front left wheel wobbling

gtv6sv · March 26, 2014, 10:04:10 AM

Hey guys got a gtv twin spark 99, at the moment the front left wheel has play as does the disc rotor. I'm going to pull the wheel off soon to check it out, does anyone know or have an idea what is going on?? Just got it with a rwc too which just expired so you would presume everything would be in order!
Cheers Stefan

John Hanslow · March 26, 2014, 10:47:18 AM

I was going to say a damaged rim (soft metal vs aussie roads) but this is obviously not the case.

Hopefully you have a local alfa specialist who can assist. They are normally reasonable priced but the savings is in having your problem identified and rectified.

Note that you can buy a car with a RWC bit is just a pile of worn out c##p.

Cheers

Cool Jesus · March 26, 2014, 11:41:04 AM

Could be a few things. Best to take the wheel off and see what's going on. Check the wheel lugs and threads which may have a stretched or threaded. From your post it sounds like it's just the wheel and rotor that are 'independently' woobly. That's why I'm thinking it's the wheel nuts, they were probably installed out of square with a rattle gun and cross threaded. The spigot nut for the rotor would be missing also. If it was the wheel hub and bearing the whole lot would be wobbly as a unit. Check the rim, hopefully it hasn't been damaged as a result.
Could even just be that the nuts weren't on tight? Or the rim has caught on the hub spacer somehow and not seated home. That rotor spigot nut is just to hold it place for wheel holes to line up and make it a little easier to install rim

Nate Dog · March 26, 2014, 01:54:09 PM

What cool Jesus said.
Easiest way to diagnose is to remove bit by bit, all the time giving everything a good shake in between to see if theres still play.
Quick guid, if it wobbles up and down, could be bearing, if it wobbles left and right, more likely to be the steering thats at fault.
Get to jacking, wobbling and report back here at 0900 hours.

Go

Cool Jesus · March 26, 2014, 02:29:09 PM

HUA

gtv6sv · March 26, 2014, 03:29:46 PM

Thanks heaps guys for the advice, going to try pull the wheel off tomorrow. From what I'm gathering at the moment it shakes side to side, it did just get a new steering installed which could contribute to this

Nate Dog · March 26, 2014, 03:38:26 PM

Quote from: gtv6sv on March 26, 2014, 03:29:46 PM
Thanks heaps guys for the advice, going to try pull the wheel off tomorrow. From what I'm gathering at the moment it shakes side to side, it did just get a new steering installed which could contribute to this

Perhaps next time mention that part.....

A new steering what pray tell?

gtv6sv · March 26, 2014, 05:24:33 PM

Sorry steering rack* installed

colcol · March 26, 2014, 06:29:01 PM

If you have loose wheel bolts, then drive it that way for a block and the wheel will fall off, so i don't think its that.
Is the steering wheel straight?, if it is 'on the piss', then most likely the steering arm is loose and is wobbling around.
Have a look at the drive shaft nut that holds the hub onto the bearing assembly, if the nut is loose, then the hub bearings will have some float in them.
I think it will be a bearing assembly, on Alfasuds and 33's, the bearings are assembled into the hub, on later cars, like the 147 and 156, the bearing assemblies are bolted to the hub, and are easy to replace, the early GTV's were based on the 155, so i am not familiar with the front suspension, a shot bearing is wobbly and makes a lot of noise, Colin.

gtv6sv · March 30, 2014, 12:42:28 AM

Ok took the wheel nut cap off the rim, out comes a wheel nut!!! 3 of them were extremely loose whilst the other 2 were easily undone by hand. Took the wheel off, check everything, none of the nuts were crossed threaded. Tightened everything up all good and proper. Start driving, still makes a "vwoh vwoh" sound as the wheel turns. Anyone know what's the go? Driving me crazy!!! Steering doesn't vibrate, although it does need a wheel alignment.

colcol · March 30, 2014, 10:51:57 AM

Check to see that you have not damaged the alloy wheel bore and the mating faces, the wheel hub is steel, so it will damage the soft alloy wheel, clean it all up and put the wheel back on and with the car jacked up, check for any movement and make sure that your driveshaft nut is not loose.
Check the condition of the wheel bolts and make sure they are not stripped, with the wheel off do them up and make sure they are tight and not wobbling around as they get damaged when a wheel comes loose as they are supporting the wheel radially instead of the hub spigot and this tends to damage the threads, Colin.

Cool Jesus · March 30, 2014, 12:34:52 PM

Oh my goodness the wheel nuts!

How much driving did you do since the last time that wheel came off?
Do these guys have a brake dust shield behind the rotor? Could it have been deformed and now scrapping somewhere. Jack it up and spin wheel see if you can find the scrape point. Assuming it's the same wheel this noise is coming from. As col says, I'd also take the wheel off again, inspect the wheel nut recesses. Then thread the bolts into the hub without the wheel, make sure they go in proper. The sound your describing almost seems like something is out of round? You haven't hit any pot holes recently, Alfa rims aren't overly robust and can be bent, especially the lighter ones like the Ti model rims.

Cool Jesus · March 30, 2014, 12:40:29 PM

Actually, just noticed that you mentioned the steering rack had some work done. That requires wheel removal, so if it was done at a shop I'd be paying them a visit for forgetting to do up the nuts. Check the other side as a precaution. If you did it your self, give yourself a big smack for forgetting the wheel nuts !!!
Wouldn't surprise me if the rim is farked and now bent. This will certainly test the shop as far as customer satisfaction in replacing or fixing the rim?

Mick A · March 30, 2014, 03:09:13 PM

take the car back to the mechanic that did the work IMMEDIATELY.

Do not fuck around any more, get it back there and get it fixed and give them the chance to make it right.

You won't get anywhere posting on the forum, people here cannot see the vehicle or the damage, and do not know exactly what work was carried out, they can only speculate what else could be wrong, get it to the mechanic.

gtv6sv · April 02, 2014, 02:46:46 PM

Ok guys had it all checked out, turns out the wheel was also slightly buckled, lucky they were only the 16inch teledial wheels, got another one for $100:-) whilst it was at the shop got them to check everything else to be sure, all is well now. Cheers for all the tips and help!!!