Motorway speed vibration

Man of Honour
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13 Oct 2006
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90,805
Have the exact same issue in my Ford ranger. Have done the same things as you. Wheels balanced at two different places. Have swapped front to back etc. Only difference is mine does it between 55 and 65.
Constant pull to the left as well. Alignment has been checked repeatedly and is fine.

Have an annoying pull to the left on my Navara after changing the tyres - not too bad but more than it used to - for some reason after a couple of weeks or so the front left tyre settles a couple of PSI or so lower than the other 3 but doesn't drop any lower after that.
 
Soldato
Soldato
OP
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26 Oct 2013
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Yeah so I took it to ATS on Tuesday. It seems better, and the steering wheel vibration is now minimal but not quite fully gone still.

They said it was 20g off on a wheel which is not a huge amount, but some cars can be very sensitive etc etc.

It still has this "shimmy" on the motorway though. I don't know how to describe it, but most cars just settle but this still won't :/
 
Associate
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27 Jan 2014
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It can also be the way the front brake discs are mounted as these are sandwiched between the hub flange and wheel.. Sometimes the mating surfaces are not clean and dry before fitting. e.g. rust build-up, incorrect use of anti-seize on mating surfaces will make the wheel wobble slightly.
It could even be the hub flange is bent slightly if it has had a previous accident and only the wheel was replaced.
 

Jez

Jez

Caporegime
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18 Oct 2002
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33,073
I'd bet on a worn suspension component. I had this a couple of years ago with one of mine, it just didnt feel "settled" which is the term which you are using too. Turned out to need a new control arm and it was great after that.
 
Soldato
Soldato
OP
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Location
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It can also be the way the front brake discs are mounted as these are sandwiched between the hub flange and wheel.. Sometimes the mating surfaces are not clean and dry before fitting. e.g. rust build-up, incorrect use of anti-seize on mating surfaces will make the wheel wobble slightly.
It could even be the hub flange is bent slightly if it has had a previous accident and only the wheel was replaced.

They did check the brakes, "spot on" is the term they used and my usual mechanic said nothing wrong there either

I'd bet on a worn suspension component. I had this a couple of years ago with one of mine, it just didnt feel "settled" which is the term which you are using too. Turned out to need a new control arm and it was great after that.
Had 2x new control arms fitted at the front. Potentially an old soft and over-squidgy damper?
 

Jez

Jez

Caporegime
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33,073
All you can really do mate, as i was also unable to pinpoint what i even meant when i spoke to my mechanic or asked on any forums, is to put it on some ramps and have someone go through the car and critique it. I had my mechanic drive the car and it was obvious on the local dual carriageway what i meant, it just didnt feel "right", so at least he knew what i meant after that.
 
Soldato
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I would also go with a buckled wheel - I was watching them balance mine and from where they stand they can't see the wheel and I noticed it wobbling -told the guy and he stood back and said I can't balance this.
Took it to another garage and when he handed the keys back he said it's fine then I told him a wheel was buckled he said he knew and balanced it out.
One other thing I was going to say but you have changed your tyres -I had a Mazda 626 that had a constant vibration and it turned out the tyre had a massive flat spot although it looked fine -couldn't see it unless it was spinning on the machine.
 
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