rebuilding front end
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,921
Likes: 53
From: Philadelphia Pa
rebuilding front end
I have an 87 automatic with 79k on it. As far as I can tell, most of the front end is still original. At 55 to about 70 mph the car vibrates as if it's going over railroad ties, nothing specific just an over all vibration/shudder throughout the car. I had the car looked at, and all 4 ball joints were replaced and the car aligned. I was told that everything else looked fine, shocks, u joints, bushings, tire rod ends, etc. Since I needed the car, there wasn't time to check the tire balance. My next trip, they will do that. If that doesn't correct the problem, and absent any concrete evidence of specific part failures, in what order should I begin to replace the front end parts (shocks first?, bushings? U's ?) Also, who is a good supplier of these parts?
Thanks
Thanks
Intermediate
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
From: St. Johns Florida
Vibrations
Hi Steve59. I had exactly what you described recently. Wracked my brain because the alignment/tire shop balanced tires and did full alignment. Said all the u-joints were good. Still had a vibration at same speeds. Turns out it was the left outer u-joint. It was very difficult to tell until I had it out. I have same year with 76,000 miles so it may be something to look at. Good luck.
David
David
1st Gear
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Let me know how it turns out. We have an 86 with a vibration also. One hot rod shop balanced and aligned it as best he could and said the tires were out of round. Now we finally have sprung for all new tires and it does the same things. It's very frustrating because it seems like that should be a great highway car but the vibration is not only irritating it makes us wonder what parts are going to be wearing out/shaking off. We're thinking it may be a bad wheel?
Last edited by Elaine; Jan 25, 2009 at 05:07 PM.
