Can I please call on the massed knowledge of FFRR to try to solve this problem. I have the dreaded violent steering wheel wobble at 65-85 mph, almost always when turning slightly left on the motorway e.g. after overtaking. I have done the usual searching and found one explanation - the steering column Servotronic valve. This has now been replaced, and had no effect whatsoever. I remembered that I didn't get the wobble when running my winter 19" wheels and tyres, so I put those on to test, and the wobble disappeared - until last night when I was again on the motorway and had a slight return of the feeling. Today I fitted my brand new Autobiography 20" wheels, with my tyres from the old 20" supercharged wheels, (two of which are slightly out of true according to the mechanic who balanced them at Halfords, and caused heavy vibration at speed.)

Anyway, the violent wobble is back with the new 20" wheels!

The tyres I have on are two Continentals which came with the car, and two brand new Toyo Proxes with about 500 miles on them.

I have had the suspension checked by a reputable local mechanic and he found a little play on the nearside control arm bush but he felt not enough to justify replacement.

I am at my wit's end now. I have just forked out a lot of money for new wheels and I have a car that feels it is about to shake itself to pieces at 70mph. My conclusions/thoughts are:

1. Are my new wheels not round as well? The garage has stuck A LOT of weight on some to balance.
2. Should I replace all front bushes and ball joints to eliminate one possible cause?
3. Why has the steering still got a slight judder at parking speed which seemed to disappear for a while after the new valve was fitted?
4. Has my car had the replacement front diff recall done - I'm thinking it's the front drive shafts that are unbalanced/damaged? (I intend finding that out through the main dealer next week.)
5. Why did the wobble not happen on the 19" wheels?
6. Is it me who needs rebalancing or the wheels?

I know this rant touches on several other threads, and I have searched to try to find definitive answers. Can anyone help to solve this or at least point me in the right direction?

swap the wheels with someone

usually genuine alloys are best

can't see it being the diff........... i got more vibration stationary in D after the recall swap was done......

thought the servotronic valve operated at 56 mph to change assistance 2011 Range Rover Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8

Previous cars :
2003 Range Rover Vogue TD6
1999 Discovery Td5 ES
1995 BMW M5 3.8 6 speed
1992 Range Rover 3.9 Efi Vogue
1992 BMW M5 3.8
1988 BMW 735i SE
1989 Ford Sierra XR4x4 2.9i
1981 Ford Fiesta Supersport

I had a similar wobble between 75 and 85, it turned out one of the REAR tyres was / not circular any more.

I swapped it with the spare, all sorted. 03 4.4 V8 petrol / lpg. 1st of many hopefully. I love my Rangie

I was going to ask why the mechanic went to Halfords to balance them..... .....I would'n trust them to open a can of pop properly.

Seriously, can all the sets of wheels you have tried be duff ? Logic would dictate it can't be the wheels if you've swapped a few sets, but suppose logic can't be employed with these things.

As you say it's difficult to put down to steering or suspension at this point, at least if you could say for definate one or the other, you'd have an area to focus on,.....

Mmmm.....

The Land Rover Specialists I use in Chesterfield are good, you could always ring them for a chat - Cavendish Motor Workshop Tel 01246 229100.

They work on a lot of L322's and could have seen something like this before ?

Mark 2011 Range Rover Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8

Previous cars :
2003 Range Rover Vogue TD6
1999 Discovery Td5 ES
1995 BMW M5 3.8 6 speed
1992 Range Rover 3.9 Efi Vogue
1992 BMW M5 3.8
1988 BMW 735i SE
1989 Ford Sierra XR4x4 2.9i
1981 Ford Fiesta Supersport

I don't like the sound of a LOT of balance weights added to wheels.
Shouldn't be necessary with modern wheels and tyres.
I would ask for the balance of the wheels to be checked before adding the tyres.
Could even reposition the tyres on the wheels to achieve a better balance.

Thanks for the replies so far chaps - the new wheels are genuine LR, with logo and serial numbers cast into the metal. Probably the next thing would be to get new tyres instead of the Continentals, and get all the bushes replaced after that, since my mechanic was happy that there was no significant wear.

I will give Cavendish a ring and also try Doug Dransfield in Sheffield.

Thinking about it, it is one of the rear wheels that has been heavily loaded with wheel weights, which was also the case with the older 20" wheels - so at least one oval tyre could be the problem. My 19" wheels and tyres are all brand new.

I'l keep you all posted, as hopefully my tribulations might provide some others with a solution. If anyone has any other answers, let me know!

I love car forums for this very reason!

Just one further thought, all your wheels nuts are tight I assume.

I had the same symptoms. Driving at about 50+ if I changed direction I got bad wheel/steering shake. The worst was long sweeping corners on motorways.. In the end it was the ball joint on a lower control arm. I replaced both myself, there are photo guides on this site.. Total cost about £50, and no more wobble. Previously..
Vogue SE TD6
Defender 90 2.4
Defender 110 TD5
Vogue 3.5 EFI

I'm liking the sound of that - my wobble only happens with just a little left turn of the wheel, and disappears on straightening up and is exactly the same - on long sweeping motorway curves..

Since I last posted I have swapped the newer Toyo tyres to the front and went for a drive - perhaps a little difference but not much. I think I'll replace a few front joints as it's the cheaper opition, then buy new tyres if required.

Had exactly your symptoms for a while now. Checked wheel balancing three times and used spare on OSF ( where I thought prob was). Always the same slight left turn at 65+ and big wheel wobble just like a faulty shopping trolley!

Took it to my indie and they diagnosed both front lower arm bushes and front rear lower arm bushes as the cause. Also some issues with steering arms and track rod ends that I was advised might as well be done at same time to save money later.

Feels like a brand new vehicle now, no problems throughout the speed range! Only problem, long job, so not cheap even at indie. £750. But you may not need the extra bits on yours, mine is 2007MY 3.6

Good luck

Thanks for that Stocky - I was driving today and the logic of it being worn bushes makes sense - the wobble is only with small steering deflections, whereas bigger inputs cancel the wobble - I guess small steering changes allows the worn bush/link/ball joint to be under less tension and so move about more. I've got some parts on the way tomorrow, but I now want to replace all the ball joints and the upper control arm bush as well, just to make sure.

Yes it was just slight turns left, go tighter and it disappeared.

[]

I hope that's all it is because otherwise the car is spot on. As soon as the parts arrive, I'll book it in with my local mechanic - I haven't got the welding torch that will be needed to release the rusty nuts on the suspension, so I can't do it myself, much as I'd like to. thanks for your help!

Right - had the drop links and front control arms replaced today, and I've just come back from a test drive down the motorway, and.....IT'S GONE!!!!!!

No shake rattle and roll, no wheel wobble, no thump-bump at low speeds, less body roll, steering stiffer and more precise.

Effin' brilliant! I am one happy bunny!!

Thanks to all for healing my first FFRR wound!

BTW - WOOHOO! Go team GB!!!!