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EFV-8 Club Forum / General Ford Discussion / Shimmy

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Discussion Topic: Shimmy -- page: 1 2

jackb

03-14-2015 @ 1:45 PM

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Posts: 8
Joined: Feb 2015

A red flag went up when you stated that your shimmy was at low speed. When that was happening to my car it didn't start until about 62mph or so, then when I had my neighbor follow me it looked like four basketballs dribbling down the highway. At that slow speed I'm not sure that balance alone is your problem. I do think you should let that shop look at your car and by spinning the wheels they might just tell you to get a new set of tires before they balance on the car. When I had this balancing done in '04 I was charged $50 for all four wheels. Good luck and let us know what the problem was when you find out. I do have 'tube shocks' on my forty and they work great.

TomO

03-14-2015 @ 6:14 AM

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From your description, it sounds like worn parts are causing your shimmy. Balance problems and bent rim problems, usually show up at a certain speed, without any external forces.

I like to jack up one front wheel at a time, and grab the top and bottom and try to move the wheel.If there is any movement in the vertical plane, that could cause the shimmy.

If there is no movement in the vertical plane, grab the front and back of the wheel and try to move it. If there is any movement in this direction, it could cause your shimmy.

Tom

len47merc

03-13-2015 @ 3:48 PM

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With the assumptions your front end is 'tight' and is in sound running order, the vibration is definitely felt in the steering wheel, the vibration is somewhat speed related, the car sat for 3 1/2 years (assumed with the full weight of the car on the tires) without being driven and the tires are bias plies - it is a good bet your problem is tire related. It is a bit odd though that the shimmy worsened with a toe-in adjustment.

Given the vibration is felt at such a low speed (20 mph) and disappears at 45 mph (the speed balance issues usually become apparent) it is unlikely it is a balance issue.

I'd strongly suspect the tires would fail road-force testing after sitting for so long without being driven and likely have a hardened area of the tread.

Many of us have Coker bias plies on our cars - I do and like the look and original ride but it took some work to get to a smooth result. The manufacturing process for their bias plies unfortunately produces a bit more variance than one would like for a driver, especially in terms of tread density/road force/runout (roundness) results. It took several sets and/or individual tires from them before 4 were finally obtained that ran smooth throughout the speed range. Even then, two of the tires require much more weight than is ideal to achieve proper balance. Note I chased steering/front end, suspension and shock issues as well as having all 4 tires/wheels balanced on the car (with the hubs & drums) - all to the nth degree - before realizing the new tires, which were erroneously assumed to be above reproach as they were new, were the culprit as the source of the wheel 'hop'. In the end I am happy with their product and they supported the process throughout but it took some doing to get there.

Having someone ride beside and/or behind your vehicle when the 'shimmy' is apparent (at the lower speeds you have referenced) can give you more insight into the source of your problem. If your front wheels are vibrating right and left you may wish to not only focus on your tires but also pursue steering and front suspension component details further. If they are only hopping up and down it's a strong bet you need a new pair, 'er, set of shoes. You may be surprised to find your rear tires are hopping a bit as well and are adding to the 'shimmy' sensation.

Hope this helps - best of results to you in your investigation and potential purchase.

Steve

This message was edited by len47merc on 3-13-15 @ 4:32 PM

flatfoot

03-13-2015 @ 2:02 PM

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