how many of you get a 65mph shimmy? - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

Perfectlap · 12-06-2006, 10:45 AM

how many miles ago was your last alignment and how many of you get ZERO shimmy (y'know steering shakes) over 50mph?

CJ_Boxster · 12-06-2006, 10:51 AM

I have a shimmy over 50 but my i have 101k miles on my boxster so its possible that every suspension part in my box needs replacing.

Boxtaboy · 12-06-2006, 10:51 AM

I haven't had an alignment in 4 yrs. and 34K miles. I get no vibration unless the car has been sitting for more than 2 weeks undriven, and then for the first 10 minutes or so of driving I get slight vibration from the tires flatspotting. The steering wheel has never been off center.

I did, however, once get a noticeable vibration, but that was because I had a large screw in a front tire. Got the tire patched, and vibration went away.

RandallNeighbour · 12-06-2006, 11:20 AM

It's hard to distinguish shimmy or wheel shake from road feel in my boxster. I did finally get it aligned properly and the wheels and tires balanced on a hunter 9700 series road force balancing machine and it's straight and vibration free.

I no longer patching high performance, low profile summer tires... the patch will not heat up at the same rate as the tire and it can cause a blowout when you're driving fast...which puts you and your car's safety at risk. Replace your tires, don't repair them.

blinkwatt · 12-06-2006, 11:30 AM

My alignment was done about 500 miles ago. I have a very small shimmy at around 50+,my dad doesn't notice it when he drives my car.

ohioboxster · 12-06-2006, 11:36 AM

I have no shimmy but I have factory wheels. Do you guys with shimmys have aftermarket wheels?

Topless · 12-06-2006, 11:42 AM

Last alignment??? 20k?? vibration free... unless I am on the I 10. Then it feels like I am in one of those cow commercials.

A "speed shimmy" usually points to wheel balance, tire separation or suspension ills. Time to start poking around.

12-06-2006, 11:44 AM

I have zero shimmy with factory wheels, and a small shimmy with my wheels, very small. It is a lot more shakey in the wheel with 19's but its because of the road (when I go over a smooth spot its dead silent, lol)

Sammy · 12-06-2006, 01:16 PM

Once the tires have worked themselves out after sitting, I have zero shimmy or shake. I did have a shimmy when one of my front wheels was out of balance by a very very very small amount. I took it to Firestone and they rebalanced it and its been smooth ever since.

Jeph · 12-06-2006, 03:06 PM

Alignments are to make your car go straight. If you're getting a shimmy, it's a balance problem... or possibly something else.

I was getting a shimmy a little while ago, but the guys at RUF balanced it for me... it makes a world of difference...

Perfectlap · 12-06-2006, 03:27 PM

hmm...when I had the winters mounted I noticed that the inside left rear was rubbing on the shock as I could plainly see a the serial numbers on the shock had a rub mark. I was getting this shimmy before on my Toyos and its still present on my freshly balanced winters that I've put at least 1,000 miles on.
Let's see what an over priced spec alignment does..