Discover More On:
The Strut Supports
While the first job of the strut resembles that of a shock absorber, the strut takes it a bit farther and provides support.
Here’s how:
- Struts support your spring
- Struts support your vehicle suspension system
- Struts hold your tires in the properly aligned position
At the same time, struts are responsible for bearing most of the side load placed on your suspension system.
Your struts are critical because they impact your vehicle’s overall handling and comfort. At the same time, struts affect your ability to stop and brake, vehicle control, wheel alignment, and wear on other parts of your vehicle.
Shaking in the steering wheel often starts out mild. But before you know it, you’re holding on for dear life as it whips back and forth with the frenzy of a mechanical bull. Thankfully, by coming into your favorite Springfield OH auto shop, your repair team can diagnose and fix the problem before it ever gets to that point. To help you prepare for your visit, here’s a look at the most common causes of shaking in the steering wheel.
Tires Out of Balance
Before putting tires on your vehicle, techs have to use their magic – and perhaps a few wheel weights, of course – to get them perfectly balanced. If those wheel weights take a hiatus, then the shaking in your steering wheel may start in earnest. When off-balance tires are the cause, you can expect the shaking to speed up and slow down as your vehicle does.
Broken Belt in the Tire
A broken belt in your tire can decimate its stability, leaving your steering wheel trembling in your hands. As the tire rotates, the lack of a rigid structure makes it feel off-balance, especially if that tire is on one of your drive wheels. Like the prior cause, you’ll undoubtedly notice the shaking becoming more intense at highway speeds than when you’re cruising around the neighborhood.
Bad Universal Joints
Whether your vehicle has CV joints or U-joints, when that part breaks, you’ll feel it in the steering wheel, for sure. Without that part behaving as it should, turning the wheels throws off the wheel rotation rate side to side. Then, the off-tempo wheels send a chattering feeling through the steering wheel as you simply try to move through the bends.
Warped Brake Rotors
As your rotors act as a friction point for your brake pads, they get incredibly hot and lose material bit by bit. Over time, this can cause the rotors to warp out of round, leaving the pads skipping across their surface. Eventually, you’ll feel it in the steering wheel each time you press down on the brake pedal. If you don’t deal with it by then, the next thing to go is your stopping power.
Worn Suspension Parts
Your vehicle has a series of interconnected suspension parts that keep your vehicle feeling steady as it moves down the road. As those parts start to wear, they introduce a bit of slop into the system, allowing vibrations to shimmy through the car. The wear continues unabated until you elect to have the worn suspension parts replaced, resulting in shaking not only in the steering wheel but through the seat as well.
Steering wheel shaking can quickly go from mild to wild, so be sure to come right in to see us at Zima Automotive at the first sign of a problem. With a call to 937-342-3911, you can find a great time to drop your vehicle off or request to have it picked up from your location. We look forward to helping you resolve the steering wheel shaking well before it gets out of control, so give us a call today.
Max Zima founded Zima Automotive with a mission to raise the standard for automotive repair through education, transparency, and trust. After years of hands-on training and experience working on a wide range of domestic and European vehicles, Max developed a customer-first approach centered around helping drivers understand their vehicles and make informed repair decisions. His commitment to honest communication and quality workmanship continues to shape every experience at the shop.
Max and his team provide high-quality care for both domestic and European vehicles, including BMW, Audi, Mercedes, and more. Whether it’s check engine diagnostics, brake repair, or preventative maintenance, Max is passionate about delivering repairs customers can trust. Learn more about the shop or read Max’s full author bio.
Discover More On:
