Hello all! I have a 2011 Mini cooper s LCI. My question/problem doesn't really matter the model, anyway I have a super shaky steering wheel problem. It had originally started 2 weeks ago when I put my summer tires and wheels on. Had them on last summer and no problems. Swapped them on and literally doesn't even feel they are connected. Above 45 mph it will move the steering wheel back and forth pretty crazy. So I had them balanced about 4 times and still didn't work. I might have found a bend in one of the summer wheels.. Okay. No problem! I swap my stock setup from the factory and I thought it was going to work and now it just does the same thing! Was perfect 2 weeks ago, no problems then.. What do you think it could be?? I have balanced both sets I have put on there numerous times, I had an alignment not even 6 months ago and there are no bends in my stock setup. Please help!

 

Similar happened to me. Turned out to be a bad tire. OK one day, the next wobble. Took it back to tire shop where I got them, they swapped the tires front to back, problem went away. Ended up replacing problem tire..

 

If both sets of tires are doing the same thing then perhaps you have some worn suspension components. you did not mention how may miles you have on your 2011 Mini. Have the suspension checked out. Shimmy wheel will drive you crazy.

 

As mentioned it could be anything within the suspension once you have ruled out wheels/tires. On mine it was the axles that needed replaced.. It shook from around 40-60 mph but was much better above and below that some how... Hapened right at 100,000 miles but I probably helped it with lowering my car more then average..

 

Did you swap the wheels yourself the first time or have it done? Wondering if one of the wheels was frozen on and how it was resolved.

 

My car has about 83k miles on it. Went to the shop last week and they said my suspension looks fine. It's driving me crazy not knowing what it could be! maybe a wheel bearing? I am not for sure.

 

Usually wheel bearings make noise not shimmy. Are you running any spacers on the wheels? If so you may need to remove to see if the shimmy goes away and eliminate them as the problem. By the way when you took into the shop to check the suspension what was their diagnosis for the shimmy when they road tested the vehicle?

 

I am not running any wheel spacers on my mini and never have before. They diagnosed it as a bent rim in the front left and told me to swap my other wheels on to see if it continues and I did and it just continues. Now that I call to make an appointment, they aren't able to get me in til next thursday!

 

Oh on another note all the wheels that have attached to the car are Hub Centric correct with no hub rings being used correct?

 

Well your not alone in this. I just went through the bent rim discovery on wife's 2015 CPO Audi Q7. When I test drove the vehicle everything was fine and the dealership indicated that a new set of tires would be placed on the vehicle prior to it being sold. So I said great no problem. They put the same exact tires on the vehicle that it had from the factory but on the day I picked it up to head back to Dallas it had a shimmy. I am like What? so I turned back around and went right to the dealer. I went and had lunch came back and drove back to Dallas. On the drive back I noticed that there was a little vibration but no real shimmy. Anyway after I got back to Dallas I had my brother who is a Master Certified Mechanic for BMW road force and re-balance the wheels. Well this is when we found out that two of the rims were severely bent so at that point I put the two best rims on the front and the bent ones on back so to minimize the feeling. Last month during the scheduled maintenance service I had the Audi dealer take off the two bent rims and have them repaired/refurbished. Pleased to say the the car now has a vibration and shimmy free ride. So to make a long story short you may have a number of bent rims. I would start there first and get those fixed before going any further.