Since you've already checked a million other things on your Pathfinder and you're feeling vibration in your steering wheel, I'd bet your front prop-shaft/drive-shaft U-joints are seized and mis-aligned or loose. Check or replace them. It happened on my PF around 88,00 miles. I'd just replace them on both ends if you decide to replace the front as preventative maintenance.
You can check to see if they're loose by crawling under your ride and physically moving your drive-shafts in all directions. If you feel any play in any direction, you know your U-joints are donesky. If they're seized and mis-aligned, only a tech cab tell by removing the drive-shaft and joints for inspection.
new tires, new shocks and sturtus, steeringwheel stil shakes
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doctahjones
- Posts: 844
- Joined: Tue Nov 16, 2010 11:08 am
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i recently rotated my tires (in a clockwise rotation) and all the sudden had a 'wobble' in the steering wheel. the drivers side rear went to the drivers side front. took it to discount to get a re-balance. the guy called me over and had me look at the wheel on the balancer, and the whole wheel was wobbling. yeah, i bent my rim somehow. doh!
i guess it makes sense as i did an alignment right before that, and he said the drivers side rear was -way- out. guess i must have banged it when doing that offroad trip. don't remember doing anything to -that- tire though..
so anyway, have you rotated the fronts to the back? just wondering if maybe one of your rims might have a very subtle bend in it?
i guess it makes sense as i did an alignment right before that, and he said the drivers side rear was -way- out. guess i must have banged it when doing that offroad trip. don't remember doing anything to -that- tire though..
so anyway, have you rotated the fronts to the back? just wondering if maybe one of your rims might have a very subtle bend in it?
I have the exact same problems on my 2008 S model with 70k. I bought it with 60k and I believe it already existed if I remember but it is getting worse.
The steering wheel will wobble violently when compression is taken off the front suspension and just normal, regular driving on smooth road surfaces it still has some wobble as well.
It's terribly annoying, I understand your frustration.
The steering wheel will wobble violently when compression is taken off the front suspension and just normal, regular driving on smooth road surfaces it still has some wobble as well.
It's terribly annoying, I understand your frustration.
Make sure they did the alignment properly. A lot of shops just half-ass alignments and that's a big part of the "hopping" problem on these. Of course that's assuming you're used to driving a truck-based ute. Even the greatest riding trucks jump a little. But when my alignment is out it really jumps....feels like you're going to land in the next lane type of thing.sushime67 wrote:I am having the same issue as well, anytime I hit a bump its all over the place, new stryts and shocks, new tires and alignment...Love the vehicle otherwise...wont buy another though.
I use a shop that has a dedicated alignment technician who has been doing this for 20 years. A good non-franchise tire shop or an alignment/suspension specialty shop is a good start. Most of the chains just hire kids that are learning on your car.
exactly rightskinny2 wrote:I use a shop that has a dedicated alignment technician who has been doing this for 20 years. A good non-franchise tire shop or an alignment/suspension specialty shop is a good start. Most of the chains just hire kids that are learning on your car.
modern alignment equipment is VERY sophisticated these days
but it isn't worth a damn if the operator does not know how to use it properly
i have 2 '05 r51s, neither one has ever had the above-mentioned symptoms
(at least not yet)
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