Passed emissions but noticed why my steering wheel wobbles!

[MooseNelson]

I'm so relieved to pass emissions, just because to pay for repairs would suck

1992 Eagle summit 1.5 hatch

(especially on this car)

now when the car was on the machine I noticed that the driver's front wheel has a wobble, this is not tire balancing, this is probably from me that day before I rented a hub puller yanking and prying that hub off (which never can off)

can I just replace the wheel bearing? Would this fix the job?



Feel like a loser, since that wobble is probably not that safe and cuts down on gas mileage (not to mention embarassing when the friggin wheel shakes all around over 60

[curtis73]

I'd take the wheel off and put it on a spin balancer, not to balance it, but to watch it. A bent wheel is a common thing.

[MooseNelson]

so hmm, I think while I have the wheel up to tighten the axel (doubt it can be tightened, I'll just change out that tiah with one form the back

thanks

g

[curtis73]

Don't just tighten the axle. Those bearings have a very specific torque requirement. If its not making noise, DON'T TOUCH IT. You'll destroy it.

They can't wobble unless they're totally trashed, in which case it wouldn't be drivable. Its not the bearings.

[MooseNelson]

so would it be worth to true the wheel? maybe it's all my sportscah driving with these snow tiahs I have on, grip everything

so i didn't screw up the hub/bearings? just thought so because it was the same wheel I was awhacking awahy on.

grimmace

[curtis73]

Truing a wheel usually costs as much as a whole new set of fancy chromies. For that kind of money you can buy a couple factory wheels, depending on which ones they are... aluminum? steel?

If you screwed up the bearings or the hub, it will let you know by making horrific grinding noises, not wobbling. Even the worst bearing won't make the wheel wobble.

[MooseNelson]

OK, so it is, these are snow lug wheels but i do alot of highway, thinking it would be worth the $20 or whatever to balance them.

what's the going rate for balancing and what should I ask for? Dynamic, etc?

[UncleBob]

you need to isolate where the problem is. First you need to verify that its not slop in the suspension or bearing. Jack the tire off the ground, grab the rim and try to move it. It should not have any slop at all in any direction. If you find slop, isolate where it is

After that, I would take the tire to a tire shop and have them balance it, and watch for rim run out on the balancer. If it has none, that leaves a bent hub.