Hi Guys,

So the SVX will not pass inspection and I am driving my LT4 until I can find a new car, which is proving to be more challenging than initially thought.

Anyway, The car doesn't seem to connect to the road, almost wonders a bit. I hit a bump in the road today and I could have sworn the car jumped 4 inches to the left. I am ordering new tie rod ends as I know they are bad, I'm wondering if it may be time to do the shocks as well? Car has 50K on it. Just wanted to see if I am going down the right path to solving it.


Thanks for your help,

Dust

 

odd..... a solid axle car like a Mustang will jump like that when hitting a big hole or bump, but the Corvette shouldn't. Are you sure you didn't just jerk the steering wheel??

 

Sounds like you answered your own question. If you know of suspension bushings, etc that are bad, then solving the issue would start there. When all is "right", a C4 is very well planted.

 

I bought the car with 36k and it has never felt great. With all the hot rod guys still using suspensions out of these cars I couldn't help but wonder if mine needed some attention. The front end "rebuild kits" are not too expensive, maybe I will just bite the bullet and redo it all.

I hit the same bump every day I drive home from work and it definitely "jumps" when I do. I am in a turn when I do, I don't think it's me.....but you never know.

Thanks for the responses guys. Time to start ordering stuff.


Dust

 

Sounds like the rear suspension. Get it up on a lift and have them look at everything under there and especially the bushings.

 

Sounds like bad shocks to me, but I'd certainly give the entire suspension a once over.

 

IMHO - bushings first

Even with relatively low mileage those bushings are shot.

Then drive it and find the other weak points be it shocks, tie rod ends, whatever.

My 92 was very loose in the rear until I did ALL the bushings.
It got much better with the relocation brackets from DRM.

 

Does it go without saying to go with Polyurethane? I mean on my SVX I did but I wasn't concerned with originality.

Just out of curiosity, What vendors do you guys prefer? Wilcox seems to have good prices but don't have as much as CCentral. Been going with Paragon for the other car but alas they do not cover C4's

 

Had a similar problem with mine wandering and feeling a little darty. Checked and found the ball joints shot. Changed them and it felt a little better. Need to get it aligned now.

 

I've discovered that my C4 is pretty sensitive to tire air pressure....and handling is affected. What psi are you running??

 

Maybe just daydreaming. [wondering]

 

symptom sounds like a loose rear c-beam mount also- the rear diff twisting a bit an affecting the entire assembly. Does it crab under coast, or just power?

 

be sure to check the rear tie rod ends. A C4 particularly a late model one should ride like it's on rails.

 

Well you guys have given me quite a list, I don't know whether to thank you or slap you.

Tomorrow's suppose to be nice so I will have a chance to slide underneath and get started.

Thanks Gent's

I wander how long it will take me to diagnose the wondering?

 

I had a similar experience with my 94 T-Bird, similar because it also has an IRS. I put new tires (OEM size) and then I had new ball joints, shocks and replacement springs done because a couple had cracks in them (all OEM parts). Work was done by the Ford Dealer and included a full check of the wheel balancing and a complete alignment. I took it on the interstate and it was a virtual death trap, literally tried to throw the car into the next lane every time I hit any type of defect in the highway. I took it back to the dealer a couple of times and was told everything was right (yeah right), it didn't do that before I took it in.
I ended up talking to a race shop that does alignments on it, just as soon as I mentioned the symptoms he asked if the springs were changed out. He tweaked the settings on the alignment and it was night-and-day different, I could drive it then. It was pushing winter and going into storage, he suggested putting a couple of bags of sand over the front springs and in the trunk for the winter to set the springs, which I did. Come spring, it drove perfect and has ever since.

If you have no play or bad parts in the suspension and haven't gotten it to work properly, might be worth having someone that deals with performance suspensions take a look at it. It worked out for me, hope that helps.

 

Mine was doing that and it was the bushings in the upper trailing arms on the passenger side. They were worn to the point that the rear wheel could move 1/2 inch forward and backward when up in the jack stand. Rear steering to the max!