Shimmy shimmy shakes

[sparkytiggz]

Hi,

06 1.9TDi Passat with the shakes (shimmys) coming through the seat and the passenger seat shakes on a good A road.
looking at the rear bushings for replacement, been to 2 indys and because no major movement in components all are unsure what the cause is. The shimmy can be felt as soon as you drive and does not increase with speed but the rear end sometimes feels like its bottoming out, seen other topics similar to this but no solutions. Any advice welcome before it goes in AT/Ebay, though this is the only quirk with the car so I would spend some ££ on it if I could narrow the offending bush down....... if that is what it is.

Anyone else with this issue please add your detail, thanks.

[m12oby]

Had the same problem with my car, shakes coming through the car bocy and not the steering. I was always told shakes in the steering wheel is front wheel balacing, dash board jumping up and down is front wheel tracking. Shakes in the body and seat mean rear wheels. Only had car for 6 months and its just passed MOT with no problems. Took to tyre place to check rear wheel balancing and was informed tyre have uneven wear (The car did sound like wheel bearings were on the way out too). Changed tyres and no drumming noise and so far, no shakes! I wouldn't think the suspension bushes would cause the shakes. It needs to be something rotating (Wheels, hubs, drive shafts or flywheel, clutch, crank etc). Eliminate engine issues by dipping the clutch mid shakes and let the car idle effectivly free wheeling. If teh shakes are stil there then check wheel balancing, tyre condition then tracking. Good luck!

[gingernut352000]

Yep do a search on hear for rear tyre wear. notorious to get the humming wheel bearing sound when it is actually tyre wear. Not had the shakes thou.

Ginger

[sparkytiggz]

Cheers for the replies. I have done most of what you said m12oby, balancing wheels twice (in different places), moved wheels front to back and tried it in free wheel. In fact so much so that I have let the car free wheel (engine off- in a safe private road) many times, the shake is still there. It is not speed related so if it where a bearing etc the shake/resonance would increase I would have thought.


Read about the sawtooth but I have no signs of it, would this be noticeable at low (sub 30mph) speeds?

Reason why I am inclined to think bushing is that the inner foremost front bushings need replacing on these apparently but I too have just came through MOT and actually asked for the car to be shook to death, the OS front bush as above is beginning to go but this would show through the steering I would have thought? SO I assume it is a rear problem. The shimmy can be felt at low speeds too (15mph) as much as at 60mph, but obviously road condition plays a part a higher speeds.

Could I ask VW to check it before repair?? Would it cost a leg??

Thx

[wattagit]

Had this before xmas had it checked at VW could find nothing and didn't do it all the time

Then 3 weeks 4000 miles latter it started happening big time and forced me off the road new years eve (not good as a taxi driver)

Took it in to VW and they replaced a drive shaft (under warranty and solved it)