[W126 Coupe] Wheel Shimmy Driving Me Crazy!

[Mister McGoo]

So you have replaced everything at least once!  Yikes.  You neglected to mention the steering damper, which I'm sure you likely have replaced three or four times, yes?  Your problem sounds frustrating.
 
A couple of [perhaps] unrelated things:  I had a 300D (W124 - 6 cyl, not 5) on which renewing the motor mounts solved a very slight "steering shimmy" through a speed range around 30 - 35mph.  It seems that the motor tended to do a little jig through that rpm range, as the mounts had obviously gone south months before.  However, I have never heard of this with a V8.
 
Or, is it possible that your "shimmy" is not in the steering at all, but (for instance) is a driveshaft problem causing the entire body to vibrate so very slightly that you feel it through the steering wheel?  The steering box is hard-bolted to the "chassis".  I'm thinking of your statement that the vibration appears to coincide with a specific rotational speed.
 
(If we keep this up, you'll have a brand new SEC built totally from some happy person's parts department!)
 
-Bellamy


Date: Wed, 7 Nov 2007 22:53:15 -0500From: plustech at optonline.netTo: mbcoupes at mbcoupes.comSubject: Re: [W126 Coupe] Wheel Shimmy Driving Me Crazy!




Yes, I have replaced the bearings. The play (swivel) is very little, approx 1/8” at the wheel edge, and it takes a fair amount of force. I see the steering idler arm moving slightly up & down at the ball joint end – that is what I think the problem is, but no matter how much I tighten the assembly, it always has some play. I’ll check the bearings again though. Thanks.
 
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