Steering shake that starts around 90 km/h, peaks near 110 and fades by 130 is the most common complaint we hear from pickup owners. It is almost always one of four things, and the symptom tells you which.
1. Simple imbalance
Weight is unevenly distributed around the tyre and rim. The shake lives in a narrow speed band and feels the same whether you brake or coast. A standard balance on a calibrated machine fixes it. If the shop did not spin the wheel after fitting, this is the first suspect.
2. Tyre stiffness variation
Tyres are not perfectly uniform. One section of the sidewall is slightly stiffer than the rest, so under load the tyre "bounces" once per revolution even when the weight is perfect. A standard balancer spins the wheel in the air and cannot see this.
The Hunter Road Force Elite presses a roller against the tyre at up to 600 kg and measures the force variation. It then tells us how to rotate the tyre on the rim so the stiff spot lines up with the rim's low spot, cancelling most of it out. For the remainder it flags whether the tyre itself is beyond tolerance.
3. Rim runout
A rim that has met a pothole or a kerb may be out of round by a fraction of a millimetre. You cannot see it. Road Force measurement shows lateral and radial runout as numbers, so we know whether it is within spec, repairable or needs replacing.
4. Wrong centre bore fit
Aftermarket rims with a large centre bore and no hub-centric rings sit very slightly off-centre. The wheel balances fine on the machine and shakes on the road because the machine centred it on the bore and the car centred it on the nuts. Rings cost almost nothing and fix it permanently.
Where it is not balancing
- Shake only under braking: warped or unevenly worn brake discs.
- Wobble at 20 to 40 km/h: loose wheel nuts, a cracked rim or a damaged tyre. Stop driving and get it checked.
- Vibration through the seat, not the wheel: rear wheels, driveshaft or a worn centre bearing.
- Pulling plus vibration: alignment, usually after a lift or a hard knock.
What we do when you come in
- Standard balance all four wheels and check nut torque.
- If the shake persists, Road Force measure each wheel and match-mount.
- Check centre bore fit and fit rings if needed.
- Road test. Alignment on the HawkEye Elite if there is any pulling.
Most trucks leave after step one or two. The ones that have been to three other shops usually needed step two.
Related questions
Is steering shake dangerous?
A mild speed-band shake is usually imbalance and is not immediately dangerous, but it accelerates tyre, bearing and suspension wear. A shake that gets worse under braking or a wobble at low speed should be checked straight away.
Why does the shake disappear above 120 km/h?
Imbalance has a resonant speed. Below and above that band the vibration frequency moves away from the natural frequency of the suspension and you stop feeling it. The imbalance is still there.
Can a bent rim be repaired?
Minor lip damage on alloy rims can sometimes be straightened, but a rim with a crack or a bent spoke should be replaced. Road Force measurement tells us how far out it is.