Steering wheel wobbles?

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Steering wheel wobbles? #729599 06/07/06 11:41 PM

Joined: Dec 2004

Posts: 42

Austin, Texas

bbusbee

Getting the Wheeling Fever

Tried to search but found nothing. What would cause my steering wheel to wobble? I have already replaced the tie rods end but have not replaced the upper and lower ball joints yet. My 91' Rodeo has 250K miles. I have oversized tires but no lift kit, not needed. Stock suspension.

Re: Steering wheel wobbles? [Re: bbusbee] #729600 06/08/06 12:11 AM

Joined: Aug 2000

Posts: 4,868

Mount Vernon, WA, USA

Jim_Paget

Roll Me Over

It could be a lot of different things. I had a work truck a couple years ago with the problem. Turned out to be a tire out of balance. A few months later the truck had the same problem and that time it was a tread separation.

It can also be wheel bearings, particularly given the mileage on your vehicle.

I would start by having the front wheels balanced. Alternatively, you could swap your front and rear tires to see if the symptoms change.

Jim Paget
88 YJ with a few changes

www.rrr4x4.com

Re: Steering wheel wobbles? [Re: Jim_Paget] #729601 06/08/06 03:19 AM

Joined: Dec 2004

Posts: 42

Austin, Texas

bbusbee

Getting the Wheeling Fever

Thanks Jim
I've had the tires rotated and balanced recently and have replaced the wheel bearings just a year or two ago. The tires are BF Goodrich All Terrain 31.50 X 11.00 and less than two years old. The only thing I haven't done in awhile is align the front end.
Also, I have never replaced the stabilizer shock, I think that's what it called.

Last edited by bbusbee; 06/08/06 03:21 AM.

Re: Steering wheel wobbles? [Re: Jim_Paget] #729602 06/08/06 10:44 AM

Joined: Dec 2001

Posts: 5,911

Back in BFE, WV

Smiley

Trail Leader

Quote

...a tire out of balance.

That was going to be my first guess.

Quote

...It can also be wheel bearings

And that was my second.

But even thought you've replaced them in the last year or two, they're still worth checking...
One (or both) of them could need some preload adjustment.
(IIRC, it's considered routine scheduled maintenance every 15 or 30 thousand miles)

Also - If you've taken any hard hits (especially off-road), you might want to check your Idler & Pitman arms as well.

Ask me how I know <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shiner.gif" alt="" />

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Six Isuzus, so far... still have three of them.

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