Steering Wheel Vibration Fixed !

[W6RU]

This might help someone down the road .....

I reported a few weeks back after just getting my 97 LS400 that I still had a slight steering wheel shimmy or slight vibration after the new Michelin's were installed. This has continued to bug me. I took it to my Lexus dealer today and had them check the wheel balance. They found that the tire shop I bought my tires from only placed balance weights on the outside of the wheel. After the dealer balanced the wheels with weights on both sides of the wheels I am very happy to report that I no longer have any problem ... at least up to 105 MPH. WHAT A SMOOTH RIDE !!

[VBdenny]

Just out of curosity, how much did Uncle Lex charge you to do the balance?

[VMF]

what if i have those chrome rims and i cant put the weithgt on the outside of the rim. but at speeds from 80 to 90 the whole car shakes and i can feel that it is coming from the front drivers wheel

[VBdenny]

I think if the whole car shakes between 80 and 90, it probably isn't due to wheel balance. Did you notice it after you put on new rims and tires? In my opinion, you might have a suspension problem if the whole car shakes. I noticed mine has a very slight vibration between 80 and 90 or so and was told it was due to "weak" upper control arms. Since the ball joints are incorporated into the wishbones, they can only be obtained as a unit. I replaced the struts which also go bad. Hey, I know what Brooklyn streets are like and they definitely work a suspension. I damaged an idler arm on Ocean Parkway in a Buick once. Of course I shouldn't have been doing 60, but that was then. If you know a place that does a good alignment, cruise over there and have them do one. Maybe they can give you a idea.

[mig25]

Are you guys talking about the emblem that says (LS 400 ) ?

my 90 has only Lexus on the left hand side trunk lid.

[VMF]

i did an alignment and i changed tires and this vibration is still there:( yah brookly streets are bad, i almost lost whole front right wheel when it got into the huge whole. i though rim cracked but only the tire got some damage, i changed it and vibration is still there, it just switched from 70-80 to 80-90....

[NeiLtYmE]

i hear ya.... another thing you might wanna check are the wheels themselves...

ocassionally through pot holes and what not the wheel it self can get bent. the damage doesnt have to be noticable right away... but such a change can def effect your ride at high speeds...

nt

[VMF]

how do i check em?

[W6RU]

The cost for my Lexus dealer to do the wheel balance was a surprise .... only $ 39.00.

I have the chrome wheels and they still put the weights on both sides of the wheels.