Good Sunday Morning MCF,
I've got a problem that appears to be the Front right suspension. I've gone through and replace the Hub Assembly w/Speed Sensor, the Outer Tie Rod, and the Strut (new Quick Strut), Rims and Tires. But this problem has persisted since I got the car 16 months ago. What's happening is, when accelerating, at about 37 MPH to about 46 MPH, I get a Shimmy, a Shake, a Wabble or Vibration from the front passenger side of the car. From that point on, the harder I press the accelerator, the worse it feels. Almost like the wheel is going to vibrate off the car. When I did the struts I checked the CV joint boot and it looked great. I thought that replacing any of the above parts might fix it, especially replacing those "Dang Blasted" 22s that were out of round and all muffed up cause it seemed like a Hi speed Wabble. I've put the car back up on jack stands and inspected everything. It is all tight. The Hi speed wabble thing doesn't pan out cause it still did it right after I got the new rims and tires. And I was there to see them mounted and balanced. The other funny thing is that I can be cruising at 55, 65, 75 MPH and I it's there But it's almost undetectable. I feel it lightly But the Mrs. doesn't. Then I step on the gas to accelerate, and it's like a washing machine on the*spin*cycle with an unbalanced load.
I feel like a crazy person who Really Needs Professional Help! So I'm calling on the best Monte Carlo professionals I know, You folks here on MCF! I'll take any and all ideas on this one
Thanks!

 

First, when you change a strut or shock, best to do it in pairs (unless the other one is not that old). Other wise, you corrected one side and not the old side does not perform equally.

Based on what you mentioned, my guesses are:
- Bad wheel alignment (odds are you will never catch it with the bare eye, it needs put on an alignment machine and checked).
- Wheel out of balance.
- Bad tire wear (wear, normally a result of the upper two).
- Tires with directional tread facing the wrong way (directional tires can only be rotated front to back NOT in an X pattern, as the tread is patterned in such a way to give the best performance facing one direction). Typically causes road noise and poor tire performance. Directional tires normally have arrows on the sidewall with verbage indicating to have them rotate in a specific direction.
- Bent rim.

Those are my best ideas based on your symptoms and what you said you have done.

So, direction tires, you can get a visual if that is the case. Otherwise, I would rotate two tires. If they are none direction, swap left and right tires, see if the problem changes or moves to another part of the car. That *should* help narrow down if it's the wheel or alignment.

 

Maniac, I replaced all 4 struts and all 4 tires and wheels. I do need a wheel alignment, my steering wheel leans to the left. And I can see the left front tire is tilted more than the right. And I did change the right outer tie rod. But I didn't think that a wheel alignment could cause my symptoms. Also, my tires are directional But are on the proper sides of the car. Was a little upset to find out the the Extra wheel and tire I bought can only go on the Right side of the car. Fortunately I kept the original spare.
Thanks for your input! Just goes to show that with all I know about cars, I still have a he'll of a lot to learn! Wheel alignment this week!!!!!!

 

Yeah, I'm not a master at understanding wheel alignments, but I have heard that can cause an issue, such as a slight bounce or hop. Hopefully it's that simple.

 

Yeah, all I know is the parts have to be Good and the wheels should be aligned any time suspension parts are replace. I think I still have to do the driver side front hub. So I have been waiting to get the part and install it before I had it aligned. Didn't want to pay to have it done twice. Being cut back to a 4 day work week put a hinge in that plan. And driving 22 miles to work on the Hi way has made this a real irritant. So I guess I'll have my front end inspected at least. That way I will Know! Thanks again for the good info!

 

Actually, changing the wheel hub should not change the alignment, as you never interact with any of the parts that control the alignment (or at least you shouldn't). But I get where you're coming from, do all the front end work and then get it aligned, then you know nothing should have changed the alignment.

 

My car does it too. Does the shimming seem to stop or calm down when you release the gas?

 

Another thing you could also check is what condition the sway bar, endlinks and bushings are in. If the rubber bushings are worn and not holding the sway bar properly, that can cause some weird suspension problems (I don't think this is your problem specifically, but a worth while thing to check).

 

Yes, that is exactly what it does. It did it with the bad suspension parts, needed a wheel alignment then, and it does it now with all the new parts. And only on the right side front tire. Gets bad from about 37 mph. Especially if i try to accellorate hard. But you feel it on normal accelloration as well. Soon as i ease uo on the gas, it calms down. Sometimes I wish I could get out and run along side the car just to see what it is doing? We are going back to full time work starting Monday, so I will have some extra $$$ to get the wheel alignment done. Hopefully that will take care of it. I got my fingers crossed!
Did I mention that I don't feel the shimmy in the steering wheel? But in the brake peddle? What's that about? And why do I have to have the weird problems? :'(

 

From what I have read and been told, it's your front CV axels. I haven't figured out which side of my car does it but i'm just going to replace both (52 on autozone.) Before I buy them, I am going to find a cheaper place to buy them online rather than autozone.