At 50+mph, the back end of my 2002 OBW H6 VDC seems to slide, when it hits a bump, a few inches from one side to the other and back again, I don't know how else to explain it, it is strange. Without hitting a bump it drives and feels perfectly normal.

 

Had some sagging issues if I had like 500 pounds in the car (like 3 people in the back seat or gear in the back), the rear drivers side would sit so low the tire would rub. I put more weight on the passengers side to make it home without rubbing on a long trip. Without weight in the car it drove perfectly normal.

 

I installed new struts and springs and i assume that issue is corrected, though I haven't loaded the car since then either. And i haven't driven at highway speeds since the spring replacement but it still seems a bit off in terms of the sliding issue.

 

I yanked on sway bars and links underneath, nothing obvious. Really isn't much rust to speak of, just standard for here rust, no rotting.

 

200,000 miles

New rear struts and springs

Front struts are original (hands head in shame LOL).

 

Anything else to look out for?

i'm sure this is no help but, checked the lug nuts and the wheel bearings?

 

seems weird it takes a bump to show the problem yet, you have new struts/springs and have checked the sway bar. I guess the sway bar mounts are also good?

 

 

weird

i'm sure this is no help but, checked the lug nuts and the wheel bearings?

lugs should be good i can yank on bearings. the rears are all original.

 

I guess the sway bar mounts are also good?

i'll check, i was yanking on end links. Fairtax said he's disconnected his rear sways and said it's barely noticeable in the way the car drives so I assumed that suggests it couldn't do what mine is doing, making the whole car slide/oscillate like that.

 

weird

very. i'm hoping maybe I'm overly sensitized since it was really freaky when it first happened.

 

But - There is no noticeable problem with the old spring, maybe it was just weak but i don't feel 100% confident i pegged the issue either.

one of the oddest feelings I ever encountered with a car's handling was once riding in the back seat of a co-worker's wagon that had put bias ply tires and radial tires on at the same time. It felt like the rear of his car was riding along on a giant bowling ball. It felt very dangerous!

really, just the tires would do that? in college i would run tires on the rear until they popped or leaked...wire would be showing, watch your hands! had full size used spare, real tools/jack so i could change it out quick. never had any drivability issues even running those used slicks.

 

had a really warn tire that's getting replaced as i type, i can't picture a tire doing that but that would certainly be an easy fix. bowling ball is a fair enough description of this too...

Edited November 5, 201213 yr by grossgary

IIRC he had bias ply on the front and radials in the rear - we were all headed to lunch from work, decades ago, and I almost told him to take me back cause I didn't want to die! But it wasn't speed or bump related.

 

maybe check the upper mounts for the shocks for stripped nuts or ?????

Very similar to an issue a friend of mines Honda had. We had swapped the whole rear end, cross member and everything, then he never took it to get aligned.

Found out later that both rear wheels were toed about 2 degrees to the right, the right wheel was at 0 camber and the left wheel was at about 3 degrees positive camber. If he hit a bump at speed the car felt like it was going to spin out. Finally wore out both rear tires (which had been almost brand new) in about 5000 miles, and he decided to take it in for an alignment. Had to replace some seized adjuster bolts but after the alignment it drove perfectly.

 

I'd take the car to get an alignment.

I'd take the car to get an alignment.

i had it aligned before, but i'm not opposed to having it aligned again and i'll probably try a different place next time.

Broken springs or worn out struts will not cause tire rubbing. The tire should have clearance from a fully compressed suspension to a fully drooped one.

If you tire was rubbing it was either bigger than stock size or you have a bent/broken/worn out linkage or bushing in the back that's letting the wheel move in ways it shouldn't.

I know this feeling exactly! I have an '83 GL with a 4" lift and when the right rear shock failed it did the same thing. It actually felt like the rear end would hop slightly sideways over bumps at speed. New shocks on the rear fixed mine. I hope the struts and springs did it for you.

 

At 50+mph, the back end of my 2002 OBW H6 VDC seems to slide, when it hits a bump, a few inches from one side to the other and back again, I don't know how else to explain it, it is strange. Without hitting a bump it drives and feels perfectly normal.

 

Had some sagging issues if I had like 500 pounds in the car (like 3 people in the back seat or gear in the back), the rear drivers side would sit so low the tire would rub. I put more weight on the passengers side to make it home without rubbing on a long trip. Without weight in the car it drove perfectly normal.

 

I installed new struts and springs and i assume that issue is corrected, though I haven't loaded the car since then either. And i haven't driven at highway speeds since the spring replacement but it still seems a bit off in terms of the sliding issue.

 

I yanked on sway bars and links underneath, nothing obvious. Really isn't much rust to speak of, just standard for here rust, no rotting.

 

200,000 miles

New rear struts and springs

Front struts are original (hands head in shame LOL).

 

Anything else to look out for?

Edited November 6, 201213 yr by Crazyeights

Broken springs or worn out struts will not cause tire rubbing.

how sure are you of this? just trying to clarify as there's so many responses and thoughts on this.

 

***To clarify the tire rubbing...700 pounds of people and drum set, amps, guitar, speaker - 1,000+ pounds total. With new struts (original springs) the rear sagged bad, no room between wheel and vehicle. There was a really light rubbing sound. I would have driven the 200 miles home like that but switching heavier stuff to the other side made it go away.

 

Could it have been just something like cladding, mud guard, trim, or something benign that was out of position enough to rub under those extreme conditions? Or you think bushings more likely?

 

I find it odd I haven't read any other threads like this. It was very clearly an issue, not like "maybe something" is happening...it was unnerving bad, so something was clearly way wrong.

 

If you tire was rubbing it was either bigger than stock size

stock wheels and tires.

 

you have a bent/broken/worn out linkage or bushing in the back that's letting the wheel move in ways it shouldn't.

how do i figure this out? should it be visually obvious?

 

thanks.

Edited November 6, 201213 yr by grossgary

I know this feeling exactly! I have an '83 GL with a 4" lift and when the right rear shock failed it did the same thing. It actually felt like the rear end would hop slightly sideways over bumps at speed. New shocks on the rear fixed mine. I hope the struts and springs did it for you.

i had these issues after installing new struts. so maybe the springs were shot too...or the bushings as just mentioned?

New rear coil springs fixed it. I'm surprised that's all it was but it drove perfectly fine now.

 

I had posted another thread about how the drivers side of the car was sagging abnormally low on the drivers side when carrying a heavy load. So it made sense to replace the springs anyway.

 

Ironically enough - out of the car the springs from both sides looked similar eventhough I had those issues? But - the car drove fine with no weight in it (just me).