Need help diagnosing wheel shake
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 296
Likes: 0
From: columbia sc
Need help diagnosing wheel shake
I have a 95 coupe and have been experiencing a lot of wheel shake when hitting bumps. Basically it feels like the wheels are loose and vibration transfers to steering wheel pretty violently. When I had it aligned Firestone said that the outer tie rod needed to be replaced. It looks fine to me. But when I changed my oil last weekend I hugged the wheel as someone advised and I could physically move both wheels with load taken off and move them side to side. A good bit of play in them. So this is obviously my problem as to when I hit a bump.
My question is, is it the outer tie rod ends, or something else? To me the tie rods are solid and bolted down, i can't see that effecting wheel play.
thanks
My question is, is it the outer tie rod ends, or something else? To me the tie rods are solid and bolted down, i can't see that effecting wheel play.
thanks
Cruising
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
if you can move the wheel by holding front and rear of tire have someone watch steering linkage to see whats loose. if you have movement by holding top and bottom of tire probably ball joints or wheel bearings. hope this helps sand1
Pro
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 560
Likes: 0
From: Hamilton New Jersey
it could also be the inner tie rod ends.. while you are shaking the wheel you need to look and see where the play is, sometimes it helps to have another person either look or shake the wheel while you look.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 296
Likes: 0
From: columbia sc
cool, thats what Firestone said, but I just didn't see how. They want $200 a side, but the part is like $30. Any tricks or things I need to look out for? Looking at it, seems simple enough. Remove end from wheel spindle, then unscrew from tie rods. Do i need to make any measurements or anything? I'm sure I'll need an alignment after it as well.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 4,290
Likes: 140
From: Salem NH
cool, thats what Firestone said, but I just didn't see how. They want $200 a side, but the part is like $30. Any tricks or things I need to look out for? Looking at it, seems simple enough. Remove end from wheel spindle, then unscrew from tie rods. Do i need to make any measurements or anything? I'm sure I'll need an alignment after it as well.
-- Joe
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 296
Likes: 0
From: columbia sc
sounds cool Sand.
as far as price I found them for like 40 bucks.
http://www.parts.com/oemcatalog/inde...layCatalogid=0
as far as price I found them for like 40 bucks.
http://www.parts.com/oemcatalog/inde...layCatalogid=0
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 3,616
Likes: 5
From: Sandhills of North Carolina
You can probably just go to NAPA and get them, I did. Don't remember what they cost but it wasn't much.
The only problem I had was unscrewing the old ones. You may have to heat them up with a butane torch a little to get them to turn lose. Could have just been my car though. No telling when it was aligned last before I got it. A piece of tape wraped around the tie rod will get it back close to where it was. Try not to let the rod turn. That turns it in the inner tie rod on the steering rack. Make sure you grease the new ones.
The only problem I had was unscrewing the old ones. You may have to heat them up with a butane torch a little to get them to turn lose. Could have just been my car though. No telling when it was aligned last before I got it. A piece of tape wraped around the tie rod will get it back close to where it was. Try not to let the rod turn. That turns it in the inner tie rod on the steering rack. Make sure you grease the new ones.
Advanced
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 98
Likes: 0
From: Coeur d'Alene Idaho
I'm doing mine now, Tire dealer said outer tie rod but when I checked it there was excessive play in the lower ball joint, corvette recycler.com has great prices on OEM factory GM parts, he sells the whole A-Arm with the ball joint installed and new bushings for what it would cost for just replacing the ball joint, his factory GM tie rod ends are $39.00 each.