What would be the cause of a 1995 4.6 v8 steering wheel shaking violently when driving?

Your problem could be one of many different things, the major problems could be: 1. If the shaking is speed related... an imbalanced tire (wheel) could be the cause. 2. You could have a bent axle. 3. Your tire casing could be separating from the tread. 4. Your tire rim could be loose. 5. You might need new shocks. 6. Your steering linkage components could be loose or worn or broken. Good Luck... these are just a few of the things that can cause your symtom.