Wheel Wobble

[SHU-ES1]

hey all,

i was wondering if anyone out there could help me with an issue i've been wanting to get fixed but am unsure what is causing the problem. i'd thought i'd ask here first before going out to get it checked by a mech.

so, when i have my car jacked up at the front and i grab the the wheel at the top and the bottom and try to move it, it moves slightly, maybe 3-4mm back and forth? on my left wheel when i do this, it is solid and does not wobble at all. could anyone give me any kind of explanation as to why this is happening? any help would be appreciated!

cheers!

[Nepolian]

Loose strut bolts, lower ball joint or tie rod ends......easy to check. Put your hand around the tie rod end and have someone move the wheel as you explained.

You may possibly have wheel bearing movement too.....

But check the basics first!

[SHU-ES1]

thanks nepolian! i was wondering do any of the things you mentioned have a detrimental effect on the car now, and in the long run? i dont notice anything different to the steering etc?

[EGB18CT]

Replace your wheel bearing, does it squeel when moving/driving? (if not it will soon!)

[na-118]

why would you go straight into replacing a wheel bearing when you havn't even diagnosed the fault yet???? what if only needs a balance,? and you go replacing a wheel bearing and the problem is still there?

check if bolts holding the wheel on are torqued manufacturers specification.
if you got a hoist, have a visual inspection of the suspension components,
and as nepolian said, check all the basics, if you can't find the fault yourself, just bring it to the tyre shop,,,, or something might only need balancing

[vinnY]

general rule of thumb is
vertical movement points to a bad wheel bearing
horizontal movement points to worn inner/outer tie rods

[na-118]

should get the car on a shaker then

[lithium]

general rule of thumb is
vertical movement points to a bad wheel bearing
horizontal movement points to worn inner/outer tie rods

+1
emphasis on 'general'

na-118 re. balancing i assume you mean a wheel balance? an improperly balanced wheel is completely unrelated to having the wheel wobble when it is still bolted onto the wheel hub

[wAYzoR]

I would say its your wheel bearing from personal experience..

[Drew]

Wheel bearing, tie rods, lower control arm bushing.

The possibilities are endless, I would recommend taking it to a mechanic as 4mm of movement is a dangerous amount. They will be able to diagnose the problem in less than a minute.

[SHU-ES1]

thanks so much for your input guys. ill see if i can check the points you guys mentioned and see if i notice anything loose, or damaged. otherwise, ill go get it checked out by a professional to determine what the problem is!

cheers!

[Zilli]

some good advice here... a ****ed wheel bearing will be accompanied by a grinding noise that increased with speed... kinda like running semi's on the street...

Could you your suspension issues that some of the guys here have said, but you would hear knocking...

[SHU-ES1]

Hmm... I think you guys could be right about the wheel bearing. When I'm going around 60km/hr, I heard like my tyres in the cabin quite loud which I thought normally you wouldn't hear until around 100km/hr. It's not really a grinding noise as such, more like a whining noise like running semi slicks as you said. I've stripped my rear interior, but the problem is at the front so I think you could be right Zilli!

There is no clunking in my suspension, I think the noises I hear from going over bumps is just the car interior bouncing around and the plastic creaking from chassis flex. Are the wheel bearings expensive to replace? I think I'll do that with my 100,000km service which is due! Thanks so much again guys, +1 for all the good feedback.

Cheers,

Tony.

[SHU-ES1]

I can't give you any more rep Zilli! Apparently I need to spread some more love being giving it to you again.

[na-118]

so if your wheel wobbles on a free way, your saying it cant be balance?
+1
emphasis on 'general'

na-118 re. balancing i assume you mean a wheel balance? an improperly balanced wheel is completely unrelated to having the wheel wobble when it is still bolted onto the wheel hub

[SHU-ES1]

when i drive, i dont notice the wheel wobbling or any detrimental effects and if there is, it's probably minimal cos i can't feel it. it's when i have the car jacked up, have my hands at the top and bottom of the wheel, i am able to shake it back and forth. it moves a bit, maybe 3-4mm?

[vinnY]

i don't see where the op said his wheel wobbles at speed?
1. had vertical movement while jacked up
2. whining sound while in motion

wheel bearings usually make a whumpwhumpwhummp sound while driving if they're about to let go

[SHU-ES1]

does it sound like your running slicks? cos its quite loud at times, will my wheel fall off if i dont get it fixed up?

[lithium]

so if your wheel wobbles on a free way, your saying it cant be balance?

where did the OP say his wheel wobbles in a free way?
let me add. if you feel wobbling through the steering wheel while you are driving it is possibly (among lots of other reasons) due to an unbalanced wheel. however if you car is stationary, the wheels are in the air, bolted to the hub and you grip them at 12 and 6 and it wobbles - no way this is due to an unbalanced wheel. hope this clarifies what i meant :)

[lithium]

does it sound like your running slicks? cos its quite loud at times, will my wheel fall off if i dont get it fixed up?

possibly - if it is the wheel bearing, failure is a serious serious problem. get it fixed up as soon as possible :)

[SHU-ES1]

ok! i'll get it checked out asap! possible saved me from having a serious accident as i'm on fwy/hwy's everyday to and from work at 100km/hr+. thanks so much for the feedback again.

[vinnY]

yep bearing could seize and send you into another car
not something you want to be running on especially if you do highway speeds a lot