Car feels wobbly when driving faster speeds

1grasshopper, Jun 26, 1:41am
We have a 98 Toyota Progres NC300.its rear wheel drive. We live 23km from town on 100km roads (tarseal).Today when driving in to town it felt like wind had pushed the car to the side even tho there was no wind, following that the steering wheel started shaking at any speed over 80 and the car felt like it was a boat, wobblying all over the place.I checked the tyre pressure, they are all fine.The car is already booked to have 2 new back tyres on thursday and an alignment.Is it likely to be just the alignment or something else (shocks maybe!) I will cancel the alignment if it need shocks as no point doing it until they are done right!

tonyrockyhorror, Jun 26, 1:42am
Sounds like a loose wheel.

morrisman1, Jun 26, 1:48am
yeap, check all your wheel nuts. Unlikely shocks, well not with those symptoms. Wobbling in steering wheel is normally a wheel balance issue but that wouldnt explain the wobbling over the road.

Check all wheel bearings too. jack up each corner and give the wheel a good wobble and see if you can feel play. From what you have described it will probably be significant

skin1235, Jun 26, 1:57am
and the handbrake had been fully released!

1grasshopper, Jun 26, 2:05am
I will get DP to jack up the car and check the wheels tonight.The front tyres are 2 weeks old, the back ones are low on tread (not quite bald but getting there) which is why they are booked in to be replaced (couldn't afford to do all 4 at once).The handbrake wasn't on.

The wobble felt like a side to side motion, it wouldnt be the low tread on the back causing it would it!(We dont need to use the car until thursday when it is getting new ones)

tgray, Jun 26, 2:17am
If it has just started happening, it won't be anything to do with 'low tread'.
Before spending anything, I would take it to your local mechanic and have them road test it and put it up on the hoist and check. They will almost certainly be able to tell you what's going on. You can then spend your money on addressing the actual problem.

tazcsv, Jun 26, 2:37am
I had this problem with a prelude i was given, as soon as it hit 100kph it was hard to keep it in a straight line, every bump in the road it touched it would be all over the road and would shake the steering wheel.
All it needed was a wheel alignment and it was good as new.

johnf_456, Jun 26, 5:48am
Try swapping the wheels from side to side and seewhat changes.

stevo2, Jun 26, 6:04pm
Has this been getting worse slowly or has it just started!

gypsypom, Jun 26, 7:17pm
dont know if it relates to your problem but I had a bema that I spent 2 and a half grand on only to find in the end it needed a couple of centre wheel sleeves $20 bucks

lyonruge, Jun 26, 9:35pm
Id be looking at front tyres, if you drive slowly on a flat surface, 10-15 km/h, do you see the steering wheel move side to side like youre running over something!

lyonruge, Jun 26, 9:36pm
unless someone stole her wheel sleeves yesterday without her knowing, it doesnt relate.

kazbanz, Jun 26, 10:23pm
THAT rings loud alarm bells to me-loose wheel nuts was my first thought
Balance weight come off or delaminating tyre also occurred

lyonruge, Jun 26, 10:24pm
holy hell, didnt see the front tyres two weeks old! get out and check the wheels!

1grasshopper, Jun 28, 3:03am
Thought would update this to let you know - we checked all wheel nuts, all were fine.Car got new back tyres and alignment today, the right toe! was out quite alot, problem seems to be resolved now.Thanks for all your advice :)