Judder through steering wheel

[racT6bus]

Hi all, tried to find an answer to this, but can't find anything similar.

My T6 (T32, 150PS, 6 Speed, SWB, Manual, Late 2016) has an occasional judder when between 1500 and 2200 revs across the range of gears. It seems to happen periodically at various stages through a drive, so when cold, when an hour into a drive, going uphill or on the flat. There is no noise accompanying the judder, it's just feedback through the steering wheel and it doesn't happen all the time! On original 16in steel wheels which all have decent tyres and are balanced.

Is this normal? Or is it something I should be worried about?

 

[DXX]

Hi all, tried to find an answer to this, but can't find anything similar.

My T6 (T32, 150PS, 6 Speed, SWB, Manual, Late 2016) has an occasional judder when between 1500 and 2200 revs across the range of gears. It seems to happen periodically at various stages through a drive, so when cold, when an hour into a drive, going uphill or on the flat. There is no noise accompanying the judder, it's just feedback through the steering wheel and it doesn't happen all the time! On original 16in steel wheels which all have decent tyres and are balanced.

Is this normal? Or is it something I should be worried about?

I have a 2016 T32 SWB 6 speed manual and I don’t have these symptoms so I’d say it’s definitely not normal.
I’d say the first checks to make are the front suspension and steering, make sure all bolts / joints are secure and rubber bushings are intact. An early MOT might be the cheapest option to identify these issues if you are going to use a garage.

 

[racT6bus]

Thanks @DXX that's a good idea. I hadn't really considered it could be something suspension/steering related given it's so intermittent and seems to be when at a certain number of revs, but clearly it's something worth checking out

 

[Littleblackflash]

Are you sure it's engine speed related? Most steering wheel vibrations are due to an unbalanced wheel.
Wheel balancing is a quick and cheap place to start so it's worth trying first.

 

[racT6bus]

Are you sure it's engine speed related? Most steering wheel vibrations are due to an unbalanced wheel.
Wheel balancing is a quick and cheap place to start so it's worth trying first.

The judder is only happening under acceleration and is intermittent which is what made me think it's engine speed related.

 

[Teesix]

If you're sure it's not wheel balancers how about a worn engine mount?

 

[Littleblackflash]

The judder is only happening under acceleration and is intermittent which is what made me think it's engine speed related.

Under hard acceleration it could be a CV joint. I would still start by checking the balancing of the wheels. My local place only charges £10.

 

[DXX]

The judder is only happening under acceleration and is intermittent which is what made me think it's engine speed related.

Somebody reported loose sub-frame bolts not long back on the Forum

 

[racT6bus]

Thanks all. Have it booked in for a wheel balance on Thursday to check that first. If that doesn't work, I'll check the rest. I had a new alternator added recently and they replaced a broken engine mount at the same time - the issue was definitely happening before that work - it's not new.

 

[racT6bus]

Had the wheels balanced, they were actually out a little bit and I will need a new drivers side tyre in a few thousand miles. However, that hasn't fixed the problem, I still get the intermittent vibration when accelerating, it backs off when I take my foot off the throttle. It actually feels like it's come from the front passenger side.

 

[Mooncat]

Under hard acceleration it could be a CV joint.

That's exactly what I'd be looking at.

 

[racT6bus]

That's exactly what I'd be looking at.

Thanks I think I better get it checked out - sounds like quite an expensive problem! Someone also mentioned that it could be bushes on the shock arm, but I'd have thought that would be noticeable all the time not just under power

 

[DXX]

Thanks I think I better get it checked out - sounds like quite an expensive problem! Someone also mentioned that it could be bushes on the shock arm, but I'd have thought that would be noticeable all the time not just under power

CV joints are cheap, can be changed individually. Worst case a drive shaft with 2 joints.

 

[racT6bus]

Thanks that's good to know

CV joints are cheap, can be changed individually. Worst case a drive shaft with 2 joints.

 

[racT6bus]

Update: To be much clearer than I was originally (as I have driven it more since!)

• The vibration/judder only occurs under acceleration - if you take your foot off the throttle it stops
• It's a very noticeable judder/shake and definitely feels like it comes from the front passenger side
• It's intermittent - I did a 2 hour motorway drive the other day (was -3 when I set off) and the only judder I got was in the last 15 mins of the drive. The following day it happened from cold and then a day later it did it for about 30 mins in the middle of a long drive
• It doesn't appear to happen in reverse
• There is no pull to the left or right when it happens and no clear uneven wear on tyres
• The front wheels have been balanced recently (Dec 2022)
• Van is on standard suspension with standard 16in steel wheels - one tyre has slightly more tread than the other (pax side where the vibration comes from is better!)
• Van has done 96k (with RAC) but it's got a pretty impressive service history, has had cambelt and water pump last summer
• No MOT advisories
• It's the 150bhp 6 Speed SWB T32 manual, no mapping or modification

I have it booked it in with a garage next week (will obvs update afterwards), but would love to know if anyone has had a similar issue or with a bit more information thinks it might be the DMF, drive shaft etc. just so I have some idea of what sort of issue I might be dealing with!

 

[Teesix]

Can you jack up the affected side and see if the wheel spins freely? That would eliminate a warped disc.
Make sure you get the engine mounts checked. A broken mount could be another reason for juddering through the steering wheel.

 

[Cuffy]

Thanks I think I better get it checked out - sounds like quite an expensive problem! Someone also mentioned that it could be bushes on the shock arm, but I'd have thought that would be noticeable all the time not just under power

Could well be that one of the bushes has had a bond failure (rubber to metal) especially if under power, this will be due to the radial/axial load going through the bush.
Generally a bush can be subject to 4 different loads, radial, axial, torsional or conical (as per diagram)
This is dependant on what it was designed for and how it is fitted within the set up, horizontal or vertical.

 

[racT6bus]

Could well be that one of the bushes has had a bond failure (rubber to metal) especially if under power, this will be due to the radial/axial load going through the bush.
Generally a bush can be subject to 4 different loads, radial, axial, torsional or conical (as per diagram)
This is dependant on what it was designed for and how it is fitted within the set up, horizontal or vertical.
View attachment 185478

Thank you, that's really interesting. Do you think this would only be felt intermittently as well? I have had one of the mounts replaced, how many are there? Sorry very naïve question, I am new to Transporters!

 

[Cuffy]

General rule of thumb, there are 2 engine mounts per vehicle, not sure if the VW ones are hydraulic or a passive mount.
If they are hydraulic, they can lose the fluid in the sealed unit causing the mount to run dry and again cause a knocking effect but more than often, squeaking, more noticeable on cornering or going over uneven ground. There is always a chance that there is a bond failure within the mount too.

EDIT: Just googled engine mount, and they are passive, (in simple terms, a block of rubber bonded to an aluminium casting)

 

[racT6bus]

General rule of thumb, there are 2 engine mounts per vehicle, not sure if the VW ones are hydraulic or a passive mount.
If they are hydraulic, they can lose the fluid in the sealed unit causing the mount to run dry and again cause a knocking effect but more than often, squeaking, more noticeable on cornering or going over uneven ground. There is always a chance that there is a bond failure within the mount too.

EDIT: Just googled engine mount, and they are passive, (in simple terms, a block of rubber bonded to an aluminium casting)

Thanks very much that's really useful to know