but the closer I look at it I think its in what is called the radius arm. We have something like a forward lower control arm and a radius arm attached to the knuckle as opposed to just having one monolithic LCA like on some other vehicles. The radius arm seems to locate the knuckle in the same plane as toe/steering so when the bushings goes bad you get a lot of side to side deflection like its a bad inner or outer tie rod. All of this is an assumption because I have not had time to get it on a lift and really get to looking at stuff but I believe this would explain why the vibration would change when turning. Also explains why it sometimes feel like a death wobble or gets worse right after hitting a bump. Could also explain the loud clunk in my driver front. I really got to look at this a lot more. These might be the solution to my issues though https://www.bmrsuspension.com/?page=pro ... superpro=0.
Fandango
Posts: 67
Joined: Fri Jun 12, 2020 12:31 am

Re: Steering Wheel Shake

Post by Fandango »

JUNKYARD_JACK wrote: Tue Oct 05, 2021 10:39 am
Nate68c10 wrote: Tue Oct 05, 2021 1:04 am I'm also in the same boat, I've replaced tires and rotors with no success, I did replace both swaybar links and that made a huge difference but there's still a slight shake at highway speeds that is worse in a slight left turn. There is a tiny bit of play in my right outer tie rod and that is where I was going to go next. But I will say the steering shake goes away around 100mph I noticed that at the dragstrip. I have replaced all the struts and I have white line strut mounts up front with ss springs all around. The alignment shop had no explanation for it either they said the tie rod was the closest thing they could think of but it wasn't enough slop to call it bad? I have had a few problems with the electric rack but I haven't had any trouble since I took the connector off and filled it full of die electric grease. I've taken it up to 156mph and it was stable as can be until around 80mph on the shutdown then everything was fine around 60mph.
I'd have someone look closely at this because I thought I had a ton of play in my tie rods, like an absurd amount of play but the closer I look at it I think its in what is called the radius arm. We have something like a forward lower control arm and a radius arm attached to the knuckle as opposed to just having one monolithic LCA like on some other vehicles. The radius arm seems to locate the knuckle in the same plane as toe/steering so when the bushings goes bad you get a lot of side to side deflection like its a bad inner or outer tie rod. All of this is an assumption because I have not had time to get it on a lift and really get to looking at stuff but I believe this would explain why the vibration would change when turning. Also explains why it sometimes feel like a death wobble or gets worse right after hitting a bump. Could also explain the loud clunk in my driver front. I really got to look at this a lot more. These might be the solution to my issues though https://www.bmrsuspension.com/?page=pro ... superpro=0.
That brings up a good point about the radius arm. I have a Volvo 940 wagon and the steering wheel can shake with them. The fix for those cars is new strut rod bushings, usually the polyurethane variety. I never thought that the two may be connected until your post.
JUNKYARD_JACK
Posts: 134
Joined: Mon May 17, 2021 10:13 am

Re: Steering Wheel Shake

Post by JUNKYARD_JACK »

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Definitely the cause of the side to side deflection on my caprice, but I won’t know if this is the cause of my vibration until I replace my bushings. Seeing how blown out this bushing is it gives me hope I’ve tracked down the cause of the vibration. After eliminating any other possible cause of a vibration and after driving this car a bit more (I work from home and this thing sometimes gets driven very rarely.) I feel this vibration has to be suspension related because it will change in corners and at different speeds and so on. This also has to be source of my clunk in the front end. $82 shipped from summit. I’ll report back when I know more and hopefully I can help other folks here that have this phantom vibration.
JUNKYARD_JACK
Posts: 134
Joined: Mon May 17, 2021 10:13 am

Re: Steering Wheel Shake

Post by JUNKYARD_JACK »

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Absolutely wore out, car drives A LOT more smooth, about as smooth as I could expect it to. Steering wheel vibration from 55-65 mph is all but gone. Still clunks though so I’m looking into that, I’ll just bite the bullet and do SS springs and new struts up front with new mounts. I also believe I need sway bar bushings. Probably do that all at the same time.
bstoner
Posts: 233
Joined: Wed May 05, 2021 2:12 pm

Re: Steering Wheel Shake

Post by bstoner »

Did you have to do an alignment afterwards? Also do you have a part number for the bushings? I'm wondering if it would be easier to remove the radius arms completely and just use my press to swap the bushings....
2014 Caprice PPV, 6.0L, BTR Stage 2 Cam, 3.45, 3" exhaust, Rotofab intake, Chris Henry tuned, future LSA....
JUNKYARD_JACK
Posts: 134
Joined: Mon May 17, 2021 10:13 am

Re: Steering Wheel Shake

Post by JUNKYARD_JACK »

bstoner wrote: Sun Dec 05, 2021 4:51 pm Did you have to do an alignment afterwards? Also do you have a part number for the bushings? I'm wondering if it would be easier to remove the radius arms completely and just use my press to swap the bushings....
Do I need to do an alignment? Yes, did I do one? No, lol. I'm picky about my alignment and I'll do that myself after I put the SS springs and new struts on. Car drives straight as an arrow still. I believe that this job would not change any alignment spec so to speak, you could get away with not having to do the alignment but I'd recommend one after doing this.

PN: 92159305

https://www.gmpartsdirect.com/oem-parts ... wtdjgtZ2Fz

Job was super easy, I did it almost like you said except I took the arm out, put it in the vice and used my ball joint press to press the old one out and new one on in. I do wish I had a real shop press. You can get harder bushings if you desire but I want a stock like ride, I've got other cars to build in to harsh hot rods and when the OEM part is $35 I had no issue with a fix that easy and cheap.
Fandango
Posts: 67
Joined: Fri Jun 12, 2020 12:31 am

Re: Steering Wheel Shake

Post by Fandango »

I fixed my steering wheel shake by replacing both lower control arms on each side with Superpro replacements. The stock caster adjustment insert was sloppy. I put the Superpro +1* caster inserts in place of the stock inserts.

While I was at it, I put in Tein springs along with Monroe struts.
JUNKYARD_JACK
Posts: 134
Joined: Mon May 17, 2021 10:13 am

Re: Steering Wheel Shake

Post by JUNKYARD_JACK »

Fandango wrote: Wed Jan 19, 2022 10:22 pm I fixed my steering wheel shake by replacing both lower control arms on each side with Superpro replacements. The stock caster adjustment insert was sloppy. I put the Superpro +1* caster inserts in place of the stock inserts.

While I was at it, I put in Tein springs along with Monroe struts.
Do you have a link for the front control arms? I'd be curious about doing the same thing you have done.
Fandango
Posts: 67
Joined: Fri Jun 12, 2020 12:31 am

Re: Steering Wheel Shake

Post by Fandango »

JUNKYARD_JACK wrote: Wed Jan 26, 2022 9:44 am
Fandango wrote: Wed Jan 19, 2022 10:22 pm I fixed my steering wheel shake by replacing both lower control arms on each side with Superpro replacements. The stock caster adjustment insert was sloppy. I put the Superpro +1* caster inserts in place of the stock inserts.

While I was at it, I put in Tein springs along with Monroe struts.
Do you have a link for the front control arms? I'd be curious about doing the same thing you have done.
https://g8only.com/product/super-pro-fr ... rods-pair/

These are the ones I bought. Customer service was great.
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