Nissan Altima: Shaking Steering Wheel

When you say the steering gets 'tight', I take it you mean that you
have to fight the wheel to keep it straight?

Your tires are inflated and balanced correctly? (Although your problem
would not be intermittent if that was the case, but check it anyway).

It could also be that your discs in the font are warped but usually
your steering is not really affected. Does the vibration stop or get
worse when you press your brake?

Perhaps the brake caliper is not properly floating on the assembly.
Disc brake pads (mounted on the caliper) are meant float freely around
the disc. It could be that dirt or rust got into the assembly and this
doesn't happen as freely anymore.

Take your car to an empty parking lot and make tight turns, turning the
wheel as far as it will go. Listen for 'clicking' sort of sounds -- it
could be that one of your U-joints is bad (probably your right one). I
had a similar problem years ago (non Nissan) where it almost seemed
like an invisible passenger jerked the steering wheel one way.

These are just some possible things you can look at -- others here will
have more things to try, I am sure.

Remco

Btw, I would not keep driving it without knowing what the problem is.

Thanks for your input.

When I first noticed the shaking in the steering wheel, I immediately took
it in to have the tires checked and was informed that everything was o.k.

I do hear a clicking sound when I turn the wheel which I forgot to
mention.

It does feel like an invisible person is jerking the wheel whenever I come
to a complete stop, the wheel which jerk to the right.

So...do you think it has something to do with the brakes?

Thanks you're probably right...