Author Topic: Chattering Front End (Read 3615 times)

nofear3544 · « **on:** April 08, 2009, 10:58:02 AM »

While driving down the road, its worse as speed increases, every time I hit a bump the car rattles pretty bad, the steering wheel shakes, and as I'm going over the bump I feel like I have no control over the vehicle (if turning and going over the bump the car just wants to keep going straight). I also feel like the steering itself is very loose. I replaced my left control arm and my power steering rack. Not sure if this would change anything though. Any advice on what to change to fix my problem. The car is almost not even fun to drive anymore. This is what happens when you drive a car on roads in NJ, potholes everywhere.

Could it just be an alignment issue?

BraveUlysses · « **Reply #1 on:** April 08, 2009, 11:03:22 AM »

How old are your control arm bushings? You only replaced one control arm? Most often both arms and both bushings are replaced all at the same time.

nofear3544 · « **Reply #2 on:** April 08, 2009, 11:49:45 AM »

I have no idea I bought the car a year ago and replace the left one because the owner said it was bad. could replacing one cause the other to fail even quicker.

max123 · « **Reply #3 on:** April 09, 2009, 12:21:47 AM »

Yikes, almost sounds dangerous. it could be several things - but if its as bad as you say than it shouldn't be too hard to track down. First off, there is no point in just replacing one control arm - if the ball joint is toast in one control arm, the other side isn't far behind. Second off, if you replaced one control arm you had to replace the control arm bushing (since they are basically impossible to seperate without destroying). So that means you are currently driving around with one garbage bushing and one brand new bushing - that isn't going to help your handling situation.

So here's what you do, jack up the car - get someone to sit inside it and hold the steering wheel. Next go around to each wheel and try to shake it or jiggle it. If anything moves you will know you have a problem. If its not your other control arm, I'm guessing the ball joints in your tie rods are toast, either that or the bearings in the shock mount is gone.

In any event if the car is old and has never had any suspension work you will need to do a bunch of work to get it back to normal, otherwise you will be doing one bit at a time and bankrupt yourself on alignments. So here's the list - replace shocks and all associated hardware. Replace control arms and bushings. Replace sway bar bushings and sway bar links. Lastly replace tie rods. This won't be cheap - about $800, but it will solve your problem.

Sorry, I've been there myself. There just is no easy fix on a 20 year old car when the suspension has been neglected - it is a testament to the strength of the original design that the car lasted this long on original shocks and suspension components.

nofear3544 · « **Reply #4 on:** April 10, 2009, 11:06:15 AM »

hmm do you think i can get away with buying the shocks last and replacing all the rubber peices first? I would like to eventually lower it but its not in my funds right now and I wouldnt want to go out and spend the money on shocks when Im going to lower it later.

nofear3544 · « **Reply #5 on:** April 11, 2009, 12:19:49 PM »

just checked everything out under the car and found fluid cover both wheel wells and dripping down the shocks. I just ordered everything in that list I hope to be installing everything next week.

max123 · « **Reply #6 on:** April 11, 2009, 08:18:09 PM »

Good to hear. Hope that solves your problems - one pointer, make sure to get the shock mounts because if they go 6 months from now you will basically have to disassemble everything to get at them.

Good luck on the swap.