Still shaking after COMPLETE rebuild

95blklsc

Registered
I've had a vibration problem for a while. Have had my tires balanced and aligned a few times and still no fix. My passenger side tire had always worn on the inside excessively compared to the drivers side. I decided to just go and replace the whole front end because it was getting a little loose.

So over the past 3 weeks I just replaced my whole front end, upper, lower ball joints and arms, steering rack, high and low pressure lines, strut rod bushings, outer tie rod and front disks. Know what still vibrating. It's vibrating less because there isn't any play in the bushings or rack but it's still doing it when I hit 65. Also the wheel bearings are 2 months old so it's not that either. Pretty much everything is new down to the mount bushings for the rack. I'm 99% sure it's not the tires because it does it with all 3 sets of rims that I have and they have all been balanced. I don't know what the hell it could be?? And it's definitely from the front end, the steering wheel starts to shake at 65.


It's much better because I took all the looseness out of the front end but the source is still there and it's driving me nuts. ANY IDEAS?
 
RE: Still shaking after COMPLETE rebuild

What brand tires? Have you had a on-car spin balance?

My '93 had somewhat the same issues, but I did not completely rebuild the front end. I did inspect the calipers and R&R the brake pads, check the bearings, etc... and while it did improve it never went away. Finally I needed new tires, and bought a set of Michelin Pilots. Guess what? No more front end shake in the steering wheel.

All I know is these cars are extremely sensitive to minor out-of-balance issues from the drivetrain to the wheels.
 
RE: Still shaking after COMPLETE rebuild

It's done it with Michelin Pilots that came with the car, cooper weather masters, good year eagle gs-c's and yokohama es100's. Also it does with with all three sets of rims I have, the cobra r's, the 10 spoke directionals, and the super coupe rims. It's pretty consistant with all of them I'm pretty sure it's not that. Also I've replaced the font end because it needed it, the rack had a good amount of play, the hubs were getting a little noisy, the bushings were shot, upper ball joints were noisy, the lowers were visibly ok but I replaced anyway. Everything pointed to a loose front end.........now it's tight and much improved but still vibrating.

I was thinking about this, my new hubs don't have a yellow dot to align the valave stem to balance the runout. I doubt this would fix the problem but it may help.
 
RE: Still shaking after COMPLETE rebuild

Already have a metal matrix, I'm 99% sure it's not a drivelive vibration because it's mostly felt in the steering wheel. I've had the car on a dyno up to 130+ and no vibs.
 
RE: Still shaking after COMPLETE rebuild

Check your U-Joints. Check your diffrential bushings. Check your motor mounts. The drivers side motor mount WILL be bad unless it has been replaced in the VERY recent past. As a matter of fact, that's what I'd start with. It's going to be expensive, though.
 
RE: Still shaking after COMPLETE rebuild

Already has new differential bushings, u-joints on the driveshaft should be good becuase the metal matrix driveshaft is less then a year old. Why will the motor mount be bad, is this a common problem? Why would this cause a vibration at 65? The vibration it's completely independant of engine RPM. Thanks for your reccomendations, I just don't understand why most of those thigns would cause a front end vib in the steering wheel. Definately could cause a big driveline vib though.
 
RE: Still shaking after COMPLETE rebuild

Got the car aligned today, got it set to exact specs that I wanted. Got the tires rebalanced, they were out somewhat. Still vibrates but less, and pulls very slightly to the right. The pull isn't from road crown, I tested in many situations including flat parking lots. The guy aligning the car couldn't have done a better job everything was dead on and exactly the same side to side. It was done using a hunter alignment machine. I'm going to talk to a friend of mine and see if I can put on his set of 17's to see if my wheels and tires have anything to do with it. They shouldn't becuase they are all brand new, I know for a fact the rims a straight. I'll keep you guys posted, any more ideas feel free..........
 
RE: Still shaking after COMPLETE rebuild

Did you check to see if you have a bent hub? Jack it up and spin the wheel and check for wobble and run out at the rim.
Check to see if the k-member is lined up on the frame. The front mounting bolts have a hole between them where the locating bin aligns the K-Member. The hole in the frame and the hole in the k-mrmber should be concentric.
You should also check the ride height side to side.
Find a frame book and check the chassis for square.
Did you have your wheel alinement done with a four wheel alignment.
Your Problem is still there it is most likly one of the things that haven't been chanced.
Keith
93 BLACK
93 MAROON
Only use the brakes to stop and get gas.
 
RE: Still shaking after COMPLETE rebuild

I think that's going to be the project for this weekend. The hubs are new so I'm pretty sure they are ok. I'm going to check the runout of the rims and the hubs. Then I'm going to check the frame. Thanks for the info.
 
RE: Still shaking after COMPLETE rebuild

Something is bent.. and probably something in the right front since you mention the abnormal tire wear there. For example my daughter bent the frame on her car, it aligned up perfect, but drove like crap, especially off wheel center. Did you get a 4 wheel alignment? A good alignment guy can use his alignment machine to find out where the damage is.

mark
 
RE: Still shaking after COMPLETE rebuild

I was actually thinking about that. Although there isn't any sign of damage visually it's possible. If I don't find a drivetrain vibration (which I don't expect to) I'm going to take it to a shop with a frame machine and see if they find anything. I've done a carfax report on it and nothing shows up. If it was something major I would think it would be on there. The only thing that I didn't replace in the front end is the spindles, possibly it's bent.

Also, yes it was aligned on a 4 wheel hunter alignment system. I was right there with the guy doing it. Telling him what to set it to and also looking at the screen and under my car.

It's not a terrible vibration but it's there and it shouldn't be......Hope to have some answers in the next week or two.
 
RE: Still shaking after COMPLETE rebuild

Well I check for drive train vibes today, it's just fine. I finally jacked up the rear, put it on stands and ran it up to speed. I ran it up to about 75, there was a very slight vibration but it's from a tire not being mounted perfectly. But it's not a front end vibration at all. Very very slight vibration from the floor, hardly even noticeable. I think there's a chance the right front spindle might be bent or something, it's the only original piece in the front end. I'm also going to check the rim and hub run out very soon. If the run out is ok and a new right front spindle doesn’t take care of it then I'm going to have it checked on a frame machine. Any ideas more ideas?
 
Back
Top