Major Wheel Wobble

[PSL184]

I'm doing this the lazy way cause I've not even took the wheel off to investigate yet, but, at about 30mph onwards (and it gets worse) I have a major wheel wobble through the steering which feels like it's coming from left front area.... Any ideas?

[charlie_morris_minor]

my first port of call would be to get the wheels balanced.

[Alec]

Hello PSL,

if you can feel it a slow speed, do check your tyre as it may have developed a bulge so would need the spare fitting before going anywhere. I have had that happen to me before now.

Alec

[aupickup]

check the tyres definately

also whel bearings
tie bar bushes

[bmcecosse]

Tyres - loose wheel nuts - hub bearings etc etc. But most likely it's just balance as others have said. Slack off the brake - spin the wheel and mark the lowest point where it settles. Repeat a couple of times - should be same mark each time. Turn the wheel 90 degrees - and add weights on the opposite side until the wheel doesn't move when you release it. Wheel + tyre + drum are now 'statically' balanced - which will be fine up to legal road speed! Just be sure to put wheel back on the same studs (make a wee paint mark on stud and wheel) if you take the wheel off in future.

[PSL184]

Thanks chaps - I'll check later once I've finished painting the staircase she's got me doing

[Roni]

Your fault description raised some old memories. I have had that same sensation in an older Minor I had quite a few years ago. Twice in a space of a few months.
What happened the first time was a major wheel wobble that rapidly got worse. The centre of the wheel, the bit covered by the hub cap, had developed stress cracks. The wheel broke off completely from its centre before I could stop, which it did very rapidly and dramatically. This happened in the middle of town. Fortunately the steering and brakes could still be used, after a fashion. Jacking up and bolting on the spare was a quick fix that seemed too good to be true.
A few months later I found out it was too good to be true when the front hub shattered. Luckily it was at a slow speed as there were no brakes this time or steering. I was literally sitting in the car wondering where and when it would stop. Strangely the car decided that it would veer off the road and go up a driveway. The owner of the driveway didn't believe me that it was the car that steered there and not me, he was not happy. This time it was a tow truck job to get home.
I admit this is a bit of a worst case scenario but I would encourage you to find out what it is on your car soon. Hopefully it is a simple problem and an easy fix.

[PSL184]

Got round to having a look today and it was a bit of a strange one.... The nearside engine mount had sheared (old rubber) and was causing the problem. Strangely there was no driveline vibrations at all - must be the power of the 948