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JIMDI-VA · 05-20-2012, 07:40 AM

Mh started to shimmy/vibrate on our way to Nashville on I-24 MH has 84000 miles. Front bearings were serviced 3500 miles ago tire pressure@ 100 psi. Any thoughts on the problem? Trying to get into a service center tomorrow. Thanks for your help.

Jim L

Mike Canter · 05-20-2012, 07:56 AM

Jim, since the front bearings were just serviced then the highest probability is that is the problem. Either they didn't set the preload correctly and one has now failed or the didn't tighten it correctly and one has come loose. The other possibility is that they didn't torque the lugnuts and you have a loose wheel. Both of these problems can be dangerous if it is driven. Don't know how bad the shimmy/vibration is and you would have to be the judge of that. The other possibility is that you have belt separation in one of the front tires. I have had vibration and shimmy just before a tire has had the belt come off. Again this is dangerous especially being in the front because it will be an immmediate blowout. How old are your front tires???? What is the DOT date on those tires?? Now I have listed all the worst and most dagerous possibilities the simple one is that you have just thrown a balance weight. Your decision to go to a service center is good but I would not drive it a long way to get to one.

JIMDI-VA · 05-20-2012, 05:52 PM

Thank you Mike for the response. I am camped at I-24 smyrna campground. RV repair center is 3 miles away will be there tomorrow am

Thanks again for your help.

Best regards,

Jim L

Mike Canter · 05-20-2012, 05:59 PM

Glad it is close. Hope it is nothing serious and cheap to fix. Just for interest please let us know what it was.

JIMDI-VA · 05-22-2012, 06:46 AM

Mike, Had the front end inspected at American Tire in Murfreesboro. Checked the bearings, lug nuts, king pins, and other linkage, tires showed no cupping or unsusal wear, no indication of band separation, and spun the wheels to check for our of balance. GOOD NEWS FOR ME!

They thought, as well as an OTR trucker in there for tires, that the road may have caused the vibration (harmonics etc?)
they said to keep going and if anything changes get it checked further. They also inspected the rear tires for wear. Front tires are 2007 with ~10,000 miles the rears are mix of 2006 2007 with ~15-18k miles. The folks at American Tire did not charge me anything for what they did since they didn,t find anything. I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND THEM FOR RUNNING GEAR/TIRE WORK. THEY HAVE THE CAPABLITIES TO DO ALIGNMENTS FOR BIG TRUCKS AND MH. Again thanks to you for your input to my situation.

Jim L.

Mike Canter · 05-22-2012, 07:30 AM

That's great Jim. There are road surfaces that cause noise and vibrations. Don't know why they make roads like that. Just be aware for a while and see if it comes back. See if you have that same vibration on a smooth road. Have a great trip.