Shakey wheel when driving, what can be causing this?


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Old 03-15-09, 11:45 AM
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Shakey wheel when driving, what can be causing this?

When i'm driving my truck is a little shakey, not smooth like it was. When I took my truck for a new brake line, my mechanic said my ball joints needed replacement on drivers side. When I got home to replace them, they looked new. But when my tire is mounted you can rock it back and forth a little and when I drive it still shakes.
Any other ideas as to what can be going on?
 
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Old 03-15-09, 12:22 PM
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It could be a wheel bearing that has the play in it, but the ball joint wears internally. It has to be really bad before you could look at it and tell it's defective.

I suspect it's a matter where the wheel on it gives you the leverage to move it.
 
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Old 03-15-09, 01:32 PM
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out of balance wheel
bad tire
bent rim
improperly installed wheel
bad bearing
bad ball joint
bad control arm bushings
bad tie rod end
bad idler arm (if not R and P steering)
bad pitman arm (if not R and P steering)
bad rack (if r and p steering)
bad mounts on r and p unit (if r and p steering)
rotor with extreme runout
seized brake caliper

those are most of the items that could cause vibration when driving. Some of them will cause looseness as you experienced when shaking the wheel while off the ground. Some won't.
 
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Old 03-15-09, 01:57 PM
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Back To Basics........

Model , make and Year. ?????

Any vehicle with a full Suspension--2 Control arms--will never show BJ play with the wheels "Hanging"....

Play "Top to Bottom" is a BJ, "Side to side" is Tie rods, Bearings will show play in any position..(I usually check top and bottom, side to side, and then somewhere in the "DIAGONALLY" for bearings)

Simple before the sublime..... Try and feel the vibration....If its in the steering wheel, Look up front, In the seat , look in the back, or drive line. This may be as simple as a bad tire as Nap suggested towards the top of his list.
 
 

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