Vibration when lowered

[dj-t]

Working on a 97 GST. I lowered the car last week about 2in and took it for a test drive and the steering wheel shook pretty bad. It felt like majority of it was coming from the driver side and it gets worse as the speed increases.

I reinstalled the stock springs and shocks and it was fine. Checked a couple things and looks like the inner tie rod on the driver side was bad. Took the car to a suspension shop to verify it and they said that it was the tie rod. So I changed out the inner and outer tie rod. Lowered the car again and do a drive to the alignment shop but the same thing happens.

I've looked over everything as good as I can. Now I am stuck, the wheel turns fine no roughness or noise from bearing, no movement anymore after replacing tie rods, upper and lower ball joints seems fine, bushings looks like any other 140,000 miles DSM I have seen. I even rotated the tires today but still have the same issue.

Have anyone experience this? What do you think it might be?

 

[4g63tc]

Are you missing any wheel weights?

CV joints Checked?

What did you use Parts wise to lower the car?

Also Did you end up taking it to the Alignment shop?

 

[AK Thunder]

Are you missing any wheel weights?

CV joints Checked?

+1

Under normal circumstances a vehicle out of an alignment shouldn't vibrate unless you've got some seriously out of align components.

I'd rebalance your tires and check any rotating parts for damage..

EDIT: Also check for unusual tire tread wear and tire pressure as this can also cause a vibration.

 

[josh408]

I'd say check your alignments since you lowered it, if not then try the CV joint.
At what speed does the steering wheel start shaking?

 

[Bud92gsx]

I'm wondering if he even got the allignment done in the first place..Isn't the rule of thumb, do any suspention work, and you get the allignment done?

But ya I'd get the wheels balanced for sure..It should only cost you about 20 bux at your local shop..

 

[4g63tc]

Yes, usually it's the first, anytime you change the wheel geometry due to removing , or adding/ changing parts the alignment changes.

But the vibration increasing while speed increases leads me to believe it's a rotating issue, easiest to check.

Wheels missing wheel weights or out of round

Lump in the tire

CV boots torn, which can lead to Bearings being out of round.

Wheel bearings failing

 

[dj-t]

It is lowered using K-sport pro coilover. The more I think about it, it seems like the culprit is the CV axle. Under light acceleration it is not that bad but give it a little more and you can feel it. Slowly accelerating up to 30mph there's not that much vibration but, once I give it a little gas it get pretty bad. I really think it is the CV axle lowering the car might put some additional load on the CV bearing.

I know lowering and raising your vehicle will get the suspension on the car off alignment. But, I know that the alignment is not what is causing this. I've lowered lots of cars and this is the first I have experience this.

I'm gonna swap out the CV axle out tomorrow and see what happens. Hopefully I'm right. If not at least it has a new axle now.

 

[Colt4G63 also]

The more I think about it, it seems like the culprit is the CV axle.

 

[96 420a-t]

Check your motor mounts and your cv axles

 

[doubled07]

The CV joint maybe going bad and under the new geemetery you have with the vehicle lowered cause the vibration. I agree check that. Make sure you can get the vehicle aligned properly also. Not only will that save tires but the vehicle rolling efficiency will be alot better as well

 

[dj-t]

Well, I change out the CV axle and the same thing still exist.

It can't be the motor mounts cause it happens only when the vehicle is lowered. When raised to factory height using the factory suspension it is fine. So it can't be the motor mounts.

The inner tie rod on the driver side was pretty bad so I went ahead and change the inner and outer tie rod. Now it is pretty solid with no play on the driver side when I try to move it around. But, there is a very small play on the passenger side but I don't think it can cause what is happening.

Ball joints seems fine. Looks nice, solid and clean no visual signs of grease around the ball joints. Is there any other way of testing the ball joints?

The only thing that I can think of now is bushings. Probably when lowered it puts more load/stress on the bushing which visually look OK, but when the weight of the vehicle is loaded on it the bushings may of given up. Which may cause the suspension to move excessively under acceleration.

What do you guys think?

 

[4g63tc]

Did you ever take the wheels to be balanced?
Wheel bearings?

 

[dj-t]

I'm not sure it might be the that the wheels are off balance cause when put it back to factory height the problem goes away. I'll switch the wheels for another set that in the shack just to make sure.

Could it be the wheel bearings? Again its fine when at factory height and there is no signs that it could be the wheel bearings(no noise, no movement, turns fine by hand). Unless there is another way to check for them.

 

[gtrej01]

Wheels need to be balanced and might need an alignment.

 

[4g63tc]

Are you swapping "stock" for the K sports each time you raise and lower the car?

Just wondering, because the vibration may have already been there but due to the softer "Stock" springs it may have never been an issue, As well as "Stock" Dampening.

What did you set the dampening at on the Coilovers, Have you tried to lower the level if it's too stiff?
Is it the same for all four?

 

[7naYRu7_rs]

hmm you got yourself a pickle there, i would check the the tires to see if they have gone bad, they probably have belt separation. if not that, hmm id check for bad wheel bearings. hope that helps

 

[AK Thunder]

Could it be the wheel bearings? Again its fine when at factory height and there is no signs that it could be the wheel bearings(no noise, no movement, turns fine by hand). Unless there is another way to check for them.

It very well could be, lowering the vehicle changes the load being exerted onto the bearing. Raise that side of the vehicle and do a side to side and up and down wiggle of the tire, if you have play then you've probably got a worn out wheel bearing, i' say it could also be a tie rod end but you've stated that you've put a new one in..

 

[tenn-gsx]

Your changing nothing but the shocks and springs and ride height to cause this?

 

[dj-t]

hmm you got yourself a pickle there, i would check the the tires to see if they have gone bad, they probably have belt separation. if not that, hmm id check for bad wheel bearings. hope that helps

Checked all 4 tires just for the hell of it and they all seems good.

It very well could be, lowering the vehicle changes the load being exerted onto the bearing. Raise that side of the vehicle and do a side to side and up and down wiggle of the tire, if you have play then you've probably got a worn out wheel bearing, i' say it could also be a tie rod end but you've stated that you've put a new one in..

That's what I did it was pretty solid that's why I think it may not be the wheel bearing.

Your changing nothing but the shocks and springs and ride height to cause this?

Yes.

Are you swapping "stock" for the K sports each time you raise and lower the car?

Just wondering, because the vibration may have already been there but due to the softer "Stock" springs it may have never been an issue, As well as "Stock" Dampening.

What did you set the dampening at on the Coilovers, Have you tried to lower the level if it's too stiff?
Is it the same for all four?

Yes, I've changed the factory springs and shocks with the k-sport back and forth. I installed the k-sport and adjusted it to the height that I liked, adjusted it to full soft then turned it 3 full turn hard on all 4 corners. The suspension ride to me fells softer than the stock setup.

Just remembered on one of the rims in the rear has damage like it hit a curb or a good size pothole. Previous owner might of damage it before he sold it. It might be that it may have damage/bent an arm. How do you check for a damage control arm other than visually?

 

[tenn-gsx]

If your dropping the car more than half an inch you should set the car on the ground and loosen all the suspension so that the bushings can shift to a neutral position. Its not good for them to be heavily loaded all the time. However I do not think this is causing your issue. What axle did you replace? Make sure that the carrier assembly on the drivers side is bolted properly and not binding. This could be the problem due tothe axle having a different load pattern while lowered.

 

[4g63tc]

The damaged rim, could very well be causing the issue. Is the vibration on the same side as the wheel? since the sitting position is almost centered in the car, you may be feeling that, and assuming it's in the front.

The Damaged rim will hop faster as Rpms go up, slight at first, then gain strength and intensity as the wheels' rotation increases (greater forces) till it effectively bounces like a basketball.

Try to increase the stiffness til it's close to how it felt stock, see if maybe that helps.

As for a damaged Arm, I couldn't tell you unless you do a side by side comparison to a "known" good part.

 

[jakelandry]

I was just wondering if you ever made any headway man, my car is doing the exact same thing. My wheel bearings are fine and ball joints are good. My control arm bushings are in decent shape also. I think i have determined mine to be the cv's though. In all honesty, i know it sucks to say, but both the axles may need to be replaced. I installed tokico illuminas with a 1.75 inch drop and mine started doing this. Im dumbfounded.

 

[jschreiber]

I was just wondering if you ever made any headway man, my car is doing the exact same thing. My wheel bearings are fine and ball joints are good. My control arm bushings are in decent shape also. I think i have determined mine to be the cv's though. In all honesty, i know it sucks to say, but both the axles may need to be replaced. I installed tokico illuminas with a 1.75 inch drop and mine started doing this. Im dumbfounded.

Mine does the same thing since I lowered it. I lowered onto eibach sportlines and koni reds and soon as it went down it started this shaking at around 20 mph.
I was on stock rims and tires and after the alightment still continued.
I changed rims and tires, brand new, new control arms, new tie rod ends and motor mounts. Still the issue remains. From what I have researched on this is it most likely the cv axel assembly. My issue feels like its on the passenger side where the axle is shorter and under more pressure. Reading some forums on our cars and multiple others, seems many axles are crap out of the box, with many people changing them up to 8 times to find one that's true. Im up to 4. Crossing my finger on this next one.

 

[Total Eclipse]

Try raising the car to stock height using the K-Sport coilovers, and see if if it still does it. You are changing too many variables when changing to stock to raise height (spring rates, damping,rebound, etc.). If the problem persist with the K-Sports at stock height, then it's not a height adjustment that is causing it, but the switch to the coilovers themselves. If it does not do it, then you can eliminate the coilovers as the problem, and continue to diagnose. You can also lower the car in small incriments to see exactly ### point the problem presents itslef.

 

[TopGun8818]

I believe I had the same issue but the vehicle was already lowered and it happened months afterwards. I took it to a alignment/frame shop (Freeman and Frame in San Jose, CA) and they diagnosed and fixed the problem right away. It was something having to do with the axle popping out a bit and not sitting in properly. This is after taking it to wheel works and them not knowing what was wrong. Take it to a specialist like I did to avoid the whole run around. I would also suggest buying and having them install a camber kit if you haven't already done so since you'll be experiencing severe camber wear on your tires.