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front end vibration


dernt
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My 97 2WD 127k miles has a front end vibration that happens between 40-60 mph. It only last a second or two and sounds like if you were to hold your lips shut and pronounce brrrrrrrt. How's that for a ridiculous description? It shakes the steering wheel and the dash, and sort of feels like it comes from the right side. Anyone with a similar experience?

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The vibration doesn't feel like a bad cv joint (I know there are none on this car, just comparing) and I've had many cars in my life, several of which had tires in horrible condition, and I've never had an out of balance tire feel like this either, but I have free balance and rotation, so I'll give that a shot. I did have an old Celica that had idler arm/pitman arm/steering box steering, which had a bad idler arm, that sort-of felt like the current problem, although it was much more severe. Maybe some slop in the tie rod ends or the rack and pinion causing it?

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If tire balancing doesn't solve the problem, then I'd start checking other steering and suspension components such as the ball joints and tie-rod ends.

 

It's a bit odd that the vibration is short and only occurs at certain speeds.

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  • 2 weeks later...

aahhhh...a vibration...

 

i had a very long experience with a vibration on my pathy. I, however, called it a shimmy and, mine didn't make a noises. It would occur between 50 and 70 and then as the shimmy got worse it started occuring at higher speeds.

 

I went through the tire balancing, alignment (even though i knew it wasn't that) has my tires pulled off the rims and checked, had some bushing in the front replaced all to no avail...

 

I checked my struts (with the gentle proding of a fellow NPORA member). and, ah- hah!...the front right one was leaking. I reaplaced the struts and poof...no more shimmy, shake or vibration. :clap:

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I have a similar but not so sever problem right now, only occurs at 110 km/hr which just happens to be the speed limit on our freeway system here. I suspect a tire balancing issue as it is something I have noted on other vehicles as well. Next service it gets its tires re-balanced/rotated anyways, so I will wait till then. In my experience other issues like the suspension worn out or bad struts usually occur at most speeds, not just one or two. Good luck.

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In my experience other issues like the suspension worn out or bad struts usually occur at most speeds, not just one or two.

 

one would think so...but in my case it was a very long sorted deal and i can attest to trying EVERYTHING and nothing worked...except the struts.... it's only my experience.

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  • 1 month later...

Kudos to Linders! I changed my shocks, struts, and springs over to OME and KYB this weekend. Both struts were shot, especially the right one. No more intermittent vibrations. Linders was on the mark.

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