**EDIT**
The car is a 05 A4, sorry
**EDIT**

I did a few searches and didn't find any posts related to what is going on with my car. Here is the low down:

While driving on the highway, its feels as if I'm sometimes not in control of the car. Like it has a mind of its own. If I change lanes to the left, when the wheel goes over a crack, bump or whatever, it feels like the car starts to 'shimmy' back and forth and is pretty un-nerving to say the least. The car also starts to pull to the left as well. I have replaced all the rim's and the tires and had them all balanced. I've also had the alignment checked and was told it was perfect. I've also come to the conclusion the front left wheel bearing is going out because I can feel the rythmic whirring which starts at 55mph and is really pronouned around 65. This goes away when going around a bend to the left, such as an on/off-ramp and then starts again when it is straightened out. I checked the assembly and it did not move back and forward so I don't think this is causing the 'shimmy' and stability issues but I just wanted to get some ideas on what it could be or if someone has experienced this issue.

 

i had the same issue with the runflats, even harder to controll at higher speeds mostly tractor trailer ruts in the road, got skinnies and drag radials it runs straight and smooth, sounds like you have some worn frontend parts, you have an M6 or A4 in 05

 

Sorry about that, it an A4

 

Check the slop in the wheel bearings and replace them if there is any slop. Wondering can be contributed to an alignment issue. If it were me, I would fix the bearings and take it to an alignment shop that is familuar with C5/C6 corvette and it's alignment requirements.
MAKE SURE that they do a proper 4 wheel alignment and not a TOE & GO cheep *** inspection. Have the alignment tech drive the car and expierence the issue you are having. Have them check for worn chassis parts prior to the alignment.

Make sure that your tires are PORPERLY inflated 30PSI in all four..

I have someone turn the front wheels left and right slightly with the car on the ground and watch the suspension parts when the wheels are moving. Makes it very easy to see worn parts that move/deflect under load.

Good luck and let us know hoiw you make out.

 

Very informative! Thanks so much!! I'll let you know know how it turns out !

 

I've had my 08 A6 C6 for 3 months. Prior to this I had a "built" ($5k in suspension) 05 GTO, that absolutely would've killed this Vette when I first got it. I felt the same as you, minus the wheel bearing. It rode like a caddy and "floated" down the road. After two weeks I couldn't take it anymore. Off went the GY Run Flats, on go the Michelin PS2's non-runflats, swaped shocks to the Bilstein Sports, installed the z51 sways with Pfadt bushings, BAM, new car. Just changing these items truly made it handle like I think a Vette should and would now be able to surpass my GTO and at a fraction of the cost. Best mods I could've done for the money, hands down!! Rock solid at triple digits.

 

The problem is, I've had this car for 2.5years. Its a z51 package and I know how it rode and it was stiff and amazing and perfect. Now it's not. It's definately not the tires. I had Nitto Envo's all around and changed to new ones and still have the issue. I think it has something to do with the suspension or maybe the wheel bearing. Maybe a sway bar is loose etc, I am going to be checking all the links and bolts today and I may even just replace the end links. All I know, is I know something is definately wrong lol.

 

Based on what you've said and the age of the car, it sounds like it's time to replace tie rod ends, end links and some bushings are probably worn out too, at a minimum. I'm still learning about the Vette too. Basically, it sounds to me like you've got worn out suspension parts, particularly in the front end, yes I'm probably stating the obvious, but these are things that just wear out. When they're worn, IMO, it will be a lot more noticeable on a car like a Corvette. Find a good shop (one that you can trust), that knows Vettes and have them go through the front end.

 

alignment

 

The wheel bearing could be an issue, does the noise you hear increase when you turn the steering wheel to the right? You could also have a problem with one or more tie rods. Alignment could still be an issue. The stock specs have a huge tolerance around them and a shop can put your car on the rack and say it is OK when it isn't. With run flats you need just a little front toe in to keep the car from wandering when encountering pavement imperfections. If there isn't enough rear toe in you can get excessive turning as the backend will move around more than it should.

One thing you should do is have somebody who is a good driver drive the car and get an independent viewpoint on what is happening. Last year one of our local club members had me drive his 08 Z51 car because he thought it was pulling too much as he changed lanes or hit various pavement lines, etc. When I drove the car I found that it drove just fine. I could put the car into cruise at 70 take my hands off the wheel and if the car was in the right lane it would slowly drift to the right until it hit the paint line on the ride side of the pavement. The car would stop drifting right at that point and bounce off the paint and then back. I drove for several miles without touching the wheel with the car hugging the paint line. In the left lane it would do the same except it drifted left until it hit the paint line. Crossing the median the car would require increased turning of the steering wheel until one side crossed the median then I had to quickly pull the increased turning out of the steering or the car would dart in the direction I was turning. It would do this whether I was moving left or right across the median. Some additional toe in may have reduced the pull when crossing the median but his tires were wearing perfectly and adjusting the toe may have ruined that.


Bill

 

Replaced rims? In trying to cure this issue?
I make the assumption you have owned the vette since your forum join date of 2007, so we rule out the "feel" of wide tires over road way bumps.
Will also assume that on flat road straight aways the vette goes like it is "on rails", yes?
Are you the original owner; do we rule out collision/ frame/ suspension damage?
Also, your noise comments are described as the wheel bearings, but you ruled bearings out.

My first thought is a broken sway bar link which is a known issue.

I would offer that you need to jack up the front of the vette and crawl around with a torque wrench yourself. Check A-Arms, sway bar bushing, shock attachment, leaf spring etc for movement traces and properly/check torque everything. Don't rule out the issue is coming from the rear suspension either!

As above have some help with turning the steering wheel while you are under carriage.

One last thought would be the power steering pump. The belt is loose, low fluid, or the pump is failing. Also look and listen to your steering rack for issues. The pump could be your noise issue.

You might also remove the rims and insure that they are seating flat against the hub.

Seems you have ruled out alignment, bent rim, tire pressure and wheel bearings already, yet check these again yourself as possible.

As stated above in hunting this issue, try to confirm your alignment was done correctly. Yes, there are ranges to be within and some sides of the range are better than others for handling vs. tire life for example. At least confirm your ride heights as outlined in the factory service manual (not by fender lips to floor), four wheel aligment was done (not just two), - 150lbs sitting in your driver seat and corner weighting optional - so did you get a before and after alignment print out?

My best guess/ vote is on the sway bar end links or a power steering pump issue.

Good hunting.

 

A good way to check wheel bearings. Statistically the right front wheel bearing is the first to go. Not always but most of the time. We usually drive in the right lane which puts the high part of the road (most roads taper from the center line to outsides for drainage, not so much on interstates) to the drivers side. This causes the car to naturally try to drift right. In correcting this "drift" we as drivers are holding the car straight. This normal action causes a slight pressure on the right bearing because this side of the car is slightly lower and thus has a small amount of additional weight. If your right wheel bearing is worn, driving in the right lane on a tapered road will cause the bearing to make more noise. Switch to the left lane if the noise stops your right bearing is going. If the noise gets worse good chance it is your left bearing. If the is no change what so ever in either lane there is a very good chance you do not have bad bearings. Once again, this rule is not etched in concrete but usually works pretty well.