1932 Buick Model 90 Shimmies - any suggestions?

[bearestir]

We have a 1932 Buick Model 90 that shimmies at speeds over 45 miles an hour or, on occasion, when the road is rough.    New tires have been put on and balanced, and the king pins have been replaced.   The king pin replacement lowered the frequency of the shimmy but has not diminished the intensity of it (when it occurs, you almost have to stop the car before it stops).    The steering gear has been tightened

 

Any suggestions on where to go next would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thank you.

[critterpainter]

Have you addressed the tie rod ends?    I think they can be dis assembled and some shim stock put around the bushes that go around the ball to tighten it up.

 

Bill

[Pete Phillips]

I experienced the same thing on Rex Denny's 90-series 1932 Buick several years ago. I replaced the shock absorber links and that fixed it.

Pete Phillips, BCA #7338

Leonard, Texas

[trimacar]

Also, make sure tires are inflated properly......sounds silly but that can cause the dreaded shake....

[smithbrother]

I remember that dreaded SHAKE as a kid, dad would STOMP on the brakes and it seemed to stop.

I was to young to ask later how he fixed it, but he did.

Enjoy,

Dale in Indy

[Glenn Manes]

Verify "your toe in" alignment is correct.

[tigersdad]

I had the same problem on my 1931 Cadillac.  It turned out that it was the steering box.  Had to have the entire thing re-built.

[John_S_in_Penna]

I know of one ardent collector with a V-12 Packard.

His had similar symptoms, and he thought it might be

a problem with his steering damper.  No.  He put

all sorts of weights on the wheels to balance them--

it didn't solve the problem.

 

Instead, he solved it by having his tires shaved--

which made them precisely round--and afterward,

it was like driving a brand new car.

 

Shaving tires was commonplace in the old days, but

today it is little known.  Tires made from the 

old molds may need shaving just as much as they did then.

Though I have never had this done, a tire shaver is

said to be like a big Exacto knife or razor blade:

You spin the tire and move it closer to the blade,

and, like a lathe, it cuts off ribbons of the uneven rubber

until the tire is completely round.

 

I'll send a Private Message with more information.

Edited July 28, 2015 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[smithbrother]

Sports car racers, and other racers STILL shave their tires.

 

Dale in Indy

[Brian_Heil]

Just bought two new tires from Coker and he shaved my wallet.

 

(check shock adjustment/links and anything loose in the system from the steering box to drag link to tie rods to king pins to wheel bearings to balance to roundness of tire.)

[trimacar]

Yes, Coker may have shaved your wallet, but if it weren't for companies like that which support our old cars, we'd all have a bunch of paper weights in our garage.

 

The cost of tires, paint, chrome...it's all getting crazy.  And the problem is that, unless a car is kept in perfect storage inside and temperature controlled, then that all has to be done over...new tires after 10 years or so regardless, paint after 20, chrome after 30...it never ends.....

[Brian_Heil]

Well, the 'good news' is, I drive my cars enough that I wear the tires out and don't have to ever change them out due to age.

 

The old car hobby is still cheaper than my freind who has horses.  (I'm trying to make myself feel better here . . .plus I have more horsepower per $$  ha)

[John_S_in_Penna]

I hope the original poster comes back.

He began a discussion, and has received

some replies that should be helpful, but

we haven't heard from him in 2 weeks!

[bubba]

Maybe he's overtired?   ( Sorry ,  i couldn't help myself )

 

Tires as stated earlier were very expensive back when these cars were new.  I was after a late teens Packard that was sold to the second owner in 1919 and he

couldn't afford to put new tires on it so he just put it in the barn.  The now used car cost less then the tires.

 

I PM'd the starter of this thread and he blocked me.   I had a 32-90 that did this usually if I hit a hard bump.  Thought this might have been my car.  I found out

on the net that he has a model 91.  I believe it was due to the wire wheels not being in "tune" from the car sitting.  The more I drove  it the better it got.  When I 

first bought the car I took it up to 65 mph on the highway.  If it did it then I wouldn't be here today.  Ah, to be young and naive  (stupid) again!

Edited July 31, 2015 by bubba (see edit history)

[John_S_in_Penna]

I PM'd the starter of this thread and he blocked me.   

 

That red "block" text on the private-message screen is confusing.

I have seen it too, and I think it just gives you the potential to block

the receipt of a message after you sent it.  I thought it meant that I

had accidentally blocked one, but that was not the case.

So never fear!