Steering wheel wobble help

[scoobysn7x]

I'm having minor issues with the C30 at the minute when braking at high speed I get steering wheel vibration, this happened with the standard wheels on, I got a slight steering wheel vibration between 75-80 as well, I put it down to either balancing not quite right/tracking, or warped disc. As the vibration gets noticeably worse under braking at high speeds I put it down to the discs.

Now I have recently fitted new wheel 8.5J running 225/40 R18 tyres, when they were originally fitted I got horrendous vibration through the whole car, this was fixed by getting the wheels balanced again (apparently the rear wheels were massively out of balance/incorrectly balanced). The slight vibration at 75-80 is there as before (maybe a little worse, maybe due to bigger wheels/tyres), and the stronger vibration when braking at speed is also still there.

I had a similar issue on the S40 T5 and eventually this was resolved by changing the front disc and pads.

So I put the car into the garage to have the discs and pads done, they advised they would check everything else over too. Well they've come back to me, and said the discs/pads look fine, the mechanic suspects the geometry of the car maybe out, but after checking the spec on the wheels he thinks there not right for the car, and as a result doesn't want to go down the route of the geometry as he thinks the new wheels are adding/causing the issue. I advised the car did the same with the old wheels, and that the big vibration only happens when braking at high speeds, but he's adamant the brakes are fine.

He also said the car feels all over the place under braking so he's sure its geometry and its being made worse by the wrong wheels. He's advised going back to standard wheels then take it back and they'll sort the geometry, but he doesn't want to start messing with the geometry with the aftermarket wheels on as he thinks this is adding to the issue.

So I'm just after some advise surely if it was happening with the old wheels as well as the new wheels, it cant be the wheels, also if the geometry was out would this cause wheel wobble under braking from high speed??.

I'm tempted to get the front wheel balance again to try and fix the slight vibrations at 75-80 as I think the balance maybe out slightly, but I'm not sure what to do to try and fix the wheel vibration under heavy braking , if he says the discs and pads are fine :-(

[iainmd]

Get your geometry fixed first on a proper Hunter or similar 4 wheel laser alignment system. It shouldn't matter which wheels unless they have had bad filler repairs in the past due to a buckle or have been welded due to a crack. If you don't know the history of your bigger wheels and past repairs could be possible put your old wheels on to be sure.

[dcw]

Hmm, sounds an odd one.

What I can say is that I have now (at last!) got your old wheels on my S40 and have been for a couple of outings in her, and I have no wobbles or problems; wheels feel to be balanced properly. Everything is improved compared to with my old wheels, the car brakes firmly and runs true.

That suggests, as you say, that the problems lies elsewhere than with the wheels...

Please don't say you would like your old wheels back

David

[LizardOfBodom]

Worn out bushings on lower control arms can cause this behaviour, apparently. After balancing and geometry check, do you still feel vibrations WITHOUT braking or just under braking?
Also, how did the garage confirm that "discs are fine" ? did they take them out and balance or just visual inspection? Even new discs can behave like "warped ones" if the pads imprint on them in one spot creating not visible but well-felt bump.
Just few thoughts.

[scoobysn7x]

Originally Posted by iainmd

Get your geometry fixed first on a proper Hunter or similar 4 wheel laser alignment system. It shouldn't matter which wheels unless they have had bad filler repairs in the past due to a buckle or have been welded due to a crack. If you don't know the history of your bigger wheels and past repairs could be possible put your old wheels on to be sure.

The issue was there with the old wheels as well, wheels have been inspected, when they went for the 2nd balance no sign of welding,/cracks and no buckles. I think I will go down the hunter 4 wheel align route, but I'm struggling to see how that would cause the steering wheel to vibrate when braking :-(

Anyone know anywhere in the Newcastle area with a hunter machine?

[scoobysn7x]

Originally Posted by dcw

Hmm, sounds an odd one.

What I can say is that I have now (at last!) got your old wheels on my S40 and have been for a couple of outings in her, and I have no wobbles or problems; wheels feel to be balanced properly. Everything is improved compared to with my old wheels, the car brakes firmly and runs true.

That suggests, as you say, that the problems lies elsewhere than with the wheels...

Please don't say you would like your old wheels back

David

Your safe lols, the fact it's doing it with either wheels fitted seems to indicate to me that the wheels are not the issue!.

[dcw]

Originally Posted by scoobysn7x

Your safe lols, the fact it's doing it with either wheels fitted seems to indicate to me that the wheels are not the issue!.

Phew...!!

David

[scoobysn7x]

Originally Posted by LizardOfBodom

Worn out bushings on lower control arms can cause this behaviour, apparently. After balancing and geometry check, do you still feel vibrations WITHOUT braking or just under braking?
Also, how did the garage confirm that "discs are fine" ? did they take them out and balance or just visual inspection? Even new discs can behave like "warped ones" if the pads imprint on them in one spot creating not visible but well-felt bump.
Just few thoughts.

There is a little vibration between 75/80, over 80 it goes away which leads me to believe the wheel balancing may not quite be 100% yet, so I'm going to get the fronts checked again. The bad steering wobble happens when braking at speed (over 70 mph), at lower speeds there are no issue with vibrations when braking. The garage didn't want to do the geometry as they thought the 'wrong' wheels would be throwing it out.

Not sure how they checked the discs TBH, just said that the discs and pads were fine, so I suspect only a visual inspection. It's funny I had the same issue with the S40 T5 I had, had the wheels balance 3/4 times during my ownership and still got slight vibration when driving above 70 and when braking, again the discs/pads looked fine, a few months later I did a brake upgrade to the larger discs/calipers and low and behold issue gone.

So guess best option is to find someone local to do the 4 wheel alignment, and then take it from there if the issue is still there.

Do you know how to check for wear to the lower control arms?

[Petey80]

This link might help you find a hunter system - https://www.alignmycar.co.uk/locatio...5766&radius=50

I know there's definitely a good tyre place in Stockton/Preston Park that uses Hunter equipment to align the car and do wheel balancing. I took mine there and the balancing is spot on.
When and if my tracking goes out, I'll be back for the Hunter treatment.

Might be worth jacking the car up and doing the usual shake-shake of the wheels, see if there's any play.

It is crap how they won't do the alignment because of different wheels. Granted they aren't Volvo wheels but will still have the correct offset and tyre dimensions that other Volvo cars have.
No different than changing the 17" Cratus wheels to those Medusa 18" wheels.

[scoobysn7x]

I think Technically he's right the wheels are wider than standards at 8.5j, I think most Volvo 18" are 8J, but the offset is smaller (I think) so the wheels stick further out in the arch. But I've seen a lot of people running 225s on the Volvos because they are cheaper to buy than the 215 recommended as stock.

Again I'm not sure how this effect him setting the geometry unless they have stock values based on certain tyre sizes etc.

Thanks for the link, I found somewhere close that does 4 wheel alignment on the hunter system but its Kwik fit :-( , which after some bad past experiences I think I may avoid lols, they said £49 including front adjustments, £25 for any adjustment after that, is that about the going rate?