Shaking car

[Boost]

hi guys, I was driving home today on the M5 (for the syd. folks) and noticed that the car was shaking at high speeds.
I'm thinking:
1. Steering outta wack
2. Unbalanced wheel
3. Rim bent
4. wheel bearing is dead??
5. Any other sugestions?

I also noticed a clanking sound on the rear driver side when I hit a pot hole or an uneven road surface. I've cleaned out the boot, tools out tied everything down, loose cables. etc etc. but the clanking sound is still there. Could it be the suspension system, shocks/springs, loose sway bay bracket?

[JBT]

Could it be the suspension system?

Yes. It could be any combination of:
wheel balance/damage
loose/broken shock absorber
loose suspension arm(s)
worn suspension rubbers
worn CV joints.

This should be in "suspension"

[bigdog]

or most seriously - loose wheel nuts. Have you changed a wheel lately for any reason or had the car serviced? Years ago my wife complained of the car 'shaking' on the way home from the car being serviced. The wheel nuts for the near side front wheel were in the hubcap....

[Boost]

thanks guys. Ill have to have a look at the car this weekend.

[Craig]

I also noticed a clanking sound on the rear driver side when I hit a pot hole or an uneven road surface.

Check the rubber hangers for the exhaust system...sounds like 1's broken!

[mickfred]

Hey mate...

If it was at about 105 km/hr, then it's likele to be the '65MPH Shimmey'

I still get it.... and I know it's about time for a GOOD and I stress GOOOOOOOOOOOOD wheel alignment. If you're in Melbourne, the Bob Jane at Doncaster got rid of it for me... although I haven't found a place in brissy to get rid of it for me yet.


michael

[JSE]

My car gets the shakes above 100kmph as well. I got worried the first time it did it and now I'm used to it. Happens almost everyday driving to work down the motorway

[STV]

Mickfred,
what were the allignment settings that were used to get rid of it?

i have to travel a long distance at high speed to work everyday, and the shimmy is seriously starting to bug me..

thanks and regards

STV

[ducktape69]

yeah i have the notorious 105km/hr shimmy too....nothing seems to have solved it for me....

[STV]

ducktape, i thought that it was really only the NA's that had it?

the only thing that gets rid of it (mostly) is to fit the hardtop which isnt ideal for summer..

i was thinking that lowering might help, and that bracing might help too, i have all the braces i can afford atm, and she still shakes.

STV

[ducktape69]

no, if u read through the big forum(miata.net), heaps of NB's have it also. i found that my lower profile tyres started the problem...and a good alignment helped it a lot but its still noticeable especially since i have a lot of camber all round

[Boost]

hmmm... so im not the only one thank god. So a wheel alignment should help.

re: clanking sound. Ill have a look at the mounts.

[Boost]

I know that the previous owner got both rear shocks replaced. But if thats the problem then shouldnt both sides be making a sound and not just one side??

[JBT]

Not necessarily. Mechanical things break for any number of reasons in a random pattern. Sometimes they aren't properly fitted. Might be best to take the car to a suspension specialist or a reliable mechanic for an opinion on the rattle and shaking. You could be facing a dangerous failure that might have horrendous ramifications at 100km/hr.