Shimmy, Shake, and other things...

1741 Views 36 Replies 8 Participants Last post by Looby, Oct 22, 2008

Looby

Discussion Starter · Oct 3, 2008

hey guys i just picked up a set of rims and tires from a 1997 eclipse and im having a few issues.

first - the eclipse rims have a bigger hub hole so i need someone to point me in the direction of a "hub adapter"? idk if thats the correct term or not.

second - i had the tires balanced and they where then put on the car. cool well i pull out of the parking lot and basically go 50 feet to get on the highway well as i make a turn the wheel spins almost to the right lock by itself. basically pulled like a mule. well i go back and have the alignment checked. toe was out by about 2-3 degrees to the left!? k so i get in the car and am driving it and its still pulling just not as hard. why?

third - the steering is WAY oversensitive you touch the wheel and go careening over 4-5 lanes of traffic(bout pissed my long johns:tdown

why? the steering did this before i got the rims but it seems to have gotten worse and im assuming thats because the rims are bigger even though they weigh about the same as stock. could it be steering rack? pump? is there a way to test either?

fourth - idk but i am getting a really bad bounce from the tires (i think). it is really bad at lower (25-40mph) speeds but kind of (but not totally) goes away at 60+. could the guys have balanced my tires wrong looking at the weights something about them doesnt look right... but im not positive. again WHY?!!!

fifth - i appreciate you reading this far i will tell santa to bring you a new toy:tup:

im really hurting guys and any help will be greatly appreciated.

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compnut21

· #2 · Oct 3, 2008

im thinking since you don't have an hub adapter, they are not centered on the rotors well at all.

p.s. tell santa i want more boost

Looby

Discussion Starter · #3 · Oct 3, 2008

yeah i know its not dead nuts perfect but it is REALLY close... so idk if it was that wouldn't it shake more at higher speeds?

defiler

· #4 · Oct 3, 2008

im thinking since you don't have an hub adapter, they are not centered on the rotors well at all.

If they center on the lug holes though then the center hole is a moot point.

I dont think that is your problem. Benjamin used to have Eclipse rims on his MX6, and he never mentioned any problems related to this.

Id check the front end for play. Balljoint can have symptoms identical/similar to this.

And yes, it would affect it more at high speeds if that were the case.

compnut21

· #5 · Oct 3, 2008

not really sure, suspension diagnosis isnt my thing.

defiler

· #6 · Oct 3, 2008

personally Id bet that its the balljoint, and that the larger rims are putting more stress on it, causing the symptoms to be accentuated.

My car did the same years ago. first few times it happened I nearly hit a car 2 lanes over

jerked WAY hard to the right.

Reactions: 1

Looby

Discussion Starter · #7 · Oct 3, 2008

well when it was up on the rack i tried to check for play in the wheel and didnt find any that i could tell. but what is the proper procedure to test for play? i just want to make sure im testing correctly so i dont rule out the real problem because im an idiot

and it doesnt really jerk except for that first time. basically the steering is so over sensitive the slightest touch and it goes further than it should. basically if it takes say 5lbs of pressure to turn the wheel it takes me 1/4lb... its really ridiculous at highway speeds

i cant remember if i posted this question before but i smashed my drivers side into a curb almost a year ago and bent the control arm, tie rod end, strut, etc. and replaced everything EXCEPT the steering rack itself idk but could the steering rack just be going slowly bad from the impact? the tie rod end was bent like a pretzel but idk i have a really bad memory so i cant remember if it did this type thing before i busted it up or not.

the guy at kauffman tires said it might be radial tire ________ <-something... basically since the tires arent 100% identical the tread pattern might be forcing the wheel to turn but that just doesnt seem like the problem since i had the problem before i put these on there and it just seems to be amplified.

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defiler

· #8 · Oct 3, 2008

Dont beleive him.

You said it yourself that you dont think its the problem.

Example:
When I was just a teenager many many years ago :lol: there were times when I didnt have money and could only afford 1 junkyard tire at a time.

I had a performance tire on one side, and a snow tire on one side at one point. Never had a problem other than the uneven tire wear.

and it doesnt really jerk except for that first time. basically the steering is so over sensitive the slightest touch and it goes further than it should. basically if it takes say 5lbs of pressure to turn the wheel it takes me 1/4lb... its really ridiculous at highway speeds

hRrrmmm... maybe a problem with the VSS (Variable Speed Steering) system?

I cant remember, but dont you try and move the wheel up and down while its jacked up (push at 12 and 6) to see if the balljoint is bad?

Looby

Discussion Starter · #9 · Oct 3, 2008

VSS??? i thought maybe something like that because at 20 or below (parking lot) it seems fine but its a DX would it have something like that?

defiler

· #10 · Oct 3, 2008

Oops, I just assumed you had a GT :doh:

Im pretty sure only the GT's came with that option.

Looby

Discussion Starter · #11 · Oct 3, 2008 (Edited)

damn that was my hope that it was something simple like that so i wouldnt have to replace the steering rack. which is a major bitch if you where wondering...:tdown:

edit: wait just thought of something could the PS pump be going bad in some way that makes it OVER pump at higher RPMs? idk that would explain the oversensitivity under acceleration and at highway speeds... maybe?

so the pulling and the oversensitive are most likely going to be steering rack im guessing...

what could the bounce be from? im going to have a tech from work check out the weights on the car tomorrow to see if they are the correct ones but idk... that is the only thing i can think of its a "brand new" suspension so i can almost guarantee its not that...

defiler

· #12 · Oct 3, 2008

Yes, I do know. Ive had to pull ones from the junkyard before. Not fun.

Looby

Discussion Starter · #13 · Oct 3, 2008

i found a place where i can most likely get hub centering rings and thought id share if someone else happens to be looking for them. but these things raise another question ?plastic? or aluminum? i think it would be a hands down vote for aluminum but why would they even make a plastic one?

Wheel Hub Centric Rings - buy wheel hub rings online from 1010tires.com

SXE MX6

· #14 · Oct 3, 2008

cause its just for centering the rim to tighten it, it does NOT hold the wheel in place when tight.
and the plastic ones do work and are tough.

best thing to do is:
get a frind in the car to step on the brake.
loosen the wheels, jack the tires up off the ground, and then tighten them with a torque wrench somewhere around 80ftlbs.
-if you still have shake then, its a wheel balance problem, tire tread, or belt problem, or suspension.
You don't need a hubcentric spacer if you torque the wheels with no load. (which is the best way anyhow) IMO

Looby

Discussion Starter · #15 · Oct 4, 2008

alright... i tried the up and down thing with the wheel and i cant really see any movement from the ball joint... problem is though that every time i push the wheel up the suspension compresses..... so... idk but i still dont see any movement at all from the ball joint. the boots are ripped to shreds on both sides but no movement. is there a better way to test?

defiler

· #16 · Oct 4, 2008

I think I may have wrote the wrong thing down. You dont want to push up and down on the tire... press in and out at 6 and 12. There shouldnt be any movement in and out on the tire. (But maybe thats the wheelbearing test)

Looby

Discussion Starter · #17 · Oct 4, 2008

... i tried the 12 and 6 in and out thing and nothing that i could tell the only thing i saw moving was the ball in the my camber plate... nothing from either side

defiler

· #18 · Oct 4, 2008

Weird.

Sorry man, Im trying to come up with some other reason for you to keep you from having to replace that rack, but it isnt working

Looby

Discussion Starter · #19 · Oct 4, 2008

AAAAHHHHHHH!!!!! well idk i really dont want to/cant afford to replace all of it (ball joints, tie rods, rack...) i read somewhere else that loose steering would most likely be tie rod ends but idk. i just really cant afford to just replace things till it fixes it.

defiler

· #20 · Oct 4, 2008

could always bring it into a shop for them to diagnose the problem, but then thatd probably be more expensive than replacing everything yourself:lol:

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