shaking front end
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 68
Likes: 0
From: north haven ct.
shaking front end
hey fellas i have a 95 lt1 vert 6 speed with about 75000, i just started noticing on the highway after 50 miles an hour the steering wheel shakes, never did before. After hitting a bump the car will continue to shake thats why i think it could be the shocks, any ideas would be greatly appreciated......drive fast 
4th Gear
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
front end
Sounds like a tire balance problem. After a car sets for too long the tires sometimes can come unbalanced from getting too low of tire presure, Thats what happend to my front tires on my 94 drop top. This also happens often to the 4x4 off road tires (super swampers).
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,363
Likes: 7
From: 1994 LT1 Coupe 6-speed with FX3 & 2000 LS1 Vert 6-Speed with F45 Hunterdon County, NJ
tire balance
Originally Posted by squalsvette
hey fellas i have a 95 lt1 vert 6 speed with about 75000, i just started noticing on the highway after 50 miles an hour the steering wheel shakes, never did before. After hitting a bump the car will continue to shake thats why i think it could be the shocks, any ideas would be greatly appreciated......drive fast
Maybe one of the wheel weights came off.
I like to balance tires every 12k miles, how long has it been since yours were rebalanced?
Racer
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 456
Likes: 3
From: Sumner Texas
It is HIGHLY likely that this is a tire related problem. It COULD be imbalance but it also could be a tire or two that have developed a flat spot from setting for an extended period of time. If it is a flat spot, airing the tires to max pressure and driving about 20 miles or more will smooth them out some or maybe totally.
It is a very rare situation where alignment has an effect on vibration. Two other myths are shocks or worn front end parts causing a vibration. All of these things can exacerbate a vibration, but are not the cause. In almost all cases it is rotating parts that are the source of vibrations while all those other things can amplify vibrations.
If driving it an extended distance with fully inflated tires does not smooth out the vibration, find a shop with a GSP9700 Hunter machine with someone who KNOWS how to use it. This machine has a pressure roller that is used to analyze the tire for stiff spots as well as provide precise balance.
Good luck,
It is a very rare situation where alignment has an effect on vibration. Two other myths are shocks or worn front end parts causing a vibration. All of these things can exacerbate a vibration, but are not the cause. In almost all cases it is rotating parts that are the source of vibrations while all those other things can amplify vibrations.
If driving it an extended distance with fully inflated tires does not smooth out the vibration, find a shop with a GSP9700 Hunter machine with someone who KNOWS how to use it. This machine has a pressure roller that is used to analyze the tire for stiff spots as well as provide precise balance.
Good luck,
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 4,931
Likes: 3
From: Fort Lauderdale FL
I had that problem and found out it was the rotors that were warped that caused this. After sending it back to the company and getting new ones... it cured the problem. I found that not only can rotors caused vibration when braking.. it can cause just the same upon accelerating or at hwy speeds. Mine only did it when I hit 50mph and up.
Advanced
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
From: Wilmington DE
If you find an answer please let me know. I'm not trying to hijack your thread, just want to share my experience. I have a 92 vert with the exact same problem. It's the shaking after hitting a bump that really concerns me. I've spent lots of time and money trying to track down the culprit, to no avail. I've done tires, wheels, shocks, rotors, ball joints, bearings, steering rack, tire rod ends (inner and outer). I've had several alignments (at different shops), balances, Hunter road force balance, and still the shake is there. I've read many other post with this problem, but not seen many solutions. There must be something specific to C4's that cause this problem and somebody has to have solved it before. As I said earlier, if you find the solution, please let me know. Thanks
Racer
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 399
Likes: 2
From: Newtown PA
Originally Posted by jdbxyz
If you find an answer please let me know. I'm not trying to hijack your thread, just want to share my experience. I have a 92 vert with the exact same problem. It's the shaking after hitting a bump that really concerns me. I've spent lots of time and money trying to track down the culprit, to no avail. I've done tires, wheels, shocks, rotors, ball joints, bearings, steering rack, tire rod ends (inner and outer). I've had several alignments (at different shops), balances, Hunter road force balance, and still the shake is there. I've read many other post with this problem, but not seen many solutions. There must be something specific to C4's that cause this problem and somebody has to have solved it before. As I said earlier, if you find the solution, please let me know. Thanks
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Racer
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 456
Likes: 3
From: Sumner Texas
A warped or partially glazed brake rotor will only cause vibration while the brakes are applied. BTW, if you spray dressing on your tires, make SURE that you cover the wheel so that none of it makes its way to the rotor. It can cause partial glazing which will feel like a warped rotor.
As far as shaking on bumps, I just finished making a camber brace for my 88 which eliminated MUCH of this. Since the frame is not free to flex at that point, however, it did result in a slightly firmer ride.
Have a great day,
As far as shaking on bumps, I just finished making a camber brace for my 88 which eliminated MUCH of this. Since the frame is not free to flex at that point, however, it did result in a slightly firmer ride.
Have a great day,
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 3,204
Likes: 4
From: Midland Georgia
St. Jude Donor '06
Me too
My 94 coupe (top in or out) rode rough and shook seemingly at random on the highway at approximately 65 mph. It was so bad that I even pulled off the highway a few times thinking that I had a flat!? I have OEM ZR-1 replicas with Sumitomo tires that he previous owner put on the car. I did the following:
Replaced the shocks. (Improved quite a bit but not the fix)
Alignment (Nice but still shook diving into turns.)
"Speed balanced" the wheels and tires. (THAT DID IT!!) The shop that did it is owned by a former dirt track racer and the guy actually shaved my tires. He still added alot of weight so I think the combination of el cheapo tires and replica wheels threw the whole set up off.
Now it is smooth as silk up to triple digits.
Replaced the shocks. (Improved quite a bit but not the fix)
Alignment (Nice but still shook diving into turns.)
"Speed balanced" the wheels and tires. (THAT DID IT!!) The shop that did it is owned by a former dirt track racer and the guy actually shaved my tires. He still added alot of weight so I think the combination of el cheapo tires and replica wheels threw the whole set up off.
Now it is smooth as silk up to triple digits.
3rd Gear
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
i have the same problem with my car...92 vert...21k...i had the original tires on the car still until this past summer....changed those and put on eagle f1's....didn't work...brought the car to a dealer with the hunter system and that didn't work...my local mechanic has said that he has seen a rim go out of round from sitting too long and suspects thats the problem...only shakes when going at highway speeds and the car feels like its falling apart whenever you hit a bump...I wish i knew what the answer was too!
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 4,931
Likes: 3
From: Fort Lauderdale FL
Originally Posted by MBDiagMan
A warped or partially glazed brake rotor will only cause vibration while the brakes are applied.
3rd Gear
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
vibration update
i took the advice of the board and decided to go with the hunter road force balance and it fixed all the problems i was having....no more shake in the steering wheel...the car feels tighter and takes bumps in the road better now too...thanks to everyone here
Gary
Gary
