[LotusLust]

so i was unable to get up to speed until i was some 100+ miles from the dealer in manhattan. when i get into the 85mph range there was steering wheel wobble. in my experience that is usually indicative of a wheel balance problem or peraps an out of round wheel. i assume this is not something others have had with their cars on delivery as i don't recall reading about it in the forums. question is are there other suggestions about what might caus the effect? i have not noted any pulling of the car to eiether side, just a pretty significant wobble

i have not hit any potholes or anything like that so i am hoping it is just a balance problem. it is an LSS car dellivered with 5 miles on the clock. any other comments?

 

[Goose]

This may sound overly simplistic, but check the lug nuts. I recall others mentioning that the lugs have been torqued inconsistently.

 

[Win]

Lotuslust, did you post any pics yet?

 

[zvezdah1]

Check wheel nut torque, tire pressure, wheel balance and alignment. I've experienced no wobble at any speed.
Chris

 

[LotusLust]

Lotuslust, did you post any pics yet?

a couple in the first sticky thread in rumors forum. more to come when i have a little computer time

the one mentioned that strikes me as unusual is the lug nut torque. i guess tire pressure had not occurred to me but it should have. seems every new car i have taken home had tire pressure issues from the dealer. thanks folks.

 

[thegit]

Vibration in steering.... out of balance wheel/tire or slightly bent roadwheel.
Wobble in steering.... broken belt in tire, bent roadwheel, loose tierod(s) either at rack or at hub.
my money is on a broken belt.
If the vibration goes away when accelerating but is present at constant speed or deceleration then a roadwheel is loose and within a mile of parting company with the car.
I'd pick the nose up and tug on the front suspension and check the tierod fasteners.
Otherwise the dealer needs to stop by with a flat tow.
m

 

[Stan]

Sounds like something very basic. My car feels rock solid at any speed I've reached in it so far. Maybe a wheel weight fell off. They transport these cars with straps through the wheels, so this may happen more often than average.

 

[meat]

Probably a wheel out of balance. This car is much more sensitive than most.

 

[pinmagic]

Slightly OT (what a shock for Elisetalk!): I noticed that my steering wheel is turned just a few degrees when I'm driving in a straight line. The car doesn't pull at all, but the wheel isn't quite turned right, like it wasn't mounted with the top at the 12:00 position (more like 12:15). Anyone else notice this?

I seem to recall having this problem in one of my previous cars, and having the steering wheel re-mounted, so it lined up properly.

 

[MattG]

Slightly OT (what a shock for Elisetalk!): I noticed that my steering wheel is turned just a few degrees when I'm driving in a straight line. The car doesn't pull at all, but the wheel isn't quite turned right, like it wasn't mounted with the top at the 12:00 position (more like 12:15). Anyone else notice this?

I seem to recall having this problem in one of my previous cars, and having the steering wheel re-mounted, so it lined up properly.

This is something that is supposed to be adjusted whenever an alignment is done, as adjusting the front toe will affect the steering wheel angle. On some cars, you remove the wheel and reinstall it at the correct position. On other cars, you instead adjust each front tie rod in unison until the wheel is straight.

 

[Randy Chase]

Jack the car up to remove the front rims. But don't. Just reseat the wheel and retorque the lugnuts. The car is very sensitive (typical for a light midengined car) to any imbalance.

 

[NtflBlueLiz]

Regarding Lotus lust comment I echo what others have said, my car has been rock solid at any speed, best of just about any car I've had before.

I also have a slight off topic question and probably dumb:

At the autox many people asked me if I had done anything to the suspension because the wheels in the rear seem to have a lot of negative camber ( I think it is that, the rear wheels seem to" spread out" in back or in other words the point where the tire touches the ground seems farther out than the very top of the tire pointing directly up ) right from the factory. Is this the way everyones car is?

 

[usofrob]

So, NtfBlueLiz, are you going to the autox in Fort Pierce this weekend?

For any interested, there is a practice on Saturday, and Event on Sunday. ( www.cfrsolo2.com ) I was hoping to make it down for the practice. They are usually more fun because we get more runs, usually around 10+.

 

[NtflBlueLiz]

usofrob,

No I can't make it to the Autox but thanks for the invite.

 

[LotusLust]

i'll check all the likely suspects when i get back home later this week. thanks, folks

 

[TimMullen]

On some cars, you remove the wheel and reinstall it at the correct position. On other cars, you instead adjust each front tie rod in unison until the wheel is straight.

Removing and replacing the steering wheel is not really an acceptable "fix" on any car. It may be a common "fix", because it's sometimes easier for the lazy mechanic to do.

But not on any of my cars.:no: :no:

 

[Stan]

>>>Removing and replacing the steering wheel is not really an acceptable "fix" on any car<<<

Absolutely Tim. It needs to be done at the suspension/rack. Often it's just a matter of lengthening one tie rod and shortening the other about the same amount. With the steering wheel centered, the rack should also be centered. That is, you don't want to be driving around with the rack extended towards one side, tie rods adjusted to suit and the steering wheel removed and remounted. For one thing even if that was an okay thing to do the splines in the steering column mount limit you to a noncontinuous, stepped adjustment. And the steering geometry is thrown off even if the car aligns okay. Because when the wheels turn and the suspension goes up and down the two sides of the car won't be doing the same thing at the same time.

 

[MattG]

Removing and replacing the steering wheel is not really an acceptable "fix" on any car. It may be a common "fix", because it's sometimes easier for the lazy mechanic to do.

Any VW fans out there? I used to own a '79 Scirocco, and could swear the alignment shop told me that's how it's done - that on that car, only one of the tie rods was adjustable, hence the wheel removal method. Anyone?

 

[thegit]

Any VW fans out there? I used to own a '79 Scirocco, and could swear the alignment shop told me that's how it's done - that on that car, only one of the tie rods was adjustable, hence the wheel removal method. Anyone?

That's only true for the tie rods that came on the car as new.
If you buy a replacement tie rod for a VW you get an adjustable one... that's all that's available plus they are used to replace either side.
The correct way to center the steering is to adjust the rack to spec.
That way the actual steering gear is centered, not the illusion done by removing and centering the wheel... The car is out of alignment.
The spline arrangement really is not fine enough anyway, so they're lucky to even center the steering wheel.
m

 

[thegit]

LotusLust.
Any news on the problem?
m