re: Shimmy 50-60mph, new tires, fresh balancing.... hints?

[TJCallahan@domain.elided]

Don,

My Jetta (sorry about the non-Alfa content) was pretty sensitive to several 
things: wheel balance; lug bolt torque, and clocking of the wheels relative 
to the hub. 'Course, it's one o'them 'not quite real' FWD cars and sensitive 
anyway ... not like a REAL MAN'S Alfa! (Tongue in cheek)

The last time I had the tires replaced (earlier this year), the shop over 
tightened the lug bolts so much that the car shook terribly on acceleration. 
I loosened and retorqued them all and the shake almost completely 
disappeared. The best I can figure is that the over torque condition warped 
the hub enough to cause an out of round condition. Fortunately it wasn't in 
that condition long enough to do permanent damage.

I then re-clocked one front tire by one lug bolt (rotated on the hub one bolt 
hole) and the resonance shake disappeared, too. Do one side at a time, then 
go for a drive and check the results. If you have to re-clock, do the other 
side and rotate the wheel one lug THE OPPOSITE WAY. Otherwise, you have just 
reintroduced the original resonance. AMHIK

Alfa content: it was a local Alfisti-owned shop that over torqued the bolts. 
Ouch!

Check these things first, they're easy. Then go after the more serious stuff 
if the shimmy is still there.

Tom
Seattle
10123
11615 (almost ready to turn south on I5 and watch for Crowne Victorias ...)
--
to be removed from alfa, see /bin/digest-subs.cgi
or email "unsubscribe alfa" to majordomo@domain.elided