Steering Vibrations?

[Bailes1992]

I think I'm going to get my Dad to drive my car as something isn't right.
When i first got the Focus the steering shook at speed and shook when I applied the brake over 40mph.
I changed the brakes which fixed the shake while braking and found out I had a wheel buckled. The wheel has been straightend and both front wheels have had balencing done.
Around 50-60mph the car seems to drive fine but theres something in the steering, it's a notchyness/faint vibration as if someones hitting the wheel, it isn't enough to shake the wheel but you can feel it. At 75+ the vibration progresses and vibrated the whole car and can make it feel like it's floating. Both driveshafts are fine.

What could cause this? Wondering if maybe I have stepped tyres? Could dodgey allignment cause this?
I also have a front end knock and planning on changing wishbones, droplinks, track rods and top strut mounts.

Any advice on the subject? Also is there anything else that could cause this?

Bailes.

[HimBigChief]

Borrow a set of known good wheels and try again. My first thoughts are buckled wheel(s).

[Bailes1992]

Borrow a set of known good wheels and try again. My first thoughts are buckled wheel(s).

Trying my best, nobody I know has a Focus and not sure if they 406's will go on the Focus safley

[teamster1975]

If you're feeling the vibes through the steering wheel it may be worth swapping the front & rear wheels around?

[Bailes1992]

If you're feeling the vibes through the steering wheel it may be worth swapping the front & rear wheels around?

Thing is it's not a steering shake, it's a vibration? Now I had a buckled wheel straightend, wondering if it's that wheel.

[steve_earwig]

Did they remember to balance it too?

[FarmerPug]

ahy the clips make an awful difference to the vibration effect.

[Gary406]

i would try get all 4 wheels balanced again maybe 1 of weights come off ,

deffinately sounds like a wheel problem

[Bailes1992]

Had them balenced, all wheels running straight and true, the shakes still there
They found play in the off side track rod. Hoping thats my shake!

[StevieboyTD]

So, how's the new reliable car going then?

[Bailes1992]

So, how's the new reliable car going then?

In all fairness, great. The engines lovely and revvy, theres no electrical faults and I trust it a little more than the Pug. This vibration I think is something to do with the fact my Mum buckled an alloy.

[jasper5]

You have to look at these things logically.
1) What happened to buckle a wheel? How hard was the wheel hit?
2) You must try the rear wheels on the front to totally eliminate the repaired wheel.
3) You need to jack up the car safely, take off the wheel that got buckled and run the car in second gear with the wheel off, look at the flange that the wheel fits onto, has that got any wobble with the driveshaft turning?
4)The track rod end needs replacing before the alignment can be done.
5) Take a good look at the bottom wishbone, has it got buckled as well?
6) When the track rod end is off check the way the hub moves from side to side, is it smooth? Move the steering side to side with the track rod end off, is that moving smoothly?

My money is on a bent hub, where the wheel bolts on.

[Bailes1992]

You have to look at these things logically.
1) What happened to buckle a wheel? How hard was the wheel hit?
2) You must try the rear wheels on the front to totally eliminate the repaired wheel.
3) You need to jack up the car safely, take off the wheel that got buckled and run the car in second gear with the wheel off, look at the flange that the wheel fits onto, has that got any wobble with the driveshaft turning?
4)The track rod end needs replacing before the alignment can be done.
5) Take a good look at the bottom wishbone, has it got buckled as well?
6) When the track rod end is off check the way the hub moves from side to side, is it smooth? Move the steering side to side with the track rod end off, is that moving smoothly?

My money is on a bent hub, where the wheel bolts on.

I think the wheel was on the back while it was buckled. Thing is theres no sense to when the vibration starts? I can sit on the motorway at 70+ and it will be fine, then again I can be sat on the motorway at 65 and it can be shaking like mad. It might start shaking at 50, but it might not shake at all. It just shakes as and when it feels like, which makes me think it's to movement in the trackrod end and the road. I just went down a dual carrigeway at 65 and it started shaking, then stopped, then started again, stopped then started again as I slowed down through the gears?

[Gary406]

you need to try it with a different set of wheels

i think its a wheel fault since you have had everything done

get the wheels balanced at a different garage maybe a weight came off or somthing ,,,

[Gary406]

If you're feeling the vibes through the steering wheel it may be worth swapping the front & rear wheels around?

Thing is it's not a steering shake, it's a vibration? Now I had a buckled wheel straightend, wondering if it's that wheel.

maybe the wheel was fubared and the garage just told you it was straight to get cash off you,