I have a 2001 Chrysler Town & Country LX (basically a glorified Dodge Caravan) and I have an issue with the steering, alignment, or suspension.[&:]

When I'm driving, there is a wobble (not a shimmy) in the steering wheel starting at about 20-25 MPH. The wobble rotates the wheel slightly side to side about 1/2", and as you accelerate the wobble frequency increases but rotational displacement side to side decreases. All this happens until about 50-55 MPH where it's not noticeable at all!

About 60K on the vehicle, and new tires and brakes this spring.

Any help would be super!!!!

 

The first and easiest thing to check is to rotate the tires to make sure it's not just an unbalanced tire/wheel. Wheel weights fall off all the time.

 

Tie rods and ball joints should be checked too.

 

Thanks guys!

After doing some research I was leaning towards the tierod ends or ball joints. I don't think it is an unbalanced tire, because those I've had in the past shook at higher speeds and always increased with acceleration...This goes away with acceleration.

I let you know what it is.

 

could also check for a bent rim.

 

I would say a bent rim also. But i have seen many times the belts inside the tires shift and cause an out-of-round condition. They may look ok when the weight is off of the vehicle, but when there is a load on it the shifted tread or belt causes the steering wheel to follow the tire.

 

Handypilot,did you ever find out what was causing the wobble? The symptoms u described is exactly like what I have on my 96 GC 138k miles. I ruled out the tires, rims amd tie rods. I changed the passenger side cv halfshaft but the prob did not go away. Someone said it is most likely the engine mount (right side, about $30). I have not tried replacing that yet. If you figured yours out, I'd appreciate any info. thanks.

 

I just fixed one today that had a bad inner CV joint, causes a wierd side to side wobble. Replaced the whole axle assembly, could be either side.

 

Brandon, what vehicle was this and which side did you replace? What were the symptoms?

 

I had an intrepid that would loose the rubber bushing out of the tie rods. It caused the same thing.