rchuish

At low speeds I can hear a shift in weight and a clunking noise from the front end. I know for sure that the transmission mount is bad, and it sounds like from what I have found one or both of the motor mounts are bad. I will replace all three and see what happens. Thanks again for the info, I have been fighting with this thing for almost a year now. We'll see what happens. I will let you guys know if I have a pathfinder for sale in few months that can be used as a project. Thanks again for the help.

Ok guys, I have been on here a few times and I just can't seem to get rid of the rear end wobble. I have replaced all five of the control arm bushings, (ten bushings). I have replaced all the front end bushings, struts, shocks, and rear coil springs. I am at a loss, the rear end will wobble still at highway speeds. I have noticed that it only happens after I either accelerate rapidly, or decelerate rapidly (letting off the gas). The rear end will shift to the right and I can feel the whole car twist, and then the back end shift towards the passenger side. When the speed evens out the wobble will start and then will eventually calm down, sometimes not. It will also wobble like crazy when I go over a bump at an over pass. At this point I have to thoughts sell the thing as a lost cause and let somebody part it out. Or try one more thing to fix it, I have an idea of what it might be, but I wanted to get every bodies thoughts on the issue before deciding what the issue may be and wasting more money on it. Let me know what you all think. Yes the car was on level ground when I torqued all the bolts down, and I torqued them down to 115 pounds, (not a precise torque wrench, and about five pounds low). Again let me know what you guys think and I'll go from there. Thanks.

It was a flaw in the manufacturing of the bushing, I got everything worked out and the bushing in snug. I still have the wobble in the back, I spoke to a mechanic buddy of mine. He said that it sounds like the panhard arm, I will need to either take it out or have somebody push the car sideways while under it to make sure it is still good. I am pretty sure he is correct, those are the only bushings that have not been changed, and that could be causing the wobble. I'll keep you guys updated on how things go when I can get the bushings swapped out.

I torqued them down to about 115 ft-lbs, and the control arm socket is to big for the bushing, it is the correct bushing but it is loose when you put in the control arm. I just dropped in, no need for a press. I think I figured out the other problems though. I managed to get the control arm bushing issue fixed, when I was done putting it all back together I went through and checked all the bolts and nuts. Some of them had worked loose. So I went through and re-torqued them all. I only had it wobble twice after that, once when I drove over unevenly textured freeway concrete, and the other when I was driving over poorly maintained highway, the freeway was at 75mph, and the highway was 65. I think it at this point it is the best I can do, and the car just wasn't designed to go that fast. It was in built in the 96 and most places at that time did not allow speed limits above 55-65. If I drive it right it does fine now. Hopefully I fixed it and I now have a reliable and fun mode of transportation. Thanks for the help and input.

I did, until I went through and checked those as well, they are all tight and they are all good. I double checked the trailing arms, one of the the nuts and bolts had worked loose, I turned it a turn and half before it was tight again. It didn't wobble from the rear end after that, now I have a front bushing that isn't tight in the front control arm and that is where I have any shifting from. I need to figure out how to make the bushing fit tight, I thought it might have been the bushing but both new ones were loose. The socket in the control arm is to big, I need to use loctite or something in it.

I got it used, the previous owner never changed all the bushings so I ended having to do it. I don't think the axle or axle rods are bent. I have lifted it and turned the tires with the rear end off the ground. I didn't see any change in the gap on the brake drum, and the attachments are not rusting out. It is in AZ we don't really have snow and salt on our roads. I do know it needs an alignment, I haven't done it since replacing the front axles, and bushings. The Panhard bushings looked fairly new, and didn't have any rot or cracking. No other mods on it, it is factory the way it is. Regarding the drive shaft, I have been in a car with a bent drive shaft, this feels different, this is just driving down the road and I hit a bump and it starts to wobble.

Yes rubber bushings were used, I did torque it on the ground, and I did not change the panhard bar bushings, I removed it and inspected them. They looked liked fine.

Yes I did them all, and properly torqued them, I also did the front end as well. Still a lot of wobble in it, and still have to take my foot off the gas and try again while driving. I also replaced the shocks and struts, and the rear coil springs.

So I would like to ask if somebody has any suggestions on this topic. I have replaced all of the control arm bushings in the suspension, front and back. I have replaced the shocks and struts, as well as the springs. I have replaced the sway bar linkages front and back, and I have replaced the front axles. I still get the death wobble in the back, not as much but it does happen still while driving down the freeway. I also get it once in a while driving down the road when I hit bumps. I am not sure what else to do, have I missed something or is my car just not worth working on anymore and should I sell it for parts or to a high school auto shop for a project, any input would be helpful. Thanks.

All the bushings in the suspension were bad, as well as the shocks and struts. When I bought the car that tire was worn evenly, but I have started noticing the wear like that more recently. I know that the tires that are the back were bought first and spent some time on the front of the car. I found some receipts for the tires in the glove box with different dates, but mileage is not listed. When I bought the car the previous owner stated that she had changed some of the bushings in the suspension, I can find what has been changed and hasn't most have not. They are the original bushings from when it was brand new, that is why the suspension is a work in progress.

The car was in an accident before I bought it, but that was on the passenger side. The suspension is a work in progress, I have already changed the springs and rear bushings, but still need to change the bump stops. I have no idea how many miles are on the tires, but they need to be changed anyway. I was going to finish the work I need to get done on the suspension and steering in the next week or two and take it down for a full alignment. I had my wife put it in drive and reverse not to long ago, and there is still some rotation in the axle after swapping out the bushings on the rear control arms on the rear axle. I'm wondering if it is just the axle and differential, that tire as always had some chirping and noise when I have gone around turns. Let me know if the extra info gives you guys anymore ideas. Thanks again for the help.

My drivers side rear tire is wearing oddly. The outside inch or so has almost no wear at all, and the rest of the tire working inward is severely worn. I have looked at the inside of the hub and there doesn't seem to be anything missing in the way of axle bolts. There isn't any kind of a wobble in it, but when I stop and then start to go from a stop there is a click back there on that side. I can't tell if the tire is leaning at all, but it appears to be straight. I have two thoughts in this since thee isn't a wobble or vibration in the rear end. First there is an alignment issue some where, but since this is a solid axle the only place an alignment issue should be present is in the front end. Second I have a bent axle shaft or bad bearings. But since there isn't any kind of vibration or wobble back there, I'm not sure if this is the case. Any pointers you guys might have on figuring this out would be helpful, I will have some time in the next few weeks to work on the car. So I'll be keeping an eye on any responses. Thanks for the help.