Check everything you can, but the ball joints are hardly suspicious if
this vibration appeared suddenly.

I had a similar vibration on my carat, and it turned out to be a
slightly bent wheel. I never hit anything with the car that I know of,
but there is was.

Another time it was a damaged tread.

You should be able to jack up the front (or rear) and rock the tires
side to side to see if it is anything in the steering, though, but I
suspect wheels or tires.

Also, you never said whether you think the symptoms are related to the
tire balance, it sounds like not but I'm not sure.

JimF

On May 16, 2005, at 8:31 PM, jimt wrote:

> Had the alignment given a quick check and tire balance checked.  I am
> picking up a vibration right at about 65mph.  Road surface plays into
> the
> equation as well with some surfaces and the vibration shifting to 60
> or  70.
> A hard steady side wind will also cause the vibration at lower speeds
> as
> well.
> The vibration is felt in the steering wheel.
> I have just done checks of everything under the front but nothing is
> sticking out.  My main suspicion is ball joints maybe just getting to
> the
> wear points.
>
> Any comments?
>
> jimt
>