2008 Kia Optima LX Steering wheel shake

On 3/28/2014 11:12 AM, Kevin Bottorff wrote:
> wrote in news:81379168-237f-41a8-8e98-863815936b76
> @googlegroups.com:
>
>> Kevin: How does one diagnose a slipped belt in a tire?
>
> the easiest is to jack the wheel off the ground and put your hand on the
> tread and then spin it with your other hand. you should feel any out of
> round or a dibit in the tire if its slipped. usually on one side of the
> tread not necessaryly all the way accross. KB
>

I don't even bother jacking the tire up. Tire defects are pretty easy to
feel. I also run my hand across the treads to get some idea of how the
tires are wearing. You have to be careful of exposed belts that have
frayed leaving sharp wires exposed.

On Saturday, March 29, 2014 7:33:04 AM UTC-4, dsi1 wrote:
> On 3/28/2014 11:12 AM, Kevin Bottorff wrote:
>
> > wrote in news:81379168-237f-41a8-8e98-863815936b76
>
> > @googlegroups.com:
>
> >
>
> >> Kevin: How does one diagnose a slipped belt in a tire?
>
> >
>
> > the easiest is to jack the wheel off the ground and put your hand on the
>
> > tread and then spin it with your other hand. you should feel any out of
>
> > round or a dibit in the tire if its slipped. usually on one side of the
>
> > tread not necessaryly all the way accross. KB
>
> >
>
>
>
> I don't even bother jacking the tire up. Tire defects are pretty easy to
>
> feel. I also run my hand across the treads to get some idea of how the
>
> tires are wearing. You have to be careful of exposed belts that have
>
> frayed leaving sharp wires exposed.

have someone drive along side/behind you and see if any of the wheels are wobbling.

dsi1 > wrote in
:

> On 3/28/2014 11:12 AM, Kevin Bottorff wrote:
>> wrote in
>> news:81379168-237f-41a8-8e98-863815936b76 @googlegroups.com:
>>
>>> Kevin: How does one diagnose a slipped belt in a tire?
>>
>> the easiest is to jack the wheel off the ground and put your hand on
>> the tread and then spin it with your other hand. you should feel any
>> out of round or a dibit in the tire if its slipped. usually on one
>> side of the tread not necessaryly all the way accross. KB
>>
>
> I don't even bother jacking the tire up. Tire defects are pretty easy
> to feel. I also run my hand across the treads to get some idea of how
> the tires are wearing. You have to be careful of exposed belts that
> have frayed leaving sharp wires exposed.

if there are frayed belts the tire is junk anyway. KB

On 3/29/2014 3:18 AM, m6onz5a wrote:
>
> have someone drive along side/behind you and see if any of the wheels are wobbling.
>
I always see cars with tires that are funny. Sometimes I'll even inform
the driver.

On 3/30/2014 10:20 AM, Kevin Bottorff wrote:
> dsi1 > wrote in
> :
>
>> On 3/28/2014 11:12 AM, Kevin Bottorff wrote:
>>> wrote in
>>> news:81379168-237f-41a8-8e98-863815936b76 @googlegroups.com:
>>>
>>>> Kevin: How does one diagnose a slipped belt in a tire?
>>>
>>> the easiest is to jack the wheel off the ground and put your hand on
>>> the tread and then spin it with your other hand. you should feel any
>>> out of round or a dibit in the tire if its slipped. usually on one
>>> side of the tread not necessaryly all the way accross. KB
>>>
>>
>> I don't even bother jacking the tire up. Tire defects are pretty easy
>> to feel. I also run my hand across the treads to get some idea of how
>> the tires are wearing. You have to be careful of exposed belts that
>> have frayed leaving sharp wires exposed.
>
> if there are frayed belts the tire is junk anyway. KB
>

Well heck, that's fairly obvious.

On Wednesday, March 26, 2014 4:06:44 PM UTC-4, Kevin Bottorff wrote:
> thekm
>
>
> > Steering wheel shimmys from side to side increasing violently at
>
> > speeds over 60mph. 42,000 miles to date.
>
> >
>
> > Steps already taken:
>
> >
>
> > All Tires balanced - Steering wheel still vibrates.
>
> >
>
> > Balance rechecked - still vibrates.
>
> >
>
> > Found and replaced wobbly rim(whole rim sways), reinstall and balance
>
> > tire - vibration in steering wheel is *reduced* but still occurs at
>
> > over 60mph.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > What are possible next steps?
>
> >
>
> > Thanks!
>
> >
>
>
>
> I would find the tire that has a slipped belt and replace it or them. KB


Just had the correct rim and cover installed by a dealer. Their suggestion for the wiggly steering wheel is the need for an alignment.


How can bad alignment cause the steering column/wheel to wiggle like that?

I've heard of "bump-steer", which is related to too much caster, or scrub-radius being too positive or neg, but a progressive constant vibration(increases as speed increases)?

On Mon, 31 Mar 2014 12:57:17 -0700 (PDT),
wrote:

>Just had the correct rim and cover installed by a dealer. Their suggestion for the wiggly steering wheel is the need for an alignment.
>
>
>How can bad alignment cause the steering column/wheel to wiggle like that?
>
>I've heard of "bump-steer", which is related to too much caster, or scrub-radius being too positive or neg, but a progressive constant vibration(increases as speed increases)?

Take it somewhere else. Did you ever follow my suggestion and see if
the vibration changes with throttle application?

Regardless, there is a very good chance the hub is bent where the
bent wheel was.

Bill Vanek - and an UPDATE to all:

Bill, steering wheel jiggle is most pronounced on a smooth, level stretch of highway, at speeds over 60mph. IOW: Going 60 - or 80 - on a pockmarked dog's breakfast results in zero steering wheel jiggle. Jiggle does not change with throttle position.


TO ALL:

Did side-by-side with my wife at 70-80mph this morning on a smooth, flat section of straightaway. Steering wheel was a frickin Tourette case!
Wife said none of my four tires were hopping or wobbly, she has razor sharp sight at any distance up to the moon.


Correct rim was balanced and installed last week by Kia dealer after two attempts by Town Fair installed the wrong rim.

wrote in
:

> Bill Vanek - and an UPDATE to all:
>
> Bill, steering wheel jiggle is most pronounced on a smooth, level
> stretch of highway, at speeds over 60mph. IOW: Going 60 - or 80 -
> on a pockmarked dog's breakfast results in zero steering wheel jiggle.
> Jiggle does not change with throttle position.
>
>
> TO ALL:
>
> Did side-by-side with my wife at 70-80mph this morning on a smooth,
> flat section of straightaway. Steering wheel was a frickin Tourette
> case! Wife said none of my four tires were hopping or wobbly, she has
> razor sharp sight at any distance up to the moon.
>
>
> Correct rim was balanced and installed last week by Kia dealer after
> two attempts by Town Fair installed the wrong rim.
>

you need to check for a slipped belt before one of your tires blows and
ruins your day. your playing with fire. KB

On Sun, 6 Apr 2014 12:43:54 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

>Bill Vanek - and an UPDATE to all:
>
>Bill, steering wheel jiggle is most pronounced on a smooth, level stretch of highway, at speeds over 60mph. IOW: Going 60 - or 80 - on a pockmarked dog's breakfast results in zero steering wheel jiggle. Jiggle does not change with throttle position.
>
>
>TO ALL:
>
>Did side-by-side with my wife at 70-80mph this morning on a smooth, flat section of straightaway. Steering wheel was a frickin Tourette case!
>Wife said none of my four tires were hopping or wobbly, she has razor sharp sight at any distance up to the moon.
>
>
>Correct rim was balanced and installed last week by Kia dealer after two attempts by Town Fair installed the wrong rim.

If you put it in neutral while it's happening, does it change? If not,
it's balance or something bent, probably the hub.

I mentioned this before, but you can jack up one front wheel (with a
floor jack), and run the speedo up to about 35 mph - don't go higher
because the wheel speed will be double the speedo reading. Do both
sides. One of them should shake the car pretty badly. Also while each
side is off the ground, just put it in drive, and let the wheel spin
very slowly. If a tire is bad, or the hub is bent, it should be very
obvious. And remember, jacks slip, so make sure there is nothing in
front of the car, including you, when you're doing this.

If you don't find something bent, or out of round, you have an unusual
problem, and your entire suspension system needs to be carefully
checked. A balance or bent part problem will have a very regular
vibration, and the frequency should increase with speed. If the shake
seems more random than regular, it sounds more like loose parts.

BTW, is the only symptom a steering wheel shake, or does the whole car
shake? And does the steering wheel move side to side at all at very
low speeds?