Steering wheel shaking

[indygrandprix]

01 GP GT

My steering wheel started shaking when I was about a couple hours into a 3 hour drive. I ended up just slowing down and driving the rest of the way but the shaking still was there even at low speed 35mph or so. It's not a vibration like unbalanced tires but where the wheel shakes back and forth in your hands. If you take your hands off while driving it moves about a good inch almost 2 inches from side to side.

When I got home I assumed it was a front wheel bearing, tie rod end, or maybe the ball joint so I jacked it up to check but I can't find any play in them at all. SO now I'm stumped. The only other thing I could think of was the alignment but I didn't hit any big bumps or curbs recently and was driving 65 on the highway when it started doing it.

What am I missing.

 

[Scottydoggs]

you may have tossed a wheel weight. try rotating the tires fronts to the back. if the vibration moved its the wheels or a even a bad tire.

 

[indygrandprix]

The tires aren't balanced so it always has a small amount of vibration but this is more than just a vibartion. The steering wheel actually jerks side to side very rapidly.

 

[Scottydoggs]

id still rotate them. its free and if your tires are old and worn they could be the issue.

 

[indygrandprix]

Alright I'll go try that. See if it helps. It would be nice it that was the issue

 

[indygrandprix]

So it still shakes after the tires are rotated front to back..... could it be work strut mounts?

 

[Scottydoggs]

could be a bad axle. does it seem to stop when your off the gas coasting?

 

[HighOctaneRacing]

Could the rack be wandering?

 

[Russosaur]

Does it do it at low speed? I had this problem but a few belts broke on my tires. Inspect the tires good to make sure they arnt bad, I also had my dad drive my car at me from a distance at different speeds, how I determined which tire was bad watching the front end move. But you said you rotated the tires and it still did it tho.