Wheel wobble

[Sol]

Hello Brains Trust

Just come back for a 2500km trip to Broken Hill and back from Melbourne, towing a camper trailer. Spent quite a bit of time on the rougher tracks but nothing serious. Anyway on a recent trip down the freeway I'm noticing a wobble - seems like the front, felt though the steering wheel. Most noticeable at 80kph and above. If I didn't know better I'd assume wheel balance or alignment and will get those checked next week. All newish tyres (Nittos). But this is a Disco - could be something else right? Hydro bushes were replaced around 6K ago along with the transmission pan and new oil, and a proper alignment. Vehicle has done 110K and was serviced a couple on months before we left with no advisory notes.

Thanks all!

[Markus1]

You've most likely thrown a wheel balance weight. Pretty easy to do. Start there because it's cheap.

[Turtle60]

Yep balance first. Or if your spare is the same replace each front one at a time and go for a drive if you want something to do tomorrow. Did you whack anything? Ie potential buckled rim?
If not put front to back one side at a time to isolate the culprit. But suspect it will be 99% a tyre issue. Haven’t any experience with Nittos but one may have delimited slightly which will give an imbalance at speed.
I don’t believe Alignment will cause wobble only just wear to tyre edges.

[loanrangie]

Could be steering rack ends.

[Sol]

Thanks all - yep I'm guessing and hoping it a missing weight. Going in later this week for a check and I will post the outcome. Don't recall hitting anything but I've buckled a wheel before now on a rough track in Tasmania

[Disco-tastic]

Could be steering rack ends.I had a worn rack end which was recently replaced and the symptoms were vague steering and a knocking noise over large bumps. No wheel wobble noticed.

[Sol]

Update - went for a wheel balance and the wobble was marginally better but still there. Swapped the front wheels for the rears and problem solved. I'm assuming a buckled rim perhaps? But nothing was noted at the tyre yard when they balanced the wheels. What I did notice was quite a bit of crud stuck to some sections of the inside of the rims following our dirt track adventures. I wonder if that was enough to throw out the balance?

[LRD414]

Was the wheel balance done with all the dirt left in the rims?

[Sol]

The crud was on the inside of the rears and I cleaned it out before putting them on the front. The fonts were pretty clean so I don't think there was a problem affecting the balance. I didn't take the car in myself but on the invoice it stated the balance was 'on the car' - which is something I've not seen for a long time. Anyway rotating the front for the rears fixed it. Maybe tyre wear?

BTW the rims are Range Rover Supercharged 20" 9.5J running 285/50 Nitto TGs. I'd have thought they'd be pretty tough but maybe not? One day I'll get 18s when I can find a good home for the 6 rims and tyres I've got now...

[Turtle60]

The crud was on the inside of the rears and I cleaned it out before putting them on the front. The fonts were pretty clean so I don't think there was a problem affecting the balance. I didn't take the car in myself but on the invoice it stated the balance was 'on the car' - which is something I've not seen for a long time. Anyway rotating the front for the rears fixed it. Maybe tyre wear?

BTW the rims are Range Rover Supercharged 20" 9.5J running 285/50 Nitto TGs. I'd have thought they'd be pretty tough but maybe not? One day I'll get 18s when I can find a good home for the 6 rims and tyres I've got now...

Glad you’ve somewhat isolated the problem but that hasn’t fixed it only moved it to be less noticeable place. If you move just one side front to back if it doesn’t change things then the other side rear is the issue. If it does it change then the one you just put back on the front is the culprit. Can you feel any slight bulge? Wouldn’t be hard to buckle a rim like that but if you haven’t hit anything Id still go with tyre.
Trouble is if it’s a delaminating tyre you may run the risk of a catastrophic blow out. Personally I’d explore further. Good luck.

[Sol]

Appreciate the advice and yes - will investigate further. Seem to have tracked it down to one of the wheels/tyres at least but as you say, now needs isolating. That's next weekend's job... [bigwhistle]