bad shacking in steering

[gerard2]

a second steering shock will help as latest solution

[evilhighway]

looks like lots has been covered in here but Im also now suffering the big death wobbles and reading a few of these threads has made me more confused than when I started. When I got the car (89 gq) it had a slight wobble in the left front at around 80 and would smooth out at 95 and it was ten times better than the terrano I had years ago! Anyway I dropped my son off at home last week and that slight wobble went straight into the full on death wobbles. I felt like Homer on the jiggle meter measuring his belly wobbles. I have driven it a few times since and worked out that it is still coming from the left front and really only starts to come on bad once I do a right hand bend and it will then continue to keep it up on the straight until a left hand bend of it does calm down or I slow down to stop it or the left right steering action.
I thought stuff it and took it down to tyre power this morning for them to diagnose. They checked wheal bearings and were all good then the tyre wear and they were happy with that so they balanced the 2 front wheels which he said was a fair bit out! I thought effing rippa that was ten time cheaper than I expected! After a drive this arvo I was not as happy it was still there. Based on what I can feel while driving I would put it down to 2 things and that would be the suspension on the front left as I remember my mums old datto doing something very similar years and years ago and the other would be the arm that goes from the steering pitman arm to the left wheel (can someone let me know the name of this) and third I would guess the swaybar at the back could do with some nolathene also after having a look. Does anyone think this would be the best way to go or should I look at a different route first? This car was just supposed to be a daily and a tow hack for my project car but so far its taken all the cash I had for the project car and after I fix one prob it just seems to develop another one! Anyway Thoughts/suggestians apprecitaed???

[Bigrig]

looks like lots has been covered in here but Im also now suffering the big death wobbles and reading a few of these threads has made me more confused than when I started. When I got the car (89 gq) it had a slight wobble in the left front at around 80 and would smooth out at 95 and it was ten times better than the terrano I had years ago! Anyway I dropped my son off at home last week and that slight wobble went straight into the full on death wobbles. I felt like Homer on the jiggle meter measuring his belly wobbles. I have driven it a few times since and worked out that it is still coming from the left front and really only starts to come on bad once I do a right hand bend and it will then continue to keep it up on the straight until a left hand bend of it does calm down or I slow down to stop it or the left right steering action.
I thought stuff it and took it down to tyre power this morning for them to diagnose. They checked wheal bearings and were all good then the tyre wear and they were happy with that so they balanced the 2 front wheels which he said was a fair bit out! I thought effing rippa that was ten time cheaper than I expected! After a drive this arvo I was not as happy it was still there. Based on what I can feel while driving I would put it down to 2 things and that would be the suspension on the front left as I remember my mums old datto doing something very similar years and years ago and the other would be the arm that goes from the steering pitman arm to the left wheel (can someone let me know the name of this) and third I would guess the swaybar at the back could do with some nolathene also after having a look. Does anyone think this would be the best way to go or should I look at a different route first? This car was just supposed to be a daily and a tow hack for my project car but so far its taken all the cash I had for the project car and after I fix one prob it just seems to develop another one! Anyway Thoughts/suggestians apprecitaed???

Hey mate

If as bad as it sounds, I'd be checking the bushes on the chassis end of the radius arms - check the caster bushes also. The steering arm (also called drag link) is knuckle connected at both ends, but it could be the damper itself (steering damper). My bet is on radius arm bushes though from what you've described - they perish over time and allow movement of the entire axle assembly forward and backward ...

Others will have other ideas also - good luck with it!!

[evilhighway]

Are the radius arms also known as leading arm? If so then I think you would be on the right track cause I was looking in the manual for the radius arms and if they are the ones Im thinking they are then it would make sense cause when it is wobbling I sort of feel it beneath my feet and the fact that they are at the back of the whole setup then Its definately a good starting point! Well I spose I better get cracking to start emptying more of my wallet!

[pearcey]

i`ve ownd my Mav since 1993 all different tyres never had a problem .The suspension is very close to std only slightly heaver springs.
Going by what every body is saying I would be making sure the caster angles are correct so get some one who is very experienced in wheel aliening trucks or 4 wheel drives as most who only do cars do not have enough experience with solid or beam front ends.

[Robo]

slight wobble feel in front left is probably due to fact panard pick-up point is on this side of diff housing.
if you have done all bushes and bearings etc.
bet you find caster/radius bushes are not doing there job very well.
Are they rubber or poly?. money on them being rubber.
rubber perished or to soft and not controlling position of front axles.
and it's often said steel rims are out of round straight out of the box

[evilhighway]

I havent tackled anything as yet as the rain has been relentless for a bit, but had a good look underneath and what stuck out a mile is the left hand shock is as loose as a (fill your own parity).... so that will be my first starting point! everything else was pretty good. I thought I would throw on another bush to help tighten as a quick fix but cant undo the bugga!

[Robo]

If the shock rubber is knackered then good chance shock is to or near end of life anyway.
yes buggered shock can cause wobble.

[evilhighway]

yep am going to replace shocks but was just gonna chuck an extra rubber in to pro-long a week or 2 till I get some!

[Bigrig]

yep am going to replace shocks but was just gonna chuck an extra rubber in to pro-long a week or 2 till I get some!

This sort of sounds dumb, so forgive me ...

A worn shock and/or shock rubber will cause more of a "shudder" as the wheel is able to bounce up and down in a way - like a full on vibration.

A "wobble" is more noticeable side to side and usually more indicative of a steering/steering setup (wheel offset, radius arm bushes, castors, etc).

Soooooooo .... do you have a shudder or a wobble? lmao

People used to shudder when I got up to wobble on the dance floor many years ago!!!! LMFAO