Shudder on Turns
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 141
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From: Hillsborough NJ
Shudder on Turns
I've recently installed the VBP Perf Plus suspension on my car. I just balanced the tires and aligned everything. Straight forward, the car behaves fine. However, when I'm at speed, if I take a turn, the car picks up a nasty vibration. What could be causing this? I have the springs set on their second stiffest setting. Is this my spaghetti frame being outmatched by a stiff suspension? What am I missing? 
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,663
Likes: 139
From: Vail AZ
I'm wondering if you have a wheel bearing going South? Perhaps the vibration was absorbed by the natural frequencies of the old springs/shocks, but the new suspension components allow the vibrations to come through?
Vibrations are VERY hard to diagnose when driving the car, much less over the internet. I'd guess (More guessing here) that most folks are hesitant to give advice on such matters from afar. But since the vibration only shows up when in a curve, my "guess" would be the added side-loads during cornering on one or more of your wheel bearings would be the best place to start looking. After all, what else changes between straight-line driving and cornering?
Vibrations are VERY hard to diagnose when driving the car, much less over the internet. I'd guess (More guessing here) that most folks are hesitant to give advice on such matters from afar. But since the vibration only shows up when in a curve, my "guess" would be the added side-loads during cornering on one or more of your wheel bearings would be the best place to start looking. After all, what else changes between straight-line driving and cornering?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 141
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From: Hillsborough NJ
Yeah I know it's hard to diagnose from a distance. I had the bearings apart a year or two ago and they looked fine. There is no excess play in them. This is definitely a front end problem. I can feel it in the steering wheel. It almost feels like warped front rotors when I curve, but I'm not stepping on the brakes. This isn't a low speed problem - it happens at speed.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2005
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Originally Posted by jamesx0
Yeah I know it's hard to diagnose from a distance. I had the bearings apart a year or two ago and they looked fine. There is no excess play in them. This is definitely a front end problem. I can feel it in the steering wheel. It almost feels like warped front rotors when I curve, but I'm not stepping on the brakes. This isn't a low speed problem - it happens at speed.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 141
Likes: 0
From: Hillsborough NJ
Originally Posted by rihwoods
Can you describe it better....transverse vibration?? Steering wheel wiggle? Helps to know what you are feeling...I have a vibration trouble shooting chart..can post details..tips..covers entire car...front end etc.. .
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Race Director
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 16,100
Likes: 17
Originally Posted by jamesx0
It definitely wiggles the steering wheel. To me it feels like a transverse vibration. Could it be that I am sitting on a resonant frequency of the front transverse spring?
http://www.tracyvette.com/vibrationdiagnosis.html
