The dreaded shakes

I agree to try the hubcentric rings first, in fact get a whole set cause the old ones could be worn and not centering the wheels anymore, lets at least eliminate that possibility.

my crap has been vibrating since forever, I have 7 trips to rebalance topped by at least another 10. I have stock baskets and none of these *******s can get the problem to go away. 3 different chains and 1 independant.

Replaced all the tires and the problem remains, they said it because of bent rims, I said open the trunk there is 3 extras to play with, no change. Paid for road force balance which I watched and know that I would have done a better job as I read the entire operating and balancing procedure on the Hunter site. Lazy people suck.

ANyways I have the shakes over 80 mph, replaced the thrust arms with no change, replaced all the struts no change, replaced the tires and rims no change, road force - tiny improvement, front end inspected and tight, all bushings checked and look fine.

Next...

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Originally Posted by Jon K

No offense, you've only 22 posts... 632 and I have been here for like 2 years... this is not a hubcentric prob... this is a thrust arm problem accentuated by the wheels, but definitely not solely caused by it.

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So you're recommending he jump right into the thrust arms instead of ensuring his wheels are properly centered on his hubs by replacing less than $20 worth of parts? I'm glad you're not my mechanic.

Keep up with that posting thing. No offense, of course.

Of course it can be a thrust arm issue. The bottom line, though, is that the thrust arm shake is an exacerbation of an existing balance problem. E34s are VERY sensitive to proper wheel balancing, and E34s with loose thrust arm bushings are doubly so. If the wheels are balanced, and you know you're missing a hub ring, and you're shaking at 55mph, replacing the rings is only logical; not to mention entirely sensible and prudent.

I still guarantee it's his hub rings - or the lack of them.

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Originally Posted by Mobius

So you're recommending he jump right into the thrust arms instead of ensuring his wheels are properly centered on his hubs by replacing less than $20 worth of parts? I'm glad you're not my mechanic.

Keep up with that posting thing. No offense, of course.

Of course it can be a thrust arm issue. The bottom line, though, is that the thrust arm shake is an exacerbation of an existing balance problem. E34s are VERY sensitive to proper wheel balancing, and E34s with loose thrust arm bushings are doubly so. If the wheels are balanced, and you know you're missing a hub ring, and you're shaking at 55mph, replacing the rings is only logical; not to mention entirely sensible and prudent.

I still guarantee it's his hub rings - or the lack of them.

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Even after i centered the wheel and tighted the crap out of it, it still came loose. also something to note, a bad hubcentric ring can cause the shimmy too. it happened to me. i put the stock wheel on and forgot to take them off and must have squashed it a little, when i put the 17"s back on it shook like mad and didnt go away till i oredered another set from tire rack.

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Originally Posted by 632 Regal

AND/OR Thrust arms :D

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Pff.. Yeah. Still, the thrust arms are almost a non-issue if you can get perfectly balanced, perfectly round, and perfectly centered wheels. :)

And to adress Jason's post up there ^^ - Yeah, bad, beat up rings are just as much of a problem as no rings. My plastic ones had little tabs that would get caught and fold over - this would apparently actually FORCE the wheel off-center.

So, when you get the new rings - attack the hubs with a wire brush, make sure you get a nice even surface for them to sit on.

I just got off the phone and with Tire Rack and ordered a set of 4 rings. The thing of it is. I DIDN'T have the shakes before with the old Pirelli P6's. I never had the wheels off the car since I bought it so don't know if the ring was missing or they lost it when the took the wheels off. They DID lose my chrome valve stem caps, little cheapies so I didn't even bring it up, but the lack of attention to detail is staring to piss me off. NOBODY wants to do their job without being forced.

I went back again today to get the brake lining sensor replaced that they damaged causing my "BRAKE LININGS" warning light to come on and the manager agreed to try another set of the same or even different tires next week when he gets his shipment in. I previously suggested trying to swap a ring from back to front but was ignored, as well as my suggestion to thoroughly CLEAN the wheel and hub surfaces of any crud buildup. I've spent so much time there since Sat. I feel like I should get a paycheck from them at the end of the week.

I'm starting with the cheap parts first. If all this doesn't do it I will look into the bushings fix, although I did take to to my mechanic yesterday morning and he said all was fine with the front end. I also told the manager at the Tires Plus joint that if he could find any other reason for this problem that I would make sure it is fixed. So I'm starting with the rings, cheap parts first.

Thanks again for all your input. I know this subject has been beat to death but it all helps just the same. Youse guys are the best! :D

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Originally Posted by Jason

Even after i centered the wheel and tighted the crap out of it, it still came loose. also something to note, a bad hubcentric ring can cause the shimmy too. it happened to me. i put the stock wheel on and forgot to take them off and must have squashed it a little, when i put the 17"s back on it shook like mad and didnt go away till i oredered another set from tire rack.

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A very good point, I had to fiddle with my centering a couple of times before it was ok, the steel rims for my snow tires might tighten down a bit better than alloys. Normally those steel rims don't call for hubcentric rims, something must've happened to that one rim (they were used when I got them) to enlarge the center hole just a bit. This does illustrates the importance of being centered. Makes me wonder how many other unsolved shimmy issues might be related to "wheel/rim centering".

the thrust arms are ALMOST a non-issue

IF you can get perfectly balanced, perfectly round, and perfectly centered wheels. - good luck there.

im going out to the barn right now and see if maybe my rims have any slop centering them to the hubs.

another point that just popped into my head is this:

are these *******s balancing my wheels and yours by centering them on the machine from the back or the front??? If on my baskets their doing it from the front (which Im sure i saw them do) their balancing an out of round assembly. RIGHT?? the front isnt machined its a casting where the back isnt.
RIGHT?

I want more infor for when I return AGAIN...I should count the visits I have made over the last year.

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Originally Posted by JonE

A very good point, I had to fiddle with my centering a couple of times before it was ok, the steel rims for my snow tires might tighten down a bit better than alloys. Normally those steel rims don't call for hubcentric rims, something must've happened to that one rim (they were used when I got them) to enlarge the center hole just a bit. This does illustrates the importance of being centered. Makes me wonder how many other unsolved shimmy issues might be related to "wheel/rim centering".

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Originally Posted by 632 Regal

the thrust arms are ALMOST a non-issue

IF you can get perfectly balanced, perfectly round, and perfectly centered wheels. - good luck there.

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Yeah, that's why I put the ":)" after that statement. Heh.

Still. Fix any vibration issues you have before throwing new bushings in. If the vibration is still there, it's just going to shorten the life of the thrust arm bushing.