I know you mentioned having tie rods checked, but this really sounds like a steering
component gone loose. Wheel bearings on a FWD would be making some horrific
noises if they were worn enough to have the wheels moving in and out.
I just dunno... I bought some new wheel bearing this morning. I got 2 timkens for 108 bucks. So i'll see if those do it. Somthing was moving the wheel in and out towards the engine on the lift when they drove it. More so on the driver side than passenger side. But i highly doubt i have 6 wheels that are @!#$ up. My summer rims i have in the front now were on the rear last year i had no vibs from them. Vice versa now..i have no wheel vibs from the rear.
I presently have the same problem with my car.
I just changed the clutch and pulled the trany in and out, and I have a sever vibration that feels much like you described. It feels like a side to side motion in the car, and as sever as a flat tire. It only occurs at high speeds (fourth or fifth gear), but only at low rpm and only under load or stress (ei: going up a hill, accelerating onto the highway). At higher RPM it would at first balance out and go away, but now it is too aggravated to even get that high into the RPM range. At first I thought that I had bought a bad clutch, so I re-did the clutch and machined the flywheel, after that I had an even more sever vibration.
While coming home from work last, I heard the CV joints clicking as I turned into my driveway and I am fairly confident now that is the problem - however it previously did not make that sound .
While bearings could still be your problem, (the looseness of the bearing could be causing a vibration that would work its way up the drive-shaft) I have had bad wheel bearings on my van that made a definite growl sound, and didn't cause the same kind of vibration - that kind of vibration was faster and less severe.
My gut feeling from reading the post is that you have a drive-shaft problem, put your car up on jacks, slide underneath and try to move the CV drive-shafts with your hands. Try to move it back and forth and up and down. If the shaft moves, then it probably it is bad (this is the advice I was given and will do this when I have more time). If I find a problem with mine, I will remove the shafts and take them to a local drive-shaft place to have them rebuilt for $60 CAN.
I know i can move the drive shaft in and out when i grab it and tub towards and away from the block. It moves like uhhh... maybe 3-6 cm. When it gets to the furthest position either way, it makes a clunking noise. Like metal clunking onto metal.
CRJ, I told your problem to our local shop and told him you had it lowered but put it back to stock ride height. He said you probably need your front axles replaced. The way he explained it to me was: Your axles are comparable to a sprocket on a motorcycle in that they each have a specific wear pattern. When your car was lowered, if it was lowered for several thousand miles, you changed that wear pattern significantly. When you raised your car back up, the gears in your axles aren't going through the wear pattern they created for themselves over thousands of miles. He said that's the way all GM vehicles are, you lower them for a long period of time and then put them back up to stock ride height and you end up with this horrible shake in the front end, depending on how many miles are on your car, the shake is worse. He said he just replaced the front axles on a Grand Am (very similar suspension to our cars) for that exact reason, the kid had it lowered for 6,000 miles and it changed the wear pattern and then lifted it back up because it was too low when he put the body kit on it.
Hope this helps, now that we're playing process of elimination. GOOD LUCK!!!!!
Officer: Do you know how fast you were going??
Me: Fast enough to get you to put down the coffee and doughnut!
Officer: (scowls)
Me: great, now I'm REALLY gonna get a ticket huh?
lo radiance wrote:CRJ, I told your problem to our local shop and told him you had it lowered but put it back to stock ride height. He said you probably need your front axles replaced. The way he explained it to me was: Your axles are comparable to a sprocket on a motorcycle in that they each have a specific wear pattern. When your car was lowered, if it was lowered for several thousand miles, you changed that wear pattern significantly. When you raised your car back up, the gears in your axles aren't going through the wear pattern they created for themselves over thousands of miles. He said that's the way all GM vehicles are, you lower them for a long period of time and then put them back up to stock ride height and you end up with this horrible shake in the front end, depending on how many miles are on your car, the shake is worse. He said he just replaced the front axles on a Grand Am (very similar suspension to our cars) for that exact reason, the kid had it lowered for 6,000 miles and it changed the wear pattern and then lifted it back up because it was too low when he put the body kit on it.
Hope this helps, now that we're playing process of elimination. GOOD LUCK!!!!!
Thank you for your extra effort. That is the best logical reason for my problems i have been given. I was also talking to another guy here on JBO who went through an Auto mechanic school and is having the same problems i am. He was saying somthing on how it changed the wear pattern of either the Hub assembly or a CV joint. I didn't return the car to stock height, but raised it up to a more subtle drop. I rode on those other springs for a good 6,000+ miles. So yea, they are more than likely shot! Another testomony on why you shouldn't buy dropzone springs.. Any know some prices on gettin new CV shafts and how much of a bitch they are to do? I am going to guess, my extended warrenty isn't going to help me here on those either.
oh yea i and i put those dropzone springs in at 49K miles roughly and my car has as of this morning 56,509 miles for a 99.
Shifted- Is that for both, or just one? They just pull out of the transmisson correct?
CRJ, No problem for the effort, I get help on here for the things I need and people go out of their way for me, so the least I can do is return the favor. I've never changed my axles, so I have no idea how much of a pain the are, nor how much they cost. It may be covered under your extended warranty, I'd check it out. You'll save more money that way. I know a kid that just lifted his jeep and he had an extended warranty on it when his front axles went, and they were covered then... so I'm out of suggestions?
Officer: Do you know how fast you were going??
Me: Fast enough to get you to put down the coffee and doughnut!
Officer: (scowls)
Me: great, now I'm REALLY gonna get a ticket huh?
I'll be throwing in the new wheel bearing tomorrow afternoon, if the problem is still there, i will make the dealership fix it. Since they have been dicking me around.
Well guys here is whats up. I just threw the Timkens in and it took me about 3 hrs. The old wheel bearing had rusted it self to the mount thing. LOL... my brain is fried right now. Damn cold... I did the drivers side first and when i got it out... after trying to find a way, i was able to move the wheel bearing back and forth and i could see were it had busted open. And i didn't have a seal on it either. So i threw everything on the other side and that was ok, but no point in just replacing one. I don't get wheel vibs till about 80mph now. I think what i am going to try and do it, get a 1mm larger hubcentric ring since i can still feel some play in the one i have when i put it in and bring it back to firestone and have them balance them again. This should clean everything up!
