Vibration in steering wheel...not a tire balance issue.

[Spittybug]

I know the OP said it wasn't tires since he replaced them, but for the sake of others reading this thread..... I had a hell of a time figuring out what my steering wheel vibration was. I had the front tires meticulously balanced and that wasn't it. Steering rack rebuilt, that wasn't it. Front bearings checked, that wasn't it. After all was said and done (and checked), a rear wheel was the culprit. I had some tread separation from age (not wear). It was creating a bit of a bubble in the tread surface and this was being transmitted through the frame to the steering. New tires all around were in order since they were ~10 years old. Now drives beautifully!

Moral of the story; sometimes the problem is pretty far removed from the symptom.

[David T]

I know the OP said it wasn't tires since he replaced them, but for the sake of others reading this thread..... I had a hell of a time figuring out what my steering wheel vibration was. I had the front tires meticulously balanced and that wasn't it. Steering rack rebuilt, that wasn't it. Front bearings checked, that wasn't it. After all was said and done (and checked), a rear wheel was the culprit. I had some tread separation from age (not wear). It was creating a bit of a bubble in the tread surface and this was being transmitted through the frame to the steering. New tires all around were in order since they were ~10 years old. Now drives beautifully!

Moral of the story; sometimes the problem is pretty far removed from the symptom.

Vibration complaints are almost as hard to diagnose as noise complaints. It can seem like it is coming from one place but it is really coming from another. Typically if you have a vibration problem with the rear you feel it more in your belly shaking rather than the steering wheel but not necessarily as you found out. As a matter of course, when you have a vibration problem, you check and rebalance all four wheels. But first check date codes and don't waste any time on tires over 7 years old. Then check air pressure and lug nuts. If you still have vibration problems then you go for balancing. These steps will fix 99% of vibration problems. The more unusual ones will be problems with the half-shafts or driveshafts, wheel bearings, rotors, etc.

[content22207_2]

Even the World's Most Perfect DeLorean will have steering wheel vibration on even mildly rough or imperfect pavement -- every single vibration experienced by the rims is transmitted via a chain of hard couplings to the steering wheel.

Down South we get wrinkled asphalt. Sun heats it up and traffic scrunches it like a rug. It's especially bad in the right hand lane. That is where I noticed my steering wheel improvement the most (compare the right hand lane versus the passing lane -- if vibration goes away in the left lane then the problem is the pavement, not the car).

Bill Robertson
#5939

[DMCMW Dave]

Even the World's Most Perfect DeLorean will have steering wheel vibration on even mildly rough or imperfect pavement -- every single vibration experienced by the rims is transmitted via a chain of hard couplings to the steering wheel.

Sports cars are supposed to be like that. Road feel and all that. It's not supposed to be a Lincoln Town Car.

[Lou and "Boo"]

I have a very similar and quite violent vibration in the steering wheel at around 50 but it doesn't always do it and it goes away as I go faster. Makes my whole hand shake in a rhythm while holding the wheel.

Still can't figure it out.

[David T]

If it is the road you will have the shaking at any speed and it gets worse the faster you go. If you have vibration at a particular speed that is probably because of a tire or rim being bad or bent. The Delorean was built to be driven on smooth, flat roads. If the roads in your area are that bad maybe you do need a vibration isolation joint! And big tires with whitewalls! Or ride the rails. Some areas of the US flood. Does that mean we should make the cars watertight so they can float? If Bill has a problem in his area it does not mean every Delorean owner should install a vibration isolation joint. Also keep in mind, if you don't do it right, just imagine the consequences if you lost steering? IMHO it is not a necessary or safe modification. Certainly not something I think most owners should attempt to do themselves.

[content22207_2]

I still don't understand David's vehement objection to vibration isolation. Costs an additional $41. Upgrades the car to Chevette standards (does not upgrade it to Yugo standards -- Yugo has no steering column isolation).

IMHO the question isn't why upgrade to vibration isolation -- the question is why not?

Bill Robertson
#5939

[content22207_2]

Also keep in mind, if you don't do it right, just imagine the consequences if you lost steering? IMHO it is not a necessary or safe modification.

Fail.

Houston sells Borgeson columns (Toby does too): http://store.delorean.com/p-10502-st...stainless.aspx All we're doing is cutting out the middle man, and the middle man's markup, buy buying direct from the manufacturer.

If an owner is going to mess up installation he is going to mess up no matter where the column comes from, Houston or Borgeson direct.

If you don't know what you're doing don't buy a steering column from anybody, Houston included.

Bill Robertson
#5939

[David T]

I still don't understand David's vehement objection to vibration isolation. Costs an additional $41. Upgrades the car to Chevette standards (does not upgrade it to Yugo standards -- Yugo has no steering column isolation).

IMHO the question isn't why upgrade to vibration isolation -- the question is why not?

Bill Robertson
#5939

As I said in earlier posts, fixing a vibration problem by attacking the symptom is not fixing things in my book. A certain level of vibration is considered normal for a Delorean. If you have too much the answer is not to mask it with a vibration isolator, the answer is to find and fix the SOURCE of the vibration. Think of the vibration as a warning that something is wrong, like a bent rim or a bad tire. Would you rather ignore it or fix it?

[Patrick C]

As I said in earlier posts, fixing a vibration problem by attacking the symptom is not fixing things in my book. A certain level of vibration is considered normal for a Delorean. If you have too much the answer is not to mask it with a vibration isolator, the answer is to find and fix the SOURCE of the vibration. Think of the vibration as a warning that something is wrong, like a bent rim or a bad tire. Would you rather ignore it or fix it?

The stock steering setup in any DeLorean has feedback transferred from the road. A vibration reducing ragjoint is a no-brainer on any DeLorean. Is it critical to do it? No. Are Ed's LCA braces critical to the car? Also no, but both greatly improve the driving experience. My $0.02