Quick Questions On The Wobble

[nc211]

Well guys, still got a little vibration issue going on, nothing as bad as it was, but's it still there a little, just enough to drive you mad. I am getting a "pop" noise when I hit a bump at city speed, like going through an intersection and hitting the cross pavement, I get the pop noise up front...I think it's the lower ball joints. I think I might have really damaged them last year when I mutilated that rubber housing when fussing with the lower control arms. That's to be expected.

Question (1) Got a vibration that seems to move around from the front to the back, in a rythem. It's felt in the seat, and in the floor. I'm thinking it's the flex couplings on the drive shaft or center bearing. Any thoughts? The manual has the flex couplings as the #2 likely cause. The #1 likely cause is the transmission rear extension housing bearing, which I have no clue what that is? But it sounds expensive as hell to get at. I think it's the couplings, and possibly the center bearing. I'd bet when the indi shop changed out my rear differential bushing and had to take out the differential, they let the rear drive shaft bend down too far and might have damaged the center bearing section. I'm going to replace those couplings. Any advice on the degree of difficulty on that job????

Question (2) The front strut rods.....They're new, but my question is this; when they are installed, do they "lock" into place, or do they have a free range of up/down movement at the bushing connection part? The front of my car seems quite stiff. I remember when doing those control arms up front, we had to stand on the strut rod ends to get some space. They were literally sticking out from the bushing connection, at about a 10 degree down angle, and would not budge! We did not loosen up the bushing screws to check anything out. My question is this: Are they supposed to be bound in place like that? And if so, are they supposed to be at a downward angle, or level with the car?? It feels like they're binding a little when the car squats down in the suspension slightly. Like those two strut rods are wanting to FLING the front of the car back up as fast as it can. Does that make sense??

So, if my bubba's wouldn't mind a few spare minutes....any advice for an ole' friend? I know it's not the tires....GOD do I know it's not the tires! It's not the brakes either. The car is about 75% better than when it was, but something is still worn out, and causing a vibration throughout the car. My money is on, and has been for some time, the driveshaft area. But the mechanic's have all said no...yet they say there is some free play in the shaft. hahahaha....free play in the shaft....Hmmmmmm.. <_< ..gotta' go now....oh honey, um, you busy??

thanks fella's!

PS: Anyone happen to know the part number(s) for the flex couplings at the ends of the drive shaft? I can't seem to track them down on the part websites....Bicol, you around amigo?

[bicol-ini]

hi, up to now youre not done yet :) anyways the psrt number for the flex coupling front and rear

35711-50040 around 145 bucks each, check my previous post under name, ive got photos in that thread, hope this helps

[nc211]

Sweet, thanks bicol-ini

You're like the quiet one with all the knowledge...it's who you know and not what you know world ;)

Anybody have any input on the strut rod installment angles? In the manual for the control arms it says to "bounce the car" a couple times before tightening down the bolts to torque spec's, but it says nothing about the strut rods. I'm thinking probably the same thing should be done for them as well. The front end just seems like it's got something so tense, it's fighting itself.

Since I'm going back in to the front suspension section, I'm going to replace those upper strut bumpers too. Question: Is it possible to swap out those upper bumbers w/o having to pull the entire spring & strut housing unit out of the car? Is it possible to just clamp down the springs, and then pull the upper bracket off the car, pull out the bumper, put in the new bumper, and reattach the upper section, without having to pull the entire setup out of the car?

[bicol-ini]

on the strut cushion bumpers, nope there is no short cut youve got to take the whole thing apart again just like replacing the struts, a pain but got to do it, this might be the cause of every problem youve got a cracked strut :) bumper

[Threadcutter]

on the strut cushion bumpers, nope there is no short cut youve got to take the whole thing apart again just like replacing the struts, a pain but got to do it, this might be the cause of every problem youve got a cracked strut :) bumper

Guys:

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the only time that the strut bumper comes into play is under severe compression of the springs and when the strut would otherwise bottom out? eg; metal to metal? (if the cushion/bumper were not there). You are referring to the "donut" that installs above the strut body, surrounding the strut rod, aren't you?

nc;

Having seen you ask this question in the past, I could never figure out why the bumper/cushion would be of interest unless the strut(s) was/were bottoming out.

What am I missing?.............

[nc211]

I'm not 100% clear on it either threadcutter, but I've heard that those who've replaced them have been happy with the results. i think they help hold the upper strut in place better, as well as dampen the thump when bottoming out.

Thread, how long do the inner tie rods usually last? I ask this because yesterday when zipping down the highway, and now with the solenoid screen clean, the speed sensitive steering is working better, I find that I have about 1/4-1/2 inch of free play in the wheel, when going straight. It's when the car is tracking perfectly on it's own, no input from the steering wheel, and you just ever-so-slightly move the wheel back and forth, just enough to feel that free space before the car shifts direction. I'm wondering if the inner's are ready to come out at 112k miles?? Kind of makes sense to me? I'm gonna order some new ball joints tonight, and probably some inner tie rods. Probably get outter's too since I freakin' mutulated those rubber housings too. NO MORE PITCH FORKS!

[Sweet95LS400]

Have you changed the universal joins out? I had a chevy truck that had a vibration like that and it turned out the U-Joints were bad. $110 (new parts and labor) and it was good as new.

[Threadcutter]

nc:

I'm not 100% clear on it either threadcutter, but I've heard that those who've replaced them have been happy with the results.

Hmm........OK.....

I think they help hold the upper strut in place better, as well as dampen the thump when bottoming out.

Unless someone more knowledgable knows something I don't, I think they ar just "bumpers". I can't see how they would hold the strut in place. They're round, have a hole through the middle and go around the strut shaft. Having said that, I believe you're exactly right about the "dampening the thump when bottoming out". I think that's their only job in life.

Thread, how long do the inner tie rods usually last? I'm wondering if the inner's are ready to come out at 112k miles??

Could be, but I'm not thinking so just yet.

I'm gonna order some new ball joints tonight

I thought you already did all that?............You'll be very happy with the results though. My old ones had a lot of slop in them. It probably wasn't, but it felt like about an eighth of an inch.

I find that I have about 1/4-1/2 inch of free play in the wheel, when going straight. It's when the car is tracking perfectly on it's own, no input from the steering wheel, and you just ever-so-slightly move the wheel back and forth, just enough to feel that free space before the car shifts direction.

Before you go after inner or outer tie rod ends, there is at least one U-joint in the steering system between the wheel & the steering gear box. With the key in the ignition, wheel unlocked, engine off, check to see how much play there is by lightly pushing the wheel in one direction, then the other. It might be just that U-joint & not the tie rods at all.

NO MORE PITCH FORKS!

Git yerself one o' them Pittman arm pullers jes' lak on LexLS's websat:

LexLS Ball Joints

Ball joint puller (OEM Tools #25297, $9.99 @ Autozone)

You'll only use it as many times as you have ball joints, but it's worth every penny (and more). They come in different sizes. Consider buying the smaller one for your upper (Control Arm) ball joints & the larger one for your lowers. Worth Every penny........

[bicol-ini]

heres mine couple of years back when i replaced mine along with the strut, this is on drivers side, cracked and brittle, passenger side is ok, but replaced it anyways, 20 bucks each for piece of mind, attached is a pix of the front strut with the bumper installed as you can see its pretty cracked ready to be split into two, this is the most common causes for bottoming out, i hope this helps, a picture says a thousand words you decide,

dealer calls it bumper, front spring, part number 48331-50060

[maxed_out]

uh oh...hmm the wobble thing is back! like a bad dream. NC I had this too til recently. I got lucky, and found a rear diff from a salvage yard. I got the drive shaft too.

If the bearings are the same ones that were funky on mine it could very well be the cause. With the new rear the "moving" front to back and so forth vibe is gone. Before the change, I felt it in the rear,floor and front. Up hills you could really feel it in the back. Interesting in that on the old diff the bearings were slightly sloppy. I can't say it wasnt the drive shaft because I switched both at the same time. I couldnt really see or feel anything wrong with the drive shaft but like I said changed it over anyway.

Pretty nice project because of the weight of the rear diff. Had to make a adapter for my floor jask just to lift in and out.

I would think a mechanic could check for slop in those bearings by disconnecting the cv joints. Hey I'm no expert just like to tinker.

I still have the old rear, and I was gonna take it apart but havent had the time yet-too many honey doos and customers to take care of.

Oh yeah almost forgot, changed the rear rubber bshings that hold up the rear too. One was fine and one was shot because of the wobble.

[nc211]

I'm thinking I'm just going to correct the problem with alignments and balancings. I honestly am wondering if it's just not the new tires breaking in. They were balanced right at birth, with no break in period. Now they have about 500 miles on them. When I picked up the car with the new tires, it was baby smooth. So I'm wondering if I'm not jumping the gun. I do have a popping noise up front though, and will probably replace the ball joints and reset the strut rod angle of attachment, as I do think they were installed at too an aggresive downward angle. And then just leave it alone. I'll probably get rid of it later this year for either a 98-99 LS or a GS. The prices have begun to fall into my range now, and should be right at the sweet-spot by summer's end. Although I have NO doubt my car will last another 100-150k no problem, I'm starting to want that VTI engine, wood grain, and so forth. I'm also getting the itch for a little bit more sports feel, which is pointing me in the direction of the GS models. Or even something completely different that I have never experienced before, like maybe a BMW or a MB E320 for a year or so. When we're talking about a purchase price of $16k +/- for a well maintained car, then your losses are really not that significant. Or at least not enough to spook me away from taking on something else. I've learned mechanic's 101 with car now, and feel A TON more confident to repair my own vehicles from here on out. But my first choice is Lexus, that's for sure! Who knows...getting that spring time itch again for something different.

I won't be messing with the driveshaft or differential on this car. If it comes to that, then I'll just get rid of it. That's just too much for me to consider doing on the car at this point. I honestly think it's something very simple down there that I either (1) damaged during my education (2) overlooked (3) poorly adjusted.