Tail end unstable
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 43
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From: bethlehem pa
Tail end unstable
Hello all it is has been a while and I need some help!
The tail end on my 76 feels unstable. When cornering at normal speed if I hit a bump or a man hole cover the tail end feels like it wants to hop side ways. The car has 89,000 on it and new shocks front and rear. Other than that everything under it is original. I am planning on replacing all the old rubber bushings etc. come winter, they do seem dried and cracked (not falling apart). (1) Should this take care of my problem? (2) How do I check to see if the rear spring needs replacement and could this be the problem? (3) With only 89,000 on it, could the trailing arm bushings be bad?
The tail end on my 76 feels unstable. When cornering at normal speed if I hit a bump or a man hole cover the tail end feels like it wants to hop side ways. The car has 89,000 on it and new shocks front and rear. Other than that everything under it is original. I am planning on replacing all the old rubber bushings etc. come winter, they do seem dried and cracked (not falling apart). (1) Should this take care of my problem? (2) How do I check to see if the rear spring needs replacement and could this be the problem? (3) With only 89,000 on it, could the trailing arm bushings be bad?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 2,083
Likes: 2
From: Montreal Qc.
Stuff to check:
Trailing arm bushings (forget 89,000 miles, and think 30+ years old)
Spring-to-rearend cover bolts (they break)
Wheel bearings
Strut-rods/strut rod bushings
Alignment
Half-shafts and/or half-shaft U-joints
Probably one or more of those will be the problem, unless your frame is rusted/bent, then you can add that to the list.
Trailing arm bushings (forget 89,000 miles, and think 30+ years old)
Spring-to-rearend cover bolts (they break)
Wheel bearings
Strut-rods/strut rod bushings
Alignment
Half-shafts and/or half-shaft U-joints
Probably one or more of those will be the problem, unless your frame is rusted/bent, then you can add that to the list.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,053
Likes: 4
St. Jude Donor '03,'11
Originally Posted by 76greenlar
The tail end on my 76 feels unstable.
Not necessarily so. These cars just don't have the civilized road manners compared to new cars.
Go ahead and check everything out though.
bearing play, yoke play on rear, see if you can mover the trailing arm side to side at the attachment point in front, check strut rod bushings ect.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
From: bethlehem pa
Originally Posted by turtlevette
What kind of tires and how much pressure? There might not be anything wrong. Many times guys who own newer daily drivers jump in the vette after a long time and thing something's wrong.
Not necessarily so. These cars just don't have the civilized road manners compared to new cars.
Go ahead and check everything out though.
bearing play, yoke play on rear, see if you can mover the trailing arm side to side at the attachment point in front, check strut rod bushings ect.
Not necessarily so. These cars just don't have the civilized road manners compared to new cars.
Go ahead and check everything out though.
bearing play, yoke play on rear, see if you can mover the trailing arm side to side at the attachment point in front, check strut rod bushings ect.
Running Firetone tires, pressure should be ok. Thanks for the suggestions. The wheel bears are something that I had not thought about. A winter project for sure.
Larry
