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Front End Driver Tire Wobble


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I had to turn around in the road today and I tapped the curb on accident. I’ve done worse off road so I didn’t think much about it until I got on the interstate and my driver front wheel started wobbling violently.

 

It only does it over 55mph while taking a right curve and it continues after the curve is over until I slow down or whip the wheel to the left quickly.

 

I dug into my wheel bearings when I got home and they were fine. While the driver side was in the air I whacked on everything with a rubber mallet but nothing seemed to be worn badly enough to cause that violent wobbling..

 

I looked at the bushings on the rack and pinion but they were fine also. I am thinking that the something broke inside the rack and now the wheel is allowed to move side to side.

 

I got a video of the wobble..

 

I’m still investigating a possible blown head gasket and I really don’t need a rack and pinion failure right now... what else could this wheel wobble be?

 

 

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Just watched a Chrisfix video.. maybe it’s a damaged inner tie rod??

 

I looked at pictures of the inner tie rod on rock auto and I don’t see anything that could cause that kind of play. I mean it’s basically just threads on both ends, so is it the rack itself that’s damaged? Or is the joint the inner tie rod connects to serviceable??

 

Edit: Nevermind I see now that’s a ball joint on the inner tie rod. That must be what failed.

 

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If you've ruled out the tie rods and ball joint, take a look at the rear of the control arm, in particular the bushing and the rear of the subframe (where the metal strap/plate that holds the bushing bolts to).

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f3029a4eb2e16d51e9252b59e77b0c25.jpg

That’s the only picture I got because I’m a noob and this job kicked my butt.. haha!

Anyway it’s done. However I checked the other side and it hasn’t completely failed yet but it’s on the way.


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Well getting the old one out was easy. Just unbolt and it falls away. The whole strut knuckle assembly moves and twists without the control arm and with a big tire still on there it is a nightmare getting the ball joint lined up. But after the tire is off you can maneuver it way better.

 

Then there is the rear bushing hawairish was talking about. That strap has to go on last with the vehicles full weight on the control arm. Otherwise it looks like they put the bushing on wrong.

 

 

 

 

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Just curious, my 03 LE is wobbling and shaking, worst at 30-45 mph, then smooths out, but still vibrates.  I read that the axle shaft of the earlier R50's could be installed out of phase, but I don't see any mention of it in later models.  My rig is due at the mechanic in 6 days.  Are the bushings replaceable or do you have to replace the entire control arm?  And did you replace the ball joint as well?

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Does it vibrate worse when you are accelerating and stops or gets better when you let off? If it gets worse depending on how much gas you give it then it’s probably cv axles.

 

If it gets worse when you let off the gas then it’s probably a u joint.

 

Where does it seem like the vibration is coming from?

 

And the balanced drive shaft thing doesn’t make sense to me.. either the shaft is balanced or not. Unless the shaft is unbalanced on purpose to counter vibration from slop inside the differential, transfer case, or transmission (which I very highly doubt) then orientation doesn’t matter.

 

I just saw that you said axle shaft rather than drive shaft. I’m not sure about the axles.. I’ve never heard of that.

 

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On 7/19/2018 at 3:36 PM, onespiritbrain said:

I am blind I guess...
 

 


I’ve got a slew of tools and parts to take back... and another day of driving on that thing.


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Oh man, thats wild! My OEM bushings were on the way out but it looks like there was no material left at all in yours! I swapped mine for polyurethane units and love them. Glad you got it fixed. Seems like a gamble to drive in that condition. 

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Yeah apparently you can remove the front driveshaft and if it's not marked for phase, and you put it back, it is out of phase and will wobble  But I mispoke, it's not the drive shaft, it's the front axle shaft, so yes, I'm out in left field on that one.  Not the front driveshaft me thinks.  The vibration, regardless of acceleration, starts at 35 mph and progressively gets worse up past 50 mph, then settles out a bit...but it's still present.  I'm having the brakes done at the same time, so I'm thinking I will have them check the CV joints and the hub/bearing assembly.  I have also read that bad strut will cause this issue too.  I'm not opposed to new struts and shocks, would make the ride nicer, that's for sure.  Thanks for the response, I'll keep you posted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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