RayGarret

GENTLEMEN.
Thank your for reading. I need help with my 1986.

I took it through the mountains a few months ago, driving her pretty hard. By the time I got to the bottom, I started to here a "clank clank clank clank" when it accelerates on the right rear tire.

The rear end, is now SHIMMY SHIMMY every single time I accelerate. So when I'm doing about 60MPH - The Rear end Shakes left and right. For instance, let's say I'm doing 60mph and I Accelerate, the Rear end JOLTS and I wobble for 1/2 sec. - I look like I have parkinsons going down the HWY every time I speed up.

It does this every time I Let off the gas as well. When I let go of the gas, I get a SHIMMY/SHAKE and wobble. This has lead me to change the way I Drive. I have to keep it at around 60MPH and I have to be very careful letting off the gas, and accelerating.

Also notice rear right tire has gone bald pretty fast.

Differential (?) - Don't know what it is.

Also the Targa top is damaged, it fell off and got ran over. My fault. Wondering where I can order one of these as a replacement. Car looks pretty but its dangerous to drive. My only car at the moment, and my daily driver. And nobody wants to buy it :-D



Now check this out. Because the Targa top has been damaged, wind gets in through the middle of it causing an Aerodynamic "lyft" and throws my vehicle off. So that, combined with the SHIMMY of the rear end, well, Let's just say if I try to take a curve on the FWY at 60-70 MPH it feels like I'm derailing. I get a very "Speedboat" feeling, vehicle suspension literally shifts to the right and left; almost feels like I'm on a roller-coaster thats about to de-rail. Very uncomfortable scary feeling.

So this vette stays at 55-60MPH now until I can figure out wtf is going on.

Until then, Not sure about any quick fixes, it's been one thing after another. Money just keeping this thing going. I would sell but no one wants to buy a ticking time bomb.

cv67

DONT DRIVE IT

Get it up in the air id ck wheel bearings bushings and all mount points out back to start with


If its too far gone just sell as a parts car and move on

cormorant71

I agree, DONT DRIVE IT! could be the hub, but who cares, from what you are saying it is unsafe. Get it fixed. The new top can be ordered from a number of vendors you will find on here.

http://www.ecklerscorvette.com/corve...1984-1996.html

Hot Rod Roy

Any 30 year old car will need some attention. You need to learn how to take care of your car, as nothing lasts forever! Either you need to learn, or you need to be prepared to pay someone else to take care of problems as they arise. The Corvette is a well designed car, but all cars will eventually have maintenance issues!

Sorry to hear you learned a hard lesson with your flying roof! You aren't the only member of the Flying Roof Club! Try eBay for a replacement top. Be aware, there are three different designs for the tops between '84 and '96! Be sure you get the right one!

JrRifleCoach

Where are you located?
Maybe if we knew this someone here could meet up with you.

VikingTrad3r

and yeah. dont drive it.

antfarmer2

stop driving NOW it is not worth yours or someone's else's life.

SJW

You're going to limit your speed to 60 MPH in a car that you know is unsafe because of a serious suspension component failure? I don't think the car is what's most unsafe here. Have you lost your mind? Park that car immediately before you kill somebody.

Live well,

SJW

hcbph

Go here and take down the doc: http://www.digitalcorvettes.com/foru...d.php?t=144562

It has excellent info on repairing and rebuilding the rear hubs. You definitely want to find and fix whatever you have wrong with your car before you hurt yourself or someone else. Plus it's a lot cheaper to fix now before it self destructs on the highway some place.

Please do not drive it till you take care of whatever is wrong.

Purple92

From what you wrote - at least one component of your rear suspension or rear axle / differential has failed. Continuing to drive the car is likely unsafe, and depending on what has actually failed - it is quite likely to cause additional damage.

Normally - the first thing to do is to jack up each side rear wheel, put the car in neutral with the brake off and with the front wheels chocked, then grab the tire and try to move it sideways / up and down / in and out. If things are good - you should not be able to make the tire & wheel move (it can rotate, but that's it). If it does move - you look for where you see / feel slop and that typically indicates where the problem is. If you don't feel that you can diagnose the issue - either get with a friend who has more expertise, or take the car to a garage / dealer and ask them to diagnose it - this will likely not be free - but they should be able to get you an idea of what's wrong, and what it's gonna take to fix it.

There are literally a dozen different parts that could cause the problems you describe. But if you keep driving the car - you could easily find yourself in a situation where the tire starts pointing in a direction other than straight ahead and that is not something you are going to be able to control - let alone drive home....

JrRifleCoach

Yep.....another one post wonder

antfarmer2

I think he was looking to fix it with duct tape and bailing wire.

JrRifleCoach

It's sad that these guys buy a 25 year old Corvette for 2-4K and expect it to become reliable overnight.
Once the reality $inks, in the honeymoon is over....