i'm still working on this wobble on a 97 civic. i think it is the steering. driving down the road the car has a wobble that shakes the entire car. it doesn't matter if your accelerating, coasting, neutral, in gear. but if you turn to the left it gets real bad and turn to the right it almost totally goes away. i had the wife turn the wheel all the way to the left and both tires can be wiggled upon the steering axis (left to right). same when its turned all the way to the right and held. while wiggling the tires you can here a tink tink tink tink and the wiggle is very very slight. maybe half inch, which i think is probably way too much. its the whole steering link that wiggles with the tire. its a power rack with the pump removed due to h22 swap. i didn't do the swap so i don't know how the steering was done. the tire won't wiggle up and down so i think the ball joints and bearings are good.

 

check inner and outer tie rods for looseness. they should be tight and hard to wiggle with your hand.
jak up the car and grab the wheel. if you can shake it you got a super bad wheel bearing

 

jack the front up, and grab ur tires at the 3 and 9, check to see if there is any play. if so, sounds like u might need new bushings. if not, wheel alignment time.

 

let me see if i can explain better. i jacked the car up and had the wife steer the wheel all the way to the left. then hold it tight to the left so i can wiggle the tires with out the steering wheel being able to move at all. then i grabbed the tire at the 3 and 9 positions. the tire and inner and outer tie rods wiggle in and out with the tire. it all wiggles together. the bearing and shaft and all wiggle with the tire. there is no 12 and 6 movement. you can here a tink tink tink in the rack somewhere while you wiggle 3 and 9. it does this exact same thing on both sides of the car and with the wheels turn either way. full left or full right. the steering wheel does not move.

 

The most common culprit is the outer tie rods. Just grab the tie rod and wiggle up and down side to side, if the balljoints have any play then replace the tie rod. If good then might be time to replace rack and pinion. I had to do the same to my eg after i bought tie rods and had it aligned, the play from left to right was from the rack and pinion. Good luck.

 

Part #1 could be bad too:

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that's what i'm trying to say. part number 1 and 23 move WITH the tire on BOTH sides. the tie rod joints them self are stiff.

 

If you say tie rods are good and stiff, now the next part to allow for mechanical movement or play is going to be coming from the rack and pinion. Replace it and prob will be solved.

 

What would it mean if only my steering wheel wobbles while driving?

 

maybe i should just swap the motor to a different car......J/K i bought this car for the motor and other parts. i just wanted to make sure the trans and axles were good before i did the swap to my car. i would be pissed if i did all the work just to have a wobbly car!