Steering wheel shake

Partsguru1 · 06-12-2007, 10:49 AM

How many of you have had the steering wheel move back and forth over certain types of pavement? Most of the time I don't notice this happening, but there are certain roads that it seems to happen constantly. You can hold the wheel firmly and it isn't noticable, but if you take your hands off the wheel it looks pretty bad. I know it isn't a wheel balance issue as we checked them and they were all fine, as well as road force well within specs.

I have a tech here at the dealership that had a 05 and he claimed the same thing happened to him, and he never could get it to quit. Mine is an 04 with only 3K miles on it and with the BFG factory issue tires. I'm wondering if it is a quirk of these tires, as the guy with the 05 had the same tires on his car? I have checked and have no strut rub, so that isn't a possible cause.

Any thoughts or ideas?

b_a_betterperson · 06-12-2007, 11:50 AM

Not sure what you mean. Shaking is one thing. Having the steering wheel move back and forth on certain road conditions is another.

If you're experiencing vibration and the wheels are balanced, you probably have an out of round tire. Had the same problem on my '04 -- and it was a bitch to correct. Wound up getting some General Exclaim UHP tires -- which did the trick.

If the car seems to be hunting around on certain types of pavement, such as asphalt roads with slight indentations where the traffic flows, it's a fairly common occurance in cars that have wide tires.

Partsguru1 · 06-12-2007, 12:08 PM

Yeah, I guess the "hunting around" description is pretty fitting for what I'm experiencing. Its not a vibration. It is like the wheel is moving by itself back and forth. I felt like it was an issue maybe due to wider than usual tires, but wasn't certain. I'm thinking it also may be due to the agressive tread pattern on the tires I have? Thanks for the input.

If anyone else has experienced this I'd still like to hear from you!

GTO JUDGE · 06-12-2007, 12:48 PM

There are a few different roads that when I travel on them I get road noise, a slight thumping sensation and can feel it vibrating (slightly) through the steering wheel. It's the asphalt and the way it was laid. It's only short portions and once I leave those areas all is well. The road noise is similar to that of a grooved roadway but not as loud. I have noticed on newly paved roads of asphalt my tires sing but do not vibrate.

I have traveled asphalt laid roadways where the mix of the asphalt was not as fine as others, you can see this as the stones in the mix are larger and the quality isn't as good as a fine mix in asphalt. Sounds and vibrations radiate up from the road and you can feel it. I have NOT incurred violent shaking but enough to see the steering wheel vibrating.

BV GTO · 06-12-2007, 01:26 PM

Here in California, they had cut rain grooves in the freeway pavement . I've had cars that'd follow the grooves but haven't noticed it in the GTO. CalTrans has started using pavement that drains rain better and lessens puddling so has eliminated rain grooving.

Partsguru1 · 06-12-2007, 03:17 PM

The issue I'm talking about is best described as the steering wheel moving back and forth very quickly. Its not a big movement but enough that you can see it if you take your hands off the wheel. Maybe my coworker and I are the only ones this has happened to?

shelbygto2 · 06-12-2007, 05:23 PM

my cars steering wheels shakes but the guy at pontiac told me it is tire balancing... anyone know were i can get a front bumper for an 04 gto??

dancastle · 06-12-2007, 09:03 PM

mine vibrates shakes slighty for the first few miles but smooths out after that i suppose the steering components loosen up a bit if it does it all the time wheel balance is what i would check first

silversport · 06-13-2007, 06:31 PM

is it a road travelled much by Truck traffic??? I live up near Chicago and I saw the steering wheel moving slightly and quickly back and forth on certain roads...probably damaged by truck traffic...if it doesn't do it on all roads, it isn't your car.
Bill

Partsguru1 · 06-13-2007, 09:29 PM

Yeah Bill, you pretty much described it. All the roads around here (So IL) are have heavy truck traffic, so that may be whats causing the problem. It still is aggrivating though!