Quote:
Originally Posted by cooper barrett
Yes, technically they can, in a classroom (cough), but they don't.....They can "vibrate" if they are moving around in their sockets but it's always something else causing the abnormal vibration or shimmy.
Shimmy is an "abnormal vibration"
Shows how much you know.
|
I think you're conflating what is a root cause and what is a greater concern.
Imbalanced or frictional tires and brakes can induce a bit of vibrational energy into the drivetrain without being an immediate concern. But if the ball joints are loosening, this allows that vibrational energy to form a feedback loop until it's noticeable and distracting. Further, that loosening of ball joints is a greater danger of loss of vehicle control than a stuck caliper or an imbalanced tire.
The vibrations may CAUSE the shimmy, but if the vibrations are noteable enough to track down and diagnose, it's important to figure out if the ball joints are failing.
Think of it like loose lug nuts. Much like tightened lug nuts assure that your wheel stays on your car as you turn and corner, a tire or brake can have a small imbalance that proper ball joints [as part of a properly maintained drive train] can absorb before you notice them. But if your lug nuts/ball joints are loose, the vibrations/turning can be catastrophic in short order.