Mods, move this if its in the wrong folder

 

 

1991 Legacy FWD Automatic, car has new tires, alignment, cv's

 

Lately the car has a very noticeable wobble under acceleration from 20-35mph, the problem doesn't seem to be getting worse. Also it only happens under acceleration, not while coasting. I'm running out of ideas on what it could be and need to drive 1600 miles next Wednesday.

 

Any ideas would be appreciated

 

-Spencer

You might want to check the Control arm bushings at the front, also the engine and the tranny mounts.

 

Pye

 

 

Mods, move this if its in the wrong folder

 

 

1991 Legacy FWD Automatic, car has new tires, alignment, cv's

 

Lately the car has a very noticeable wobble under acceleration from 20-35mph, the problem doesn't seem to be getting worse. Also it only happens under acceleration, not while coasting. I'm running out of ideas on what it could be and need to drive 1600 miles next Wednesday.

 

Any ideas would be appreciated

 

-Spencer

Welcome to the forum. Would you elaborate on the "wobble"?

 

Does it:

1) vibrate so you feel it seat-of-the-pants?

2) shake the steering wheel?

3) cause the car to move side-to-side?

4) jerk your head back and forth?

5) some combination of the above?

6) something entirely different?

 

Relative to the new tires, alignment, cv's, were they replaced in an effort to fix the problem, or did the "wobble" start sometime after they were done?

Welcome to the forum. Would you elaborate on the "wobble"?

 

Does it:

1) vibrate so you feel it seat-of-the-pants?

2) shake the steering wheel?

3) cause the car to move side-to-side?

4) jerk your head back and forth?

5) some combination of the above?

6) something entirely different?

 

Relative to the new tires, alignment, cv's, were they replaced in an effort to fix the problem, or did the "wobble" start sometime after they were done?

 

 

It's a seat of the pants whole body wobble, it does shake the steering wheel but only slightly. Car does feel like its moving side to side. I looked at the engine mounts and they appear to be in good condition. The wobble started sometime after they were done.

describe wobble a little more.

 

make sure axle nut and tire lugs are all tight.

 

driveshaft ujoints and ball joints come to mind as well as alot of other things. the more descript you can be the better.

It's a seat of the pants whole body wobble, it does shake the steering wheel but only slightly. Car does feel like

its moving side to side. I looked at the engine mounts and they appear to be in good condition. The wobble started sometime after

they were done.

As suggested, do check for loose lugnuts.

 

A few more Qs:

Is the wobble different when turning left or right versus going straight?

Does lightly applying the brakes while simultaneously accelerating lessen the wobble?

Have you tried swapping tires/wheels front to back to see if the wobble changes?

what do you mean by "car feels like it's moving side to side"?

 

i'd look into the axle and wheel lug nuts immediately. one may have come loose or the studs can shear off leaving fewer to hold the wheel in place.

 

jack each front tire up and check for play as you push and pull on the tops and sides of the tire. ball joints and tie rods should be inspected very soon since they are a safety concern.

 

otherwise, whole car body vibrations can also be driveshaft ujoints. they can be difficult to check though visually and usually need to remove the driveshaft to check for sure.

just took it down and had the tires rotated and balanced. They found a nail in the sidewall of a rear tire and I had to replace it. So far the wobble problem still exists and if I grab and shake the tire with the car off of the ground I cant feel any shaking. Looking underneith the car I can't see anything that appears to be worn.

 

One wierd thing I knoticed about this car is that the steering wheel doesn't lock when the key is out of the ignition.

this is a longshot, but inspect the driveshaft carrier bearing, as that can cause an odd wobbel in the seat of your pants. Also have someone look at the car by standing behind it as you drive away to amke sure the car tracks right. Another possability is a bad cv joint

 

nipper