Steering Wheel Vibrations

[Jack300]

Watch out for that flat tyre thing - as the car sits on the tyre stationary, it flattens the tyre a little - and if you check it for roundness, it looks severely flat. You need to check the tyre when it's warm, immediately after a run, not after it's been standing for a while.

You can check the rim though - jack up the car, usual precautions, place a paint tin next to the wheel and a screwdriver on the tin pointing at and very close to the rim. As you turn the wheel you'll see if it's out of true. You can do this to both sides of the rim.

Good luck

jack

[Jack300]

One other thing about warped disks - it tends to happen mainly on auto cars rather than manuals ...the auto driver breaks from high speed (heating up the disks) and then sits there with the break still fully on as the car is stationary. The disk then has the opportunity to cool at different rates ie slower under the pads causing them to warp. Manual drivers do it differently as they invariably sit with the car stationary out of gear.

Good luck

jack

[Dan_Harris]

Update for Flexus (+those interested), i've just ordered some mintex discs+pads for the front of my IS and me and Sam (lexusis200sam) will be having a fitting day soon coupled with a new exhaust :) so will update with my result afterwards. This should hopefully solve the issue

[FLEXUS K]

cheers mate.keep us posted.

[Gareth Rose]

My car has got similar symptoms. Its a 2003 Sport with 18s

Cant really remember when it started, but it wobbles between 50-65 gets worse when you brake between the speeds. But I have noticed that if I brake hard from 80 and brake hard straight through to 30-40 it doesn't do it. Car doesn't dive to one side in an emergancy stop (had to slam on this morning on the motorway from 70-80) but it did tram line a bit, but I may just have been in the lorry tracks in the road. Ive had new discs all round recently so dont think theyre warped. Ive also tried driving along in 2nd about 30-40 with the brake on till the car starts to slow down, and cant feel any pulsing through the brake pedal so again don't think they're warped. Next time I have chance Il take the wheels off and check the hubs clean. My brother works in a machining place, so maybe he could clock the discs/hubs to see if theyre warped. Can the discs be skimmed if they are warped? Are the hubs easy to get off? Ive checked my calipers after my commute which is a 25 mile motorway run, usually reasonably fast, and even after braking hard on the slipway then pulling into my street (only 500 yards from motorway) the calipers arn't unevenly warm.

Its a shame because it detracts a bit from my lovely cruise to work in my own little bit of paradise (still grin when I see my IS every morning,lol)

I hope someone finds the answer to this mystery.

Gazza

[rig-pig]

hi m8 yes the disc's can be skimmed. every one points to the brakes but it could be bushes or ball joints thay will give you the same problem

[FLEXUS K]

alright gazza i sorted mine by getting the tracking plus all wheels balanced at lexus.

i had a ball joint and track rod end fitted due to mot fail but that made no difference.

before goin lexus two well known tyre places told me the balancing was ok yet lexus said three were out.

hope this helps.

[Steviewevie]

alright gazza i sorted mine by getting the tracking plus all wheels balanced at lexus.

i had a ball joint and track rod end fitted due to mot fail but that made no difference.

before goin lexus two well known tyre places told me the balancing was ok yet lexus said three were out.

Great news that you got it sorted, and thanks for letting us know.

After seeing Tony's wheel balancing machine at WIM, and seeing that it tells the operator exactly where to position the weights (not leaving it up to them to guess), and even can give a printout of the balancing, I'm now highly dubious of whether wheels that are supposedly "balanced" by most garages really are ok.

Sounds like at least your Lexus dealer knew that they were doing.

[Dan_Harris]

Update for you guys, me and sam are fitting the brake discs/pads +exhaust tomorow so will post back in the afternoon with the result *fingers crossed guys* :)

[Dan_Harris]

Ok new discs+pads installed and no more judder :), was a bit of a nightmare installing.

Have to say a huge thankyou to Sam for helping me couldn't have done it without him

[Steviewevie]

Ok new discs+pads installed and no more judder :), was a bit of a nightmare installing.

Have to say a huge thankyou to Sam for helping me couldn't have done it without him

Good news Dan. I'm still a bit concerned though, about what made your discs warp in the first place, and whether this could happen again to the new discs ?

[Dan_Harris]

well after inspection of the discs it appears that the shims were not put back properly scored the discs and caused bad contact + the old discs were never worn in properly and Pete lived in london so a lot of stop/start.

One thing me and sam did notice was that one of the caliper bolts threads were really chewed up and 1 side had been heavily over tightened.

[Skraggy_uk]

I've made my own thread about this because I need to ring the dealer who sold it to me to get it sorted within the 1 month warranty I was given, didn't find this one until after, but I'm getting the same thing in my 2001 Y IS200 SE.

Only happens during the first 20 minutes of 10 miles. Feels like it is coming through the seat as well as juddering the wheel, and it is enough to shake the whole car. Feels like a wheel is coming off, and car feels sluggish in top two gears. 10 minutes later, car pulls well in all gears, no juddering. And one thing I have noticed is that I don't get judder on braking, only accelerating/cruising.

Car has done 81k, and it lists at least 2 sets of discs and pads in the last 7 years.