Dogbones problem?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 2,238
Likes: 4
From: Milan
Dogbones problem?
It's longtime that im trying to cure an handling problem...
The rear seem disconnected from the car
I feel like if the rear is in the water and im drivig a boat!
It seem I'm runnig with 2 rear tire FLAT!
I cheched all
alignment
tie rods
u joints
Hub bearings
All is ok
yesterday I looked at the driver side "dogbones"...
the upper one is good attached to trailing arm bracket,but the rear eye of the rod is nor good attached to the knukle..
This rear bolt is fully inserted in the knuckleand in the rear eye of the dogbone....but the NUT (in the inner side) is 1 full inch far from the dogbone eye!
Could be this the problem?
Iìm trying to torque down this nut but it's really hard and Im not able to block the head bolt.
What's (or are) the problem(s) associated to a not properly installed dogbone?
Thanks
-Beppe-
The rear seem disconnected from the car
I feel like if the rear is in the water and im drivig a boat!
It seem I'm runnig with 2 rear tire FLAT!
I cheched all
alignment
tie rods
u joints
Hub bearings
All is ok
yesterday I looked at the driver side "dogbones"...
the upper one is good attached to trailing arm bracket,but the rear eye of the rod is nor good attached to the knukle..
This rear bolt is fully inserted in the knuckleand in the rear eye of the dogbone....but the NUT (in the inner side) is 1 full inch far from the dogbone eye!
Could be this the problem?
Iìm trying to torque down this nut but it's really hard and Im not able to block the head bolt.
What's (or are) the problem(s) associated to a not properly installed dogbone?
Thanks
-Beppe-
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 6,018
Likes: 563
From: Conroe Texas
once when i went auto-x'ing, i forgot to tighten the toe rod securely and it worked loose a little. it got so squirrely in the rear, spectators said they could see my rear tires change camber, which prompted me to check the toe rod. a loose ( 1") dogbone could cause you problems.
check the bushings in the dogbones and your camber rods.
check the bushings in the dogbones and your camber rods.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 5,866
Likes: 60
From: Hellinois
Finalist 2020 C4 of the Year - Modified
Unless you mix up the short and long dogbones there is no way to install them wrong. Sounds like the bushings are totally shot. If you decide to go poly, do the whole car, front & rear for max improvement.
Elite Torch Red Member
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 57,805
Likes: 23
From: Exit 89 GSP,Lakewood,NJ The Land Of Mojo
Cental/South NJ Events Coordinator
CI 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12 Vet
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St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07
These pics are in order and show what happens when you break your dogbones(only on the drivers side this happened)
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 2,786
Likes: 22
From: Cary NC
Ouch! That doesn't look good!
A mechanic that was working on my rear diff a little while ago mentioned that he thought the one of the dog bones was not in that good a shape. They aren't physically bent or anything. The bushing do look compressed and dry rotting. He told me to replace all of them.
As I understand it GM doesn't sell new bushings for those and want you to buy the whole peice. So they have a poly bushing kit for these? I imagine I would have to have the old ones pressed out and the new ones pressed in at a machine shop. They don't look like something a bench vise would do well with. Sound about right?
A mechanic that was working on my rear diff a little while ago mentioned that he thought the one of the dog bones was not in that good a shape. They aren't physically bent or anything. The bushing do look compressed and dry rotting. He told me to replace all of them.
As I understand it GM doesn't sell new bushings for those and want you to buy the whole peice. So they have a poly bushing kit for these? I imagine I would have to have the old ones pressed out and the new ones pressed in at a machine shop. They don't look like something a bench vise would do well with. Sound about right?
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 8,838
Likes: 31
From: Australia
I just drilled a few holes in the rubber with a 1/8 drill so I break the steel bush loose , then pushed the rubber out with a screwdriver.My new VBP poly bushes went in by hand (well lubed) and I only had to use the vise for the final 1/4 inch.Easy
Your bushes must be well shot.Both my bottom dog bones were bent down and out as a result of being chained down in a past life , had the original bushes and still drove fine.Can feel difference now but never felt "loose "before.If I knew how to post a pic on here could show how far away from stock you can get and still drive OK.
Your bushes must be well shot.Both my bottom dog bones were bent down and out as a result of being chained down in a past life , had the original bushes and still drove fine.Can feel difference now but never felt "loose "before.If I knew how to post a pic on here could show how far away from stock you can get and still drive OK.
