car shaking

[LIZMO]

i've got a question for you smart people lol.

my car (1991 240sx) shakes when im driving between like 55mph-65mph, doesn't shake unless im going those speeds. but it also shakes when i break hard such as on the freeway or coming from an off ramp. do you think the wheels need to be balanced? or warped rotars? i

thanks for ur time!

-liz

[PureSound15]

Sounds like rotors to me?

[That_Guy]

Sounds like rotors to me?

like he said or control arm bushings i know on my cobalt i had a simmiar problem and it was my control arm bushings that where shot. you should be able to tell right away if they are shot if you walk up to the car and rock the tire back and forth you will see the play.

[Beagle]

How are the tie rods?

[LIZMO]

no idea on the tie rods

think i should replace all rotors or just the front?

[Voodoo Chick]

Tie rods will cause that shaking if they are going bad. My car was doing this recently, now with new tie rods, she no longer shakes at all.

[1320PNY]

As stated...probably rotors.

Rotors are tell tale shakin' while brakin'.

Tie rods are typically an issue at speeds (S197s have it at same speeds 55-62 MPH). This is when your toe is being pulled into a "neutral" position and the wheels tend to give you a "jiggle" (1 to 4 mm) in the wheel motion.

Turning rotors is a waste of time as far as I have experienced. New rotors are pretty cheap at R1Concepts. I did my '06 Mustang after I cooked them at RA in '06. I did my Subaru ('95 Legacy) last year because the sexy (drilled and slotted) rotors were cheaper than factory or similar replacements.

[Flicktitty]

i just don't understand how rotors would cause a shaking at speeds? i understand under brakeing but not just normal driving...

[Prince Valiant]

My question is do you feel the shaking through the brake pedals and the whole car? Or just a general car shake, but not a pulsing through the pedals?

[LIZMO]

when just driving its throughout the whole car, along w/ the steering wheel. but when i break heavily from fast speeds its everything, i think even the brake pedel, but more so the steering wheel and car

[johnny--2k]

could be a combo of rotors and tire balance. Did you hit any potholes or big bumps lately? Could have thrown a weight off one of the wheels.

Also, have you driven in snow lately? Maybe built up snow/ice in the wheel.

[Flicktitty]

could be a combo of rotors and tire balance. Did you hit any potholes or big bumps lately? Could have thrown a weight off one of the wheels.



That's what i personally think....i think a car would fair better driving on the sidewalk then some of hte streets in milwaukee.

[That_Guy]

i just don't understand how rotors would cause a shaking at speeds? i understand under brakeing but not just normal driving...

if they are warped then it would cause the whole wheel to be out of balance. but i think its more tie rods/ bushings..

[LIZMO]

i hit potholes alot... milwaukee roads suck. so it could be that. nick wants me to just get them balanced but i wanted to see what everyone elses advise was before i just go paying for everything.

[Reverend Cooper]

this is a possible rotor/balance issue, but more common could be a wheel bearing when bad it can cause both symptoms wheel wobble at higher speeds and then when braking at higher speeds it is moving the rotor back and forth,dont just replace shit that people say here. diagnose the problem then fix it,flick im sure can check the wheel bearing and hubs

[Car Guy]

Before you do any work have it inspected by someone; it'll save you time, $$$, and a headache.....:thumbsup

[Russ Jerome]

If its bad enough for you to notice its bad enough to take
a look at before you find out the hard way! If you guys
want I'll be home in the evening, have a floor jack, air
gun ect always ready to go. As long as we dont find
anything "loose" we can speculate all winter, loose parts
like falling off left unchecked tho....not that I know :o

[nismodave]

Needs rotors and tire balance.

[Russ Jerome]

Tire seperation.
Bent rim.
Loose lugs.
Loose WB.
Loose tie rod.
Bad center link.
Input shaft.
Warped rotors.
Loose...lists of guess'.

[LIZMO]

Before you do any work have it inspected by someone; it'll save you time, $$$, and a headache.....:thumbsup

are you offering to inspect it? lol

[LIZMO]

If its bad enough for you to notice its bad enough to take
a look at before you find out the hard way! If you guys
want I'll be home in the evening, have a floor jack, air
gun ect always ready to go. As long as we dont find
anything "loose" we can speculate all winter, loose parts
like falling off left unchecked tho....not that I know :o

ok well i might take you up on that offer. :thumbsup

[Reverend Cooper]

It could be the best thing you do,from experience Russ is a real diagnostic technician

[Russ Jerome]

It could be the best thing you do,from experience Russ is a real diagnostic technician

Not at all, been faking it for a few years succesfuly tho!

3470 n 99 milw 53222 on mapquest
414 839 2855, will be home anytime after 5pm and
still 1/2 sober by 8 or 9.

[Reverend Cooper]

a half sober Russ is better than no Russ at all!

[Holeshot]

Liz let me know what you need for parts.

[Car Guy]

are you offering to inspect it? lol

If Russ can't help you out let me know, at the moment I have a driveway filled with snow buried vehicles and need an excuse to clear it all out.....:goof :thumbsup

Winter + Justin(me) = Lazy! :devil

[LIZMO]

dan i will let you know what parts i need, russ is gonna look @ it and hopefully figure it out.
thanks car guy!

[lilws6]

i'll throw in u joints as well just because the car is RWD and older they could be siezing or becoming loose u joints will be easily check by shakeing them up and down side to side you'll know if there loose to see if there siezed tho you have to drop it out and rotate it in your hand

[URLOZIN]

How good are your tires? I had something similar happen in my daily friver. It turned out that my tires were bad and caused the whole car to shake, mainly the steering wheel though.

[wrath]

Sounds like a bad tire to me.

What kind of car is it? Does it do it when decelerating (engine braking) without using the brakes?

[LIZMO]

its a 1991 nissan 240sx the tires could very well be bad. thats what im hoping, since i had another set to throw on for the time being. the tires on the car now are snow tires and i drove it when we had like 40 degree weather and i didnt know i shouldn't drive it when it was warmer so maybe that messed the tires up, idk.

it shakes no matter what im doing as long as im doing 55-65mph.

[animal]

Before going crazy, check to make sure you don't just have a buildup of snow or ice inside the wheel. Very common especially considering all the snow down there yesterday.

Even 1/2" of ice can make the car shake violently out of the blue. One day it's fine, the next it shakes.

It's a free fix if I'm right.

[Car Guy]

the tires on the car now are snow tires and i drove it when we had like 40 degree weather and i didnt know i shouldn't drive it when it was warmer so maybe that messed the tires up, idk. .


The only negative to driving on dedicated snow tires in 'warmer' temperatures is the tread will wear faster, that's all.....:)

[lilws6]

^ with increased tread wear also can cause tires to be out of balance :) let rubber mean different balance spots

[Car Guy]

True, however that is not the point I was trying to make in response to Liz's concern.....:thumbsup

[LIZMO]

but thankfully i live more north so i didnt see any snow monday :)
but well see what is it after russ looks at it

[LIZMO]

it was the tires... replaces the front tires and now it does shake, well it does when i break hard, but the shaking just while driving is done :)

[URLOZIN]

Good to hear. It was the same on my intrepid. No it doesn't shake at all. I thought it was gunna be something more expensive, but it turned out good.

[BadAzzGTA89]

it was the tires... replaces the front tires and now it does shake, well it does when i break hard, but the shaking just while driving is done :)

Thats what i thought busted cords!

[flyin_blue_egg]

i know about a month ago my car was shaking real bad. we had just gotten snow and I drove through a lot of slush on the way to work, that day on the way home and a few days after that my car was shacking realy bad. but then all of the sudden one day it stopped.

[Russ Jerome]

I was even allowed to do my "Top Gear" test drive, we were
rollin Hwy with the pink hood and fuzzy steering wheel cover!

It nice to have a girl sitting shotgun who doesnt scream "Slow
the &^%% down" while drifting in rush hour traffic :)

[LIZMO]

hahaha oh man lol

[u_say_go]

It could be the best thing you do,from experience Russ is a real diagnostic technician

QFT! He's helped me out a number of times, just thru email he could diagnose the car problems I've had.

[Voodoo Chick]

Pink hood and fuzzy steering wheel???? I wanna see pics........

[LIZMO]

to be honest... i don't have a picture. the car isn't very picture worthy, but then again i do have a pic of the pink hood...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v101/anywherebuthere/IMG_3015.jpg
and the purple trunk :)... dont mind the dirt, it was really dirty, i mean it always is really dirty. haha. and that other hatch is 240nspec's hatch
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v101/anywherebuthere/IMG_7539edit.jpg

[nismodave]

Once again, Russ is the man.

Get that other stuff done,Russ, my car us ready for the upgrade.:devil

[Flicktitty]

Pink hood and fuzzy steering wheel???? I wanna see pics........

you should see her new PINK steering wheel...


holy nuts.

[LIZMO]

heres the pink wheel!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v101/anywherebuthere/IMG_8132.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v101/anywherebuthere/IMG_8135.jpg

[Flicktitty]

and still not in the car lol.

[Voodoo Chick]

The wheel is damn pretty......If the car's interior is black it'll look really striking.