help needed pls

[GRASSMAN]

Hi Nooby,

Just thought, if it's a 3rd gen, then check the steering rack
for any problems.

Gman.

[Rustinho]

Hi guys,

I doubt the discs, as it would only happen when under braking,
but, any amount of play in the steering joints may contribute
to the "shake" at the wheel, 1/2mm here & 1/2mm there can add
up to quite a lot of play. Have you tried the steering colum for play?
(lotsa joints in the surf steering system)

Hope this helps.

Gman.

I have experienced this problem on a bike because of the brake discs but they were REALLY badly warped! They'd have to be to affect the bike all the time!

It might sound like an obvious one but it hasn't been mentioned... tyre pressures? Are they all the same? What are you running them at?

Considering other motorcycling analogies (I haven't even got a Surf yet so take my suggestions with a pinch of salt - maybe other folks will be able to shoot down my suggestions or refine them!)...

1. Are all your wheels still round? (ie not buckled at all?)
2. Suspension ok and the same all round the vehicle (ie one spring damaged perhaps)?
3. Excessively loaded vehicle? (ok, this is more of a bike type problem but worth suggesting!)
4. Is there any noise accompanying the steering/weaving problem?

Hope there is something useful in that lot...

[dieselboy]

what rims do you have? how are they centred?

[charvell]

Steering rack bushes, or lower ball joints

[Albannach]

Spare wheel on the roof?

[charvell]

Thats a lot of could be's so I might start with new UJs and laser wheel alignment and keep going through the various other components till it stops shakin the bejesus outta me!! thanks a mill guys

i had the same same and it was the lower ball joint on one side,

[surfenstein]

if all else fails check your engine mounts,gearbox mounts and suspension arm bushes.rear radius arm bushes.

[Albannach]

Is the steering wheel loose? (Not a wind up, I've seen that once on a VX4/90!)

[T1z3R]

mines does the same thing at the same speeds. i reckon i need to grease all my nipples fnar fnar.

[Diezel Weazel]

(Not a wind up, I've seen that once on a VX4/90!)

VX4/90 aaahhhh !! All of a sudden I do feel old ..... Thanks Andy

There's always a Payback .... Don't know where n ya won't know when !!!!

[Paul1566]

I had a truimph dolomite 1500 when i was 18, and showing off to me mates whilst doing 70mph on the M25 decided to have a laugh and loosen the steering column adjuster and yank the wheel upwards to watch thier faces when it rose up by 6".....should have seen my face when the column stayed still and the bl00dy wheel came off in me hands....luckily managed to jam it back on the spline and head for the hard shoulder to rake me pants out and refit the nut......

Surely if it was wheel related the judder would be felt through the steering wheel and if it was uj's then through your backside so to speak ?!
Ruling out one or the other......
Suppose you could take off front prop and check then swap and take off rear and put in 4wd so as to run front wheel drive, before you fork out for new....

[swampy]

Balancing On The Truck.

Had a mate once who couldn't get his Impreza's front wheels right! The guy at the tyre place asked him if he minded if he tried balancing the wheels on the car, he said I'd try any thing at the moment. Well, he balanced them on the car and after that all was ok.

[Scorpion]

Okay, numb nuts question perhaps but how the hell can you balance the wheels while they are still on the car?

[Diezel Weazel]

In the early 70's lot's of cars where front wheel Drive n because they had Drive shafts they were susceptible to wheel wobble (loss or breakup of DS weights, leading to imbalance) n Yes there were special Wheel Balance machines ....

There's always a Payback .... Don't know where n ya won't know when !!!!

[KERRSURF]

I'd do the cheap stuff first.

Like having a right good look and feel around the frnt end.

Jack up a front wheel and check for bearing play and ball joint play.
Bearing play is pretty obvious, ball joints are a bit tricky but basically any top to bottom play on the joint suggests it's knackered.
Do this on both sides.

Now jack up truck to lift both front wheels and check for play in the steering idler and pitman arm.

Drop truck and check for play in all the steering components, steering box.

Check you haven't lost a big weight from one of the tires after balancing.

Check for a broken mount on engine or transmission.

Check uj's are turning freely with no noise and are well greased up.

Worn cv's are usually noisy as are tri-bearings.

A worn brass bush in hub would be very noisy.

Make sure all wheel studs are secure and not broken.

Check discs for flatness.

Check calipers are operating properly.