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Steering wheel shaking under load

390 Views 25 Replies 9 Participants Last post by  Robbiej248
Looking for some advice. Had a knocking noise and shaking wheel, could feel some play in the driveshafts so replaced both driveshafts. When I changed the shafts out there was barely any oil in the gearbox due to a failed driveshaft seal...

Now that I've replaced them both I'm still getting shaking (particularly bad under load in 3rd gear) and when I'm taking corners at speed there's sometimes a grinding kind of noise. Only seems to do the grinding noise on some corners and only at speed but it doesn't sound good.

Wondering what on earth could be up with it as I'm stumped. Thinking if there was barely any oil in the gearbox then its probably been running pretty dry so potentially knackered the gearbox?

Don't want to just start throwing money at random parts as it's getting more and more expensive but hoping someone here has experienced similar and can point me in the right direction?

Worth mentioning that I did have a sticking brake caliper which I believed to be causing the grinding. Have since sorted that and got all new discs but the main worry here is the vibration as its quite intense at low speeds and particularly on acceleration. Cheers
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Wheelbearing :unsure:
Hopefully not. Had its mot at the start of the month and he flagged up a bad bearing on the rear which has since been replaced but nothing wrong with fronts. Tried shaking the wheel 12-6 and 9-3 but can't feel any play. No rumble at all either which I'd expect from a bad bearing.

Only things I can think is gearbox torque mount? Or gearbox itself 🤷‍♂️
It's just that you mention "

Only seems to do the grinding noise on some corners and only at speed but it doesn't sound good."

Or as you say possible engine mounts, but I'd check all of them
It's just that you mention "

Only seems to do the grinding noise on some corners and only at speed but it doesn't sound good."

Or as you say possible engine mounts, but I'd check all of them
Yeah I posted this in fb as well and first reply was wheel bearing. Just strange I can't feel any play and it passed mot without a front wheel bearing being flagged up. Will check mounts next weekend but I'm bloody stumped at this point. Just worried its something bigger like the gearbox itself
Yeah I posted this in fb as well and first reply was wheel bearing. Just strange I can't feel any play and it passed mot without a front wheel bearing being flagged up. Will check mounts next weekend but I'm bloody stumped at this point. Just worried its something bigger like the gearbox itself
What driveshafts did you fit oem ?
What driveshafts did you fit oem ?
No I fitted oem last year and they were already faulty so I got j and r this time. Figured they're cheap enough that if they only last a year then I'm happy. Checked for play before fitting and there was no play so surely it wouldn't be the shafts yet again
No I fitted oem last year and they were already faulty so I got j and r this time. Figured they're cheap enough that if they only last a year then I'm happy. Checked for play before fitting and there was no play so surely it wouldn't be the shafts yet again
The J&R shafts might well be fine, but it isn't just play in the CV joints that is a potential issue. They might not be balanced properly and in which case you will notice vibration at certain speeds, a bit like an unbalanced wheel. Unbalanced driveshafts will typically cause vibration at much lower speeds than unbalanced wheels.
The J&R shafts might well be fine, but it isn't just play in the CV joints that is a potential issue. They might not be balanced properly and in which case you will notice vibration at certain speeds, a bit like an unbalanced wheel. Unbalanced driveshafts will typically cause vibration at much lower speeds than unbalanced wheels.
Ah that makes sense, how are they balanced though? I'm assuming this is done during manufacturing and can't be done by a garage or something?

Have had a reply on my Facebook post of someone saying they had the same issue and it was the lower gearbox mount and changing it helped but didn't completely resolve the issue. Going to check it next weekend and if its still there then assume its probably the shafts.

Was king of praying it isn't shafts though as I spent 800 quid on a pair of Ford shafts last year and they've already got play.. don't want to have the same thing happen again 😂
What power are you running and how do you drive the car as sadly all the shafts are made of chocolate like other ford parts
What power are you running and how do you drive the car as sadly all the shafts are made of chocolate like other ford parts
Only have a stage 1 map and almost always have my pregnant partner with me so have been driving like a granny for the last 6 months 🙃 although even without her I never launch it as I know the shafts are prone to ****ting themselves
Also are you lowered as that doesn't help them either? For me a worn gearbox torque mount would bang & clunk - especially under acceleration. Worse case you would get wheel hop as everything moved back & forth. Does the vibration increase with road speed or revs as that could point to wheels & tyres/bearings for road speed, or shafts for revs. By the sounds of it though you do seem to be going through a lot of driveshafts which is why I asked if you were excessively lowered? As for them though the general consensus is refurbed Ford OEM ones as I have not heard many good stories about alternative ones ever - most causing lots of vibration or grinding!!
Also are you lowered as that doesn't help them either? For me a worn gearbox torque mount would bang & clunk - especially under acceleration. Worse case you would get wheel hop as everything moved back & forth. Does the vibration increase with road speed or revs as that could point to wheels & tyres/bearings for road speed, or shafts for revs. By the sounds of it though you do seem to be going through a lot of driveshafts which is why I asked if you were excessively lowered? As for them though the general consensus is refurbed Ford OEM ones as I have not heard many good stories about alternative ones ever - most causing lots of vibration or grinding!!
I am lowered yeah but not excessively by any standard.. there's no banging or clunking, just the intense shaking under acceleration in 2nd and third. It's definitely most intense while the speed and gears are low... soon as I'm up to speed it's not all that noticeable. But I'd say around 1.5-3k revs area in 2nd and 3rd.

I'm not sure about the grinding on corners now as I haven't had it since posting which is strange. I know everyone says go ford only for the shafts but at the moment I just dont have the money. Was hoping to get at least 6 months out of these then get ford refurbed. I get that they might not be the best but I'm certain the amount of shaking I get in third is way beyond what's considered normal. I'll maybe see if I can get a video of it tonight if I'm not working too late
Grinding noise on cornering can sometimes be something simple like the bottom balljoint shield dragging on the brake disc and needing a tweak.
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Looking for some advice. Had a knocking noise and shaking wheel, could feel some play in the driveshafts so replaced both driveshafts. When I changed the shafts out there was barely any oil in the gearbox due to a failed driveshaft seal...

Now that I've replaced them both I'm still getting shaking (particularly bad under load in 3rd gear) and when I'm taking corners at speed there's sometimes a grinding kind of noise. Only seems to do the grinding noise on some corners and only at speed but it doesn't sound good.

Wondering what on earth could be up with it as I'm stumped. Thinking if there was barely any oil in the gearbox then its probably been running pretty dry so potentially knackered the gearbox?

Don't want to just start throwing money at random parts as it's getting more and more expensive but hoping someone here has experienced similar and can point me in the right direction?

Worth mentioning that I did have a sticking brake caliper which I believed to be causing the grinding. Have since sorted that and got all new discs but the main worry here is the vibration as its quite intense at low speeds and particularly on acceleration. Cheers
I had exactly the same problem! But after changing the bearings, clutch and flywheel, the shaking got worse! Then found out my shaking problems were worse! I was certain it was gearbox or flywheel as it was only under load! After some more hunting it actually turned out to be a bent driveshaft! But you did say you'd changed them? It sounds exactly the same as mine was tho, drives like a new car now 😊.
Good luck 👍
Grinding noise on cornering can sometimes be something simple like the bottom balljoint shield dragging on the brake disc and needing a tweak.
Unfortunately not this, this was one of the first things I checked as I'd had that in the past

I had exactly the same problem! But after changing the bearings, clutch and flywheel, the shaking got worse! Then found out my shaking problems were worse! I was certain it was gearbox or flywheel as it was only under load! After some more hunting it actually turned out to be a bent driveshaft! But you did say you'd changed them? It sounds exactly the same as mine was tho, drives like a new car now 😊.
Good luck 👍
Hmm okay thank you for the input, starting to feel that it's ****ty replacement driveshafts after all 🙃
Hmm okay thank you for the input, starting to feel that it's ****ty replacement driveshafts after all 🙃
If you kept the old ford driveshafts have them checked and for budget you can refurbish them with new tripod bearings, new grease, cv boots etc. there is a guide here on the forum.
If you kept the old ford driveshafts have them checked and for budget you can refurbish them with new tripod bearings, new grease, cv boots etc. there is a guide here on the forum.
Yeah the major issue is time as my partner is going to get induced for labour this Saturday. I think tomorrow I'm going to put the old driveshafts back in as the shake was nowhere near what it is now and see if it does stop the shaking. If so then can look at getting a rebuild kit or saving for ford shafts. The oil leak is concerning though as that's now worse since putting these shafts in so not sure if it's related or not. Guess I'll find out tomorrow!
The oil leak is concerning though as that's now worse since putting these shafts in so not sure if it's related or not. Guess I'll find out tomorrow!
I'm sure I saw a long time ago on here that someone had a similar issue and it turned out to be that the third party driveshafts were a tiny bit undersize where the gearbox oil seal goes.
I'm sure I saw a long time ago on here that someone had a similar issue and it turned out to be that the third party driveshafts were a tiny bit undersize where the gearbox oil seal goes.
Funny you say that I've just read that post about 30 mins ago 😅 well remembered! I'll be swapping the driveshafts back to the ford ones tomorrow and see how they fare. If it stops the leak and the shaking then it'll be new shafts time - from ford this time round.
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