A long road bothers everyone, and even more so for the driver. With a situation such as a beating on the steering wheel at a speed that lasts a long time, many drivers faced. It is worth noting that the vibration of the car can be natural, and there are no prerequisites to worry. Such cases include bumps in the road surface. In other cases, on a flat surface, the presence of extraneous vibrations is an alarming bell, indicating a malfunction.
If you ignore the appearance of vibration, then in the future you can seriously pay not only for expensive repairs. In times of vibration, special attention is paid to the steering wheel, its imbalance. Most often, a beating on the steering wheel at a speed occurs due to the lack of balance of the wheels, but this is not the only reason. There are many causes of steering wheel vibration, to determine which it is necessary to test the car on the highway, periodically switching from one gear to another.
The main causes of vibration steering
When there are knocks on the steering wheel, you should remember the speed at which this happened. Then you should diagnose the car on the go and set the speed mode in which vibration disappears. Very often, the beating occurs when driving at low speeds and at medium speeds, while the steering wheel beats quite unpleasantly. But if the driver increases the speed a little, then the vibration ceases to appear. It may reappear during a sharp acceleration.
When testing your car, you should look at the manifestation of shaking during sharp braking or with acceleration. It is necessary to look at the vibration strength during the diagnosis. The reasons for the beating of the steering wheel at speed are varied.
Incorrect balancing due to foreign matter
The most common cause of wheel beating is the presence of foreign matter on the inside of the wheel. That is why there is an imbalance in wheel balancing, which is why the car on the track starts to vibrate at different speed modes. If there is dirt on the disks and the road is rough, then after a while the beating may stop due to the independent falling off of the lumps of dirt. However, if there are knocks, it is better to stop and look at the discs. If there is dirt, it is better to remove it with a special metal brush. The easiest way to determine whether it is in alloy wheels, on stamped wheels, such an inspection without removing it will be very difficult to do. In this case, you need a flyover or a lift. In the same way, snow also acts on the wheels, which clogs the discs from the inside as tightly as possible, which affects the vibration.
Lack of wheel balancing
Rims are made uneven in shape and composition, which is why each region has a different mass. The center is pulled in the direction where the largest mass is located. As soon as the center shifts, the centrifugal force also shifts. The result is a beating in the steering wheel at speed due to the available transmitted forces along the chain of rods at high speeds.
That is why it is necessary to balance the wheels after each replacement of tires or wheels. Balancing is a process in which the mass of the wheel is aligned along the entire contour using special elements, popularly referred to as “weights”. They are glued or clogged onto the rim from the inside.
Natural tire wear
During long-term operation of a vehicle with improperly balanced wheels, tire wear will occur rapidly at some points, which will subsequently lead to strong vibration. In addition to rubber wear, the pressure will increase when working on the hub bearing and some suspension elements, which will increase the runout on the steering wheel at speed.
Defining an unbalanced balance is fairly easy. When driving at high speeds, a slight vibration is manifested. For cars, the speed should be at least 60 km / h. Visually, the wheels will be intact, there will be no signs of deformation on tires and wheels.
Wheel deformation
The degree of its development has a strong effect on the presence of vibration. Wheel deformation occurs when a disc enters the pit at high speed. The curvature of the wheel can be determined by visual inspection: if the disk fell into the pit and has deformation in some places, dents will be observed on the wheel rim. In most cases, the front side of the disk is deformed less frequently than the inside. Among cast and steel discs, deformation is inherent in the latter. Sometimes a disc is crooked from the moment of purchase. You can check its curvature on a special stand for wheel balancing, which is available in any tire workshop. If the wheel will go eight, then this will indicate the presence of severe deformation or curvature from the moment of manufacture. Because of this, not only the steering wheel vibrates. It is transmitted throughout the suspension, and then spreads over the body.
When worn or deformed tires are used, the steering wheel will run out at a speed of 120 km / h. In this case, not only the steering wheel may beat, but also the vibration of the machine, which depends on the degree of wear. The only way out of this situation is the complete replacement of discs or tires.
Inadequate tire pressure
If there is insufficient pressure in the wheels, then vibration will begin to occur throughout the vehicle (less often it goes to the steering wheel). Pumping up tires, you can solve the existing problems with vibration.
Weak wheel fasteners
Runout of the steering wheel at low speed can be observed with a weak fastening of the discs to the hub. If strong vibration occurs at the beginning of movement, you must immediately stop and visually inspect the mounting bolts.
As a rule, some of them can easily spin their hand. However, if they do not scroll, you must take the balloon wrench and tighten the bolts. Otherwise, ignoring the situation will lead to a simple unscrewing of the wheel from the drum, which can cause an accident. At low speeds, it will not be so dangerous, but still you should not bring the car to this state. Acyclic, that is, an unstable beating of the steering wheel at different speeds can also be observed.
Suspension or steering system malfunction
There are other reasons for which there is a runout on the steering wheel at speed due to the untimely maintenance of the vehicle. Broken suspension greatly affects the grip of the car with the road. If there is play in the elements of the suspension or steering system during the turn, the same vibrations will occur as when using bent wheels. This reason is indirect.
Wheel runout when braking at speed
This is a very serious malfunction. If there is a runout of the steering wheel at high speed at the time of braking, this is the main sign of wear on the brake discs. This suggests that the discs or drums have traces of deformation, that is, the surface will be wavy. It can be caused by a long service life or by overheating of the drum or disk during sudden braking.
If there is a deformation of the drum or disk, then the vibration will be observed only during braking, when pressing the pads on the disk. You can solve the problem only by replacing these elements with new ones.
Cornering runout
When driving, beating on the steering wheel at a speed can also occur during a turn. In this case, we can safely declare the need for diagnostics with the subsequent replacement of the suspension, since the SHRUS or the silent block failed. When turning, in addition to shaking, a characteristic crunch from under the wheels will be heard. When replacing a constant velocity joint, it is necessary to check the operability of the hub bearing and, if a large output is detected, replace it. In order to prevent vibration during bends, it is necessary to conduct periodic inspections at the service station. With an independent inspection of the car in the pit, the first sign of impending vibration is a crack on the anthers. They should be replaced with stuffing grease.
When driving on rough roads, a beating indicates a malfunction of the steering rack. The lever sleeve may fail. Also, the beat on the steering wheel is affected by a failed shock absorber. Thus, there are many reasons why a steering wheel beats while driving. In each case, the first step is to make a visual inspection and eliminate the malfunction.
So, we found out the cause of the steering wheel beating at high speed and during braking.