Wobbly steering wheel when car is moving

[aquariuscsm]

My gf`s car,1998 Olds 88 started having an odd problem. When you`re rolling,it feels as if the driver`s side front wheel`s warped or something. The steering wheel shakes and the speed of the wobble increases with car speed. I checked what I could.........watched the wheel while she was driving and didn`t notice anything. I checked all the lugs and they`re tight. Nothing looks odd about the tire and there`s no uneven wear or anything. The suspension looks good.

What could be the cause of the wobble??????

 

[Nederlander75]

Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
My gf`s car,1998 Olds 88 started having an odd problem. When you`re rolling,it feels as if the driver`s side front wheel`s warped or something. The steering wheel shakes and the speed of the wobble increases with car speed. I checked what I could.........watched the wheel while she was driving and didn`t notice anything. I checked all the lugs and they`re tight. Nothing looks odd about the tire and there`s no uneven wear or anything. The suspension looks good.

What could be the cause of the wobble??????


Driver intoxication?

 

[digitalSniperX1]

You didn't mention the speed needed to feel this "wobble"..but most likely a tire balance if it's over 50mph.

If it's a low speed wobble perhaps a bent rim.

 

[aquariuscsm]

You can feel it as soon as the car begins to move. The wobble definitely responds to rotation speed,so I`ve ruled out any suspension problems,hopefully.

 

[digitalSniperX1]

I bent a rim once....you couldn't see a bend with your eyes but I could feel it a very low speed. Whole car shook badly over 15mph. Anyone hit anything lately?

Might be a wheel bearing...that would be ugly...either way, not safe to drive (obviously).

 

[Steve S]

tire balance. Loose or worn parts, bent rim? who was driving? also bad tire.

 

[mstrjon32]

Originally Posted By: digitalSniperX1
Might be a wheel bearing...that would be ugly...either way, not safe to drive (obviously).


Wheel bearings tend to make a moaning noise more than than wobble. The noise varies as you load and unload the bearing (e.g. turning into or against the wheel with the failing bearing).

As far as not safe to drive, I drove on a worn one for over 20K miles. It was loud, but the wheel never fell off. Though I suppose it could have.

 

[goupfast]

You have a defective tire. What they call a " ply seperation " or seperated tire. The car will wobble as soon as you start moving and intensify with speed, the steering wheel will wobble back and forth even at 1 mph correct? Get it checked out asap.

 

[Bob Woods]

Could be a bad CV joint, they will do wierd things. Grab the axle shaft and see if its loose.

 

[andyd]

my vote is for a bad tire

 

[aquariuscsm]

Originally Posted By: goupfast
You have a defective tire. What they call a " ply seperation " or seperated tire. The car will wobble as soon as you start moving and intensify with speed, the steering wheel will wobble back and forth even at 1 mph correct? Get it checked out asap.


That`s EXACTLY what it`s doing. I bet that`s what wrong with it.

 

[parimento1]

bad tire

 

[Propflux01]

Originally Posted By: parimento1
bad tire

X2

 

[oilyriser]

a shifted belt is hard to see, but will make a tire wobble. Check both sides carefully by running your hand along the sidewall, and feel for any dents of bubbles. If there are no bubbles, and only a small dent, try pumping the tire up to 35 psi and see if the wobble goes away.

 

[hooligan24]

I have had a bubble form in tread, causing a horrible wobble.

 

[GMBoy]

Originally Posted By: hooligan24
I have had a bubble form in tread, causing a horrible wobble.


Me too on a Michelin tire a few yrs ago...no more Michelins!(looked like an egg)- made the wheel wobble. Check the tread too while checking the sidewalls inside and out.

 

[Kestas]

Give the tire a spin and examine it closely. The problem should present itself, especially if it's ply separation. Been there.

 

[mechtech2]

Why would you pick one side over the other as to which is warped?
It can not be determined from the steering wheel feel.
A bent rim or hub is likely.
Balance has no effect at low speeds.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Bad tire was the culprit! Put it up on a lift today and saw it. Had a bubble. Ordered a new set today. Replacing all four.

 

[asiancivicmaniac]

What brand of tires were they?