Need help - steering wheel wobble - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

JoeFromPA · 06-20-2011, 11:34 AM

No spacers. Rotors are ~10k miles old zimmerman cross-drilled

Shimmy can be as severe at 50mph as at 80mph, but seems to get a bit worse as speed increases above 85-90mph. But perhaps just more constant there. It's not linearly increasing with speed. When it's at its most severe, I'm guessing the steering wheel is shimmying through 5-7 degrees of motion. Like a really badly balanced tire or how the steering wheel will shake like crazy when a rotor is very warped during braking.

I'm gonna focus on bushings at this time. Off the top of my head, I'm thinking control arm bushings (most likely), steering rack bushings (less likely), sway bar bushings (least liklely). Any others? I'd include strut top hats except those should be brand new with the bilstein HDs....hmmm...

jaykay · 06-20-2011, 11:47 AM

Okay....try the front track bars. They have rubber bushes in them that will degrade. Unfortunately i think you have to change the whole metal arm. I can dig for a part number if you are not sure what I am talking about...

Perhaps now there are cheaper aftermarket pieces available

JoeFromPA · 06-20-2011, 12:59 PM

Front track bars = front sway bars?

Not familiar with that term.

I don't think I'm right there as I've never heard of worn out sway bar bushings causing significant steering wheel wobble. Just noise/clunking. So I'm guessing track bars is something else....? Control arms?

jaykay · 06-20-2011, 01:19 PM

No track arms as in orientation of the wheel....suspension arm linkage/control arm

I will have to get you the right name. It could be wishbone as well.

Bushings in
996341043 and/or 996341053 06 (07) (16) (00)
Could be done

brian325is · 06-20-2011, 02:23 PM

Rather than guess at parts. Why not have the car re-aligned. During the process the mechanic will check for excessive play or damage in the components.

You can fix the components yourself if thats what you want to do. Usually they will give you a deal to re-align after you install parts if necessary.

jaykay · 06-20-2011, 05:49 PM

Yes for sure have a mechanic push and pull on these parts and examine the bushings within. These are the main ones that would cause flutter in the front wheels. It's hard to do without a lift

JoeFromPA · 06-20-2011, 06:09 PM

Just trying to prevent a shimmy I've driven on for 5k miles (and is manageable by changing speeds) from developing into a $800 repair - my hope has been I can identify it before starting down the road of paying to identify it.

However, I do have a mechanic I trust.