Weird problem - wobbling sound - not drivable - HELP!!

[99gst_racer]

This just started happening while driving my car home after work yesterday. The car is wobbling and vibrating very bad. It's coming from the front, drivers side.
This is what it sounds like. Imagine loostening all five lugnuts on one wheel and then driving it. It sounds and feels like the wheel is about to fall off. But here's the weird thing. If I accelerate or brake, the sound and feeling completely goes away. If I am just coasting, it is really bad. It does it when the car is in motion and the faster the speed, to worse the sound and vibration.
What could it be, or what could I check? I'll have it in the garage taking it apart in about 6 hours, so any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

-Paul-

 

[TurboJunky]

Bent wheel? Just throwing it out there.

 

[99gst_racer]

Bent wheel? Just throwing it out there.

Thanks for the idea, but the wheel is definately not bend nor is the wheel loose. It make an almost knocking noise like something is broke or loose.

 

[1993TalonTsiAWD]

bent axle??
just a guess

Derek

 

[Gary 420A RS]

check the axels... maybe there warped or maybe just something to do with the control arms..... lift it up start removing and check it all out....

 

[Raph]

1) put car on jackstands(front) and have both wheels off the ground..check for play on the tie rods ,control arms etc etc

2) if thats all good,why dont you start the car and have someone run it at like 50mph in 5th --car still on jackstands ofcourse--and you should then inspect the wheels etc tom see if you can notice anything(wobbling) try holding a piece of chalk close to the spinning tires up front..if something is wobbling..ull see the marks afterwards(do this carefully!)


3) did you check the backsides of the wheels to see if theyre damaged?

4)assuming everything 1-3 is okay,borrow trwo wheels from friends and put em up front to see if the probvlem persists

5) discs warped/craked really bad?

6) torque down every piece on the suspension

7) motor/tranny mount broke??


8) maybe you have a "flat" spot on one of your tires??inspect tires/rims closely- look at the shoulders of the tires inside and out..if there uneven..theres your culprit..just run your hands over the tires to see if they feel "patchy",like some tread blocks sticking up higher than others..

???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

 

[99gst_racer]

Yeah, thanks for the help guys, but keep in mind that ALL of this problem seems to go away when I accelerate and hit the brakes. What kind of physical damage to a part would cause that....????? That wouldnt be a bent wheel of anything with the tires...

I'll be off work in i hour. I have to haul my 1G laser parts car to the junkyard, then I have a company open house. After that, I'll have my car in the garage and I'll post what I see.

 

[Gary 420A RS]

you sure it aint dumb like spark plugs....??? just throwing it out.... because if your not getting enough spark its gonna jult.

 

[99gst_racer]

you sure it aint dumb like spark plugs....??? just throwing it out.... because if your not getting enough spark its gonna jult.

I'm 110% sure it's not that.

 

[Irrational]

Wheel bearing
put car on jacks grab front wheel top and bottom push in at top pull out at bottom then in on bottom out on top wheel should not move but it will if u got a bad bearing

 

[99gst_racer]

Wheel bearing
put car on jacks grab front wheel top and bottom push in at top pull out at bottom then in on bottom out on top wheel should not move but it will if u got a bad bearing

Is a new bearing inexpensive and easy to replace??

 

[Irrational]

I dont know the Price but u can doit u got a tech book or cd?

 

[1993TalonTsiAWD]

"2) if thats all good,why dont you start the car and have someone run it at like 50mph in 5th --car still on jackstands ofcourse--and you should then inspect the wheels etc tom see if you can notice anything(wobbling) try holding a piece of chalk close to the spinning tires up front..if something is wobbling..ull see the marks afterwards(do this carefully!)"

Please don't put your car on stands and run it, not safe at all, you could hurt or kill someone or worse damge your car

really it's a dumb Idea

Derek

 

[realhp=turbo]

CV joints are most likely bad. I just replaced my drivers side axle and wheel bearing. I dont know if theres a difference in cost but I paid 81 dollars for the two seals and the bearing and the axle nut kit. Then you have to have the new bearing pressed back in. And please dont say something dumb like " Aw, screw the press, I can just smack it in with a mallet." No you cant. The bearing has to be pressed in, in sequence. If you dont do it that way you WILL break the knuckle. most likely though you do need to replace the bearing and the CV shafts. When I replaced the one side half of the wobble that I had went away. Now I just have to do the other side. Have fun!
mike

 

[Raph]

"2) if thats all good,why dont you start the car and have someone run it at like 50mph in 5th --car still on jackstands ofcourse--and you should then inspect the wheels etc tom see if you can notice anything(wobbling) try holding a piece of chalk close to the spinning tires up front..if something is wobbling..ull see the marks afterwards(do this carefully!)"

Please don't put your car on stands and run it, not safe at all, you could hurt or kill someone or worse damge your car

really it's a dumb Idea

Derek

why would that be stupid? proffessionals do that all the time..if the wheels are off the ground..with the car running..what could happen?? only a idiot could hurt themselves here..a complete idiot that wouldnt know how to secure a car...

with the car on jackstands..(because he doesnt have a lift) he could better listen to what side the noise is coming from..and be better able to rule out other faults...


anyways..back to the wheel bearing...you will more than likely need to get it pressed in the hub assembly with most vehicles..(ive only done em on BMWs) but if ur are lucky u might find a complete hub in a junk yard and that would be a bolt in job(with 3 or 4 bolts..a complete hub assembly)u have to undo the brakes,axle out,controlarm etc etc(what u would do with just replacing the bearings alone) ..

i say,remove the hub assembly from car,and get a bearing kit from satan(or aftermarket if possible) then take it to a shop,get it pressed in,then take it home and install the hub assembly..see which way is easiest and most inexpensive for you

 

[InjenTalon96]

heres my .2 cents

i dont think its his wheel bearing because mine are shot and the only thing that u get from that is alot of road noise, and rubbing, its def not cv joints because if he were to go around a turn or whatnot he'd hear mad clicking, im thinking motor mount because if u think about it.....say if a front or rear motor mount it broken, when he accelerates the motor is going to flex back towards the firewall....when hes brakeing its going forward to the from bumper, then when hes not on it at all the motor could be bucking and shit, oh ya i really hope ur not venting ur BOV the WRONG way, because i did that for who ha's and my car did that shit too....good luck

 

[realhp=turbo]

Injen, When I replaced the one side half of the wobble that I had went away. The cv was worn but not so bad as to be clicking yet. But you could feel it when I got it out of the car and twist on it. It had play in it. There should be zero play in a cv joint at any angle you test twist it.
mike

 

[1993TalonTsiAWD]

why would that be stupid? proffessionals do that all the time..if the wheels are off the ground..with the car running..what could happen?? only a idiot could hurt themselves here..a complete idiot that wouldnt know how to secure a car...

with the car on jackstands..(because he doesnt have a lift) he could better listen to what side the noise is coming from..and be better able to rule out other faults...


First "proffessionals" could spell professionals and would have a lift. If the car was running and it were to jerk left or right the car could fall off and at 50mph thats not good. since his is having problems anyway it wouldn't ba a good idea. You can do what you want, but I would never run a car on jack stands, barrow a lift or rent one in someones garage, it's a safty issue.

As for any instrutions PM and all send a section from the FSM on what you need

Derek

 

[krummel21]

I was wondering what you found to be the cure for this problem. Sounds like you are have the same problem I am except it is coming from the rear passenger side. I was told it might be ignition.

Krummel21

 

[PieEyedPiper]

nice car

I know that some people will say ignition may be the cause of the problem and making it SEEM mechanical.. but if you ask me tehres a big difference that any DSM'er should be able to distinguish.
I hope you get yoru answers.

WOO!! second post in an ancient thread today!

 

[krummel21]

yea I was very skeptical about the ignition it feels and sounds just as he described but coming from the rear. It really only happens in second gear during the same 1000-1500 rpms when I floor the car in that gear thats the weird part.

 

[99gst_racer]

I was wondering what you found to be the cure for this problem.

I'm embarrassed to admit that my problem was a loose wheel. Upon inspection, I had one missing lug nut and 4 loose lug nuts. The wheel was on the hub tight enough to appear to have no problem, but loose enough to make that horrid vibration and wobbling feel.

I do, however, agree with PieEyedPiper. You should be able to distinguish the difference between an engine's and a chassis' mechanical misfunction.

 

[GSntncT]

I'm embarrassed to admit that my problem was a loose wheel. Upon inspection, I had one missing lug nut and 4 loose lug nuts. The wheel was on the hug tight enough to appear to have no problem, but loose enough to make that horrid vibration and wobbling feel.

I do, however, agree with PieEyedPiper. You should be able to distinguish the difference between an engine's and a chassis' mechanical misfunction.

Wow bro. Well, I'm glad you found the issue. More importantly, I'm glad that wheel didn't come off.

 

[krummel21]

I've always thought it was coming from the chassis, the guy who tuned it thought it had to deal with the ignition which doesn't make to much sense since it's a really bad vibration coming from the rear. Could it be my transfer case, they have a recall on them. The vibration has a really nasty sound that goes with it too.

 

[majik2k5]

Just throwing it out there, but when my tires were going bald and about ready to be replaced, I had bad wheel vibration of that sort. It started upwards of about 60 MPH or so. Got my tires replaced and it seemed to fix the problem.