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Car jerks to the side and steering wheel shudders side to side when hitting a bump in the road. At speed, this is very disconcerting, around town not as noticeable but still present.
I have been hitting my head against the wall to figure out what is happening. I replaced the bushings on the LC arm where it meets the torque arm, or whatever it's called. I also replaced the ball joints with Moog parts. The car rode decently when I did one side, I noticed improvement from before doing the work. When I did the other side, exactly the same way, the car rode horribly after. I got an alignment which helped slightly but it is still very shaky.
I'm now suspecting the struts (at least on the one side that seemed to make the ride worse.
--
1991 745 & 1993 965 /// RIP: 86 764T; 79 262C
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Hi Chris,
Who did the front end alignment?
I'm blessed here with a guy that specializes in alignments
and he zeroes in on problems easily. I just took an 850 to him
and told him that I'd do the mechanical stuff, that he would just
align, and he said I needed to change a left ball joint (ctrl-arm)
and sway bar links. then go back.
What a difference after swapping out worn front end parts!
He saved me replacing struts and other stuff with his experience.
I bring the car in there tomorrow morning to finish up.
A number of local mechanics use this guy, that's how I found him.
Maybe you're going to the wrong guy?
Bill
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Hi Chris,
Who did the front end alignment?
I'm blessed here with a guy that specializes in alignments
and he zeroes in on problems easily. I just took an 850 to him
and told him that I'd do the mechanical stuff, that he would just
align, and he said I needed to change a left ball joint (ctrl-arm)
and sway bar links. then go back.
What a difference after swapping out worn front end parts!
He saved me replacing struts and other stuff with his experience.
I bring the car in there tomorrow morning to finish up.
A number of local mechanics use this guy, that's how I found him.
Maybe you're going to the wrong guy?
Bill
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The alignment was done by a very reputable shop but I am also surprised that they did not catch the strut being worn. My wife drives this car so I wanted it to be safe (for everyone, not just us) so I instructed her to just take it to a mechanic close to her employer. Sure enough, he confirmed my guess and replaced the strut (Monroe) and all seems much better.
Incidentally, the alignment shop has a rather high-tech machine that prints out the adjustments to one-hundredth percentages. It's pretty neat. I'll be taking my 960 to them after I buy new tires and see how they do on that.
--
1991 745 & 1993 965 /// RIP: 86 764T; 79 262C
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Bounce each side of the car. Do they feel the same when you put your weight on it?
-Ryan
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Athens, Ohio
1987 245 DL 324k, Dog-mobile, E-codes
1990 245 DL 137k M47, E-codes, GT Sway Bars, GT Braces, Dracos
1991 745 GL 304k, Regina, 23/21mm Turbo Sway Bars
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It does sound like front strut inserts - is it possible that when the weight was off them when you were doing the front end, they lost their gas. This is just a stab in the dark, but the symptoms you gave sure sounds like when the struts went on my 740.
Ron
93 245
93 944
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It turned out to be the strut. I'm sure it happened when I let the whole thing loose when replacing the bushings and ball joint.
--
1991 745 & 1993 965 /// RIP: 86 764T; 79 262C
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The reason that I also suspect the strut on the passenger side is due to how I did the job: one side one week and the other side a week or two later. (that's sort of how I operate...)
The bushings at the control arm/rod I used were slightly different on each side, due to not ordering sufficient so I went out to the local store and bought two more. But there is no way I would suspect this kind of movement from that little bit of difference. Plus, the alignment would have picked up on that or corrected it.
Last night, I pushed/pulled on the top of the wheel with the car on the ground and got a slight "clunk" sound. very slight but present. Again, pointing to the strut...
I was also thinking that letting the strut extend out could be the cause.
Thanks, guys, for helping me diagnose this.
I should add that I did NOT replace the sway bar bushings (on order) but they need to be replaced. Again, I don't think it would contribute to this problem, but curious to know if you do.
--
1991 745 & 1993 965 /// RIP: 86 764T; 79 262C
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IMHO its not likely to be the struts. Did you replace the conical shaped bushings(two per side) and the sway bar bushings? Did the shop give you a printout with the camber/toe numbers before and after alignment?
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How odd; did you mention the shaking to the alignment shop, before and/or after?
The control arm is the lateral arm that bolts to the subframe and is 90Deg to the line of the car. Some are steel and some are aluminum. Aluminum models have a link that attaches the sway bar that is the same top and bottom; steel arms use a different link. But the dimensions and bushings are the same AFAIK. I seem to recall that someone had a problem with those bushings, or where they bolt to the subframe... I think the bolt holes in the subframe had elongated and allowed for some slop.
The diagonal arm that has the two conical bushings, the ones I think you replaced, is sometimes called a control arm, in an effort to confuse things I think.
It sounds like something happened somehow, that has changed things; I cannot see how putting in new parts would give this bad a result. Was it at all like this before?
I do think having the alignment shop take a close look at everything is in order.
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Just a shot in the dark but, check the gland nut for tightness,and re torque the ball joints. Looking through the 700/900 FAQ might lead you to the problem. Good luck.
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