[smithy-]

Just bought a 1999 jimny, and at about 70 klms im getting a vibration back thru the steering wheel?
Just had the wheels balanced it did nt fix the problem
Cant see any worn components

anyone got any pointers?

cheers

[Gwagensteve]

Check the Jimny steering wobble discussion. It's very common, even on brand new cars.

For what it's worth, I suggest checking kingpin bearing preload as a starting point. They need to be quite tight. It's a bit involved to check but I reckon once it's in spec the wobble should all but dissapear, barring other worn components.

Steve.

[rustyzook]

radius arm bushes

[smithy-]

did some research - im doing my head in could be a 1 of 1000 things. would a return to centre steering damper( tough dog) be the go to start with ?
i have no power steering and its a bitch at low speeds

[Gwagensteve]

No. You have a problem with wear/preload or something. Fitting a steering damper might be a good idea for other reasons (to limit kickback, for example) but it won't do anything to correct the issue that was causing the wobble in the first place. It might mask the wobble, but in my opinion that's kind of like putting more sound proofing in so you can't hear a bearing noise - it's not really a "fix" at all, it just means you don't notice the problem as much.

It could be wear in any number of items, you 'll need to step through all the possibles until it goes away, but my money is still on kingpin bearing preload, which affects steering knuckle starting torque.

My guess is your car will still have the factory original kingpin bearings in it, which are getting on a bit now.

Steve.

[Gwagensteve]

Oh and RTC dampers are a stupid gimmick. There are good reasons to fit a damper, but no good reasons to fit an RTC damper, especially on a manual steer car.

Steve.

[smithy-]

thanks for info gwagensteve
does anyone have a diy - on king pin re shimming?

[rustyzook]

jimny wobble thread in tech, search it the info should be on there or links to it are on there

[jimny_timmy]

http://www.bigjimny.com/images/document ... arings.pdf

[smithy-]

thanks for that - jimny-timmy

[jimny_timmy]

No dramas bud

[rummy1]

I had a few issues with the steering wobble in my jimny too mate. Turned out to be 3 things: Radius arm bushes, panhard rod bushes and there was way too much backlash in the steering box. It was an amplified effect, but replacing the first two items helped it. Then adjusting the steering box finished the job nicely

Terry

[smithy-]

just fitted a ironman 2 inch lift and steering damper- the steering wooble has dis apperared . i may have only masked the problem - i will look at other items for wear

[Fatzook]

smithy- wrote:

just fitted a ironman 2 inch lift and steering damper- the steering wooble has dis apperared . i may have only masked the problem - i will look at other items for wear

The spring rate of the factory coils doesn't help either, so your lifted springs ( with their higher rate) will definately have helped.

[wlin88]

mate,

not trying to hijack the thred, but I have the same (maybe worse) steering wobble comparing to you. start it low vibration and since I change the crack rear trailing arm now when I reach to 65km/h the wobble come on and at this point if you tab on the brake the wobble gets worse and carry all the way until you stop the car. and now this is doing my head in, so far I have done King Pin bearing, wheel bearing (just today) and it does not help. initially I got a bit of play at the wheel (hub) when you push the wheel up and down. can any one advise what else can it be ??? I have inspect the bushes on all the arms it looks ok to me ? maybe someone can point me into a right place (mechanic or maybe someone that knows) ? I just want to get this problem fix..... bad... the problem has put me off Jimny atm !!

thanks guys

[smithy-]

wlin88 wrote:

mate,

not trying to hijack the thred, but I have the same (maybe worse) steering wobble comparing to you. start it low vibration and since I change the crack rear trailing arm now when I reach to 65km/h the wobble come on and at this point if you tab on the brake the wobble gets worse and carry all the way until you stop the car. and now this is doing my head in, so far I have done King Pin bearing, wheel bearing (just today) and it does not help. initially I got a bit of play at the wheel (hub) when you push the wheel up and down. can any one advise what else can it be ??? I have inspect the bushes on all the arms it looks ok to me ? maybe someone can point me into a right place (mechanic or maybe someone that knows) ? I just want to get this problem fix..... bad... the problem has put me off Jimny atm !!

thanks guys

have you tried adjusting the steering box ?
- i adjusted this and the steering was more firm and direct.

[smithy-]

wlin88 wrote:

mate,

not trying to hijack the thred, but I have the same (maybe worse) steering wobble comparing to you. start it low vibration and since I change the crack rear trailing arm now when I reach to 65km/h the wobble come on and at this point if you tab on the brake the wobble gets worse and carry all the way until you stop the car. and now this is doing my head in, so far I have done King Pin bearing, wheel bearing (just today) and it does not help. initially I got a bit of play at the wheel (hub) when you push the wheel up and down. can any one advise what else can it be ??? I have inspect the bushes on all the arms it looks ok to me ? maybe someone can point me into a right place (mechanic or maybe someone that knows) ? I just want to get this problem fix..... bad... the problem has put me off Jimny atm !!

thanks guys

have you tried adjusting the steering box ?
- i adjusted this and the steering was more firm and direct.

[Jazzor]

wlin88 wrote:

mate,

not trying to hijack the thred, but I have the same (maybe worse) steering wobble comparing to you. start it low vibration and since I change the crack rear trailing arm now when I reach to 65km/h the wobble come on and at this point if you tab on the brake the wobble gets worse and carry all the way until you stop the car. and now this is doing my head in, so far I have done King Pin bearing, wheel bearing (just today) and it does not help. initially I got a bit of play at the wheel (hub) when you push the wheel up and down. can any one advise what else can it be ??? I have inspect the bushes on all the arms it looks ok to me ? maybe someone can point me into a right place (mechanic or maybe someone that knows) ? I just want to get this problem fix..... bad... the problem has put me off Jimny atm !!

thanks guys

If you have play in the hub it could be your bearings are not tight enough to take all the slack out. Check all your wheel nuts are tight too.

[wlin88]

I have tighten the hub already and replace the bearing,, I am going to try new King pin shim next and see how it goes !

[Gwagensteve]

wlin88 wrote:

so far I have done King Pin bearing, wheel bearing (just today) and it does not help.

wlin88 wrote:

I am going to try new King pin shim next and see how it goes !

Did you find/comply with the procedure for checking king pin preload by checking steering knuckle starting torque? It's quite involved and requires you to remove the knuckle seals and tie rod and check each knuckle individually with a fish scale or similar.

Replacing the kingpin bearings is a good start, but unless you know for sure that it's brought preload back to within spec it might not have achieved anything.

Likewise, steering box preload is generally checked by starting torque on the steering shaft, so again it requires some amount of dissasembly to confirm, it can't really be done to spec with the drag link or steering shaft installed.

I think when you're chasing wobble you need to be very sure that each item you check is in specification as you work through them.

Normally, steering wobble pops up when one thing is changed (like caster) but the cause is almost never the one thing that was changed... its a combination of lots of little things that are all wearing out at the same time, and the one change tipped it over the edge.

It's clear that Jimny's are VERY sensitive to small changes and small amounts of wear. I think you will have to be very methodical.

Steve.

[wlin88]

[quote=
have you tried adjusting the steering box ?
- i adjusted this and the steering was more firm and direct.[/quote]

how do u adjust the steering box ??

[smithy-]

wlin88 wrote:

[quote=
have you tried adjusting the steering box ?
- i adjusted this and the steering was more firm and direct.

how do u adjust the steering box ??[/quote]

there is a bolt with a screw driver slot and lock nut - its located close to the radiator ( drivers side)
loosen of the lock nut and screw in the ajusting bolt a few turns -

[wlin88]

thanks smithy. I will try that

[wlin88]

Just an update . Check the steering box today seen to be very tight.
Also adding the shims to the kp, started .5mm took it for a drive, it does make a difference it does not seen to wobble at the speed I normally got them I thought the problem were fix until hit a pot hole. The wobble is back back is not as bad compare to before so I might try to add another .2 on top of the .5.
Should I got straight to the 1mm instead ?

[wlin88]

just an update on this. I have install some Shimm (total of .7mm) and tighten up the steering box got all the wheel balance and running 30psi now the car is magic to drive now. I still have some wobbles when I am slowing down from 110km/h (coming off the freeway) I would get light woble around 70lm/h but comparing to what I use to get this is nothing .. it feels much more better to drive now !

also I have install from sway bar (previous owner took them off)