Very Confused and Pissed!!! Please Help

[bigbuickgs]

I have a 2002 Regal GS. When I turn to the right, and accelerate (on ramp to the freeway mostly) The front end shakes. The faster I am going the more vigorus it shakes. If I am just coasting it does not do it and if I am accelerating and turing left it does not do it. Only when I turn to the right, and only when I am accelerating. It also does it when the car is loaded down. When I have 4 people in it, It shakes while accelerating even going straight, but worse when I turn right. The car has a brand new right wheel bearing, brand new right CV shaft with new CV joints. Left bearing was done 20k ago, New rotors, brakes. Everythign that turns with the wheels has been replaced, except for the left CV shaft. and I don't want to spend another $100 if that will not fix it. I have kind of eliminated any suspension parts since it does it while turning and loading doun the suspension. Maybe I am wrong. Please Help I have this car sold so I can get a new one, but I need to fix it and the buyer is loosing his cool.

[Crazy K]

Sounds like CV binding.... anyone else? I think there was supposed to be a fix of some sort......

[THe_DeTAiL3R]

Quite possibly a bad tire (belt in it) or out of balance... see if theres any crap stuck to the inside of the wheel too..

[DaveFromColorado]

were you suposed to fix the problem before he took the car, or did this happen after he took the car... if it was after he took the car, then it's totally his problem, and he should go screw himself, or at least pay for the repair, if he's waitin' for you to fix it ... well that's a different story. That being said ...

 

sounds like the CV joint is the problem ... I'd be almost willing to put money on it if I weren't so cheap.

 

my old Sunbird did exactly what you are discribing, replacing the CV joint fixed it...

 

however, I've seen this problem once before when a tire was loose - so before gettin' into rippin' things apart, or goin' in for warranty work, or finding a mechanic (not sure how you'll fix it) make sure all the tires are torqued properly.

 

--Dave.

[bigbuickgs]

It has been going on way too long for it to be crap in the wheel. It has progressivly gotten worse over the past 6 months. I have rotated the back tires up front and it still does it. I seems to me like a CV joint problem also but I just got done putting on new ones 30 minutes ago and it still does it.

[Crazy K]

Sounds like CV binding....

more on this thought... it isn't that the cv joint is bad... it has to do with how low the vehicle is riding.

 

When the car rides low the cv joint becomes compresses and shudders/binds while rotating..

 

It can happen in a turn as the car sways or when heavily loaded. As I recall, I think this was occuring in Impalas... and the fix might have been a taller engine/trany mount.

 

thus a turn to the right leans the car to the left and binds the left cv joint... maybe the left hand (tranny) mount is collapsed?

[DaveFromColorado]

here's a thought... I may be a bit off but it's a thought...

 

check the motor mounts ... I know if you try to drive without a dogbone you get a vibration under acceleration (I know this one from expirence)

 

an other thought is trans slippage (altho that's HIGHLY unlikely)

 

--Dave.

[bigbuickgs]

I will look into the left side CV joint. It makes sence that turing to the right would cause this; however, I can definatly feel that the shaking is comming from the right side. The vibration feels very low on the car.

[bigbuickgs]

The only thing that makes me believe otherwise is that it at low speeds (<10 MPH) leaving a stop sign and turning I can feel a slight wobble, and at this point there is not a whole lot more weight at all on the left wheel than when going straight. I just can't figure it out. I have been thinking about this for over 6 months, and have been replacing parts for about that long as well. and with all the new parts I am running out of ideas. As i said I will look in to the left CV joint since that is the only thing that has not yet been replaced I just hate to spend that money as I have been to not have it fixed. I have talked to 3 dealerships, a suspension shop, and CV pros, and they all told me that it sounds like a bad CV joint on the right side and it is now new and still shaking.

[Crazy K]

well, a wobbley feeling could be cuased by a bad engine/tranny mount. if the powertrain is shifting excessively in it's mounts. try placing a block of wood on the oil pan any jacking the engine/tranny up, while watching for excessive movement of the engine/tranny mounts.

 

btw... have you checked for bad ball joints and tierod ends?

[95oldsVan]

You could have a bad rim or tire as well.Run your hand over the tire threads..is it smooth or bumpy?Any bubbles on the sidewalls,both inside and out?Wheel lugs tight?Torqued to specs?

 

Just trying to eliminate even the simplest possibilities.If theres a possible tire problem or rim,try swapping them over from one side to another.

 

Also, make sure the ball joint is loose.

 

[Cam'ron]

same problem on mine... go to the dealer and tell them to lube or replace your intermediate shaft... there is a TSB out on them so it wont cost you jack

[Crazy K]

same problem on mine... go to the dealer and tell them to lube or replace your intermediate shaft... there is a TSB out on them so it wont cost you jack

hey thats the answer, I think. the ma carlo and impala would have the same problem. and the intermediate shaft is the sterring column to rack connection, right???

[White93z34]

mabie a bad strut?

[SigEpCutlass]

same problem on mine... go to the dealer and tell them to lube or replace your intermediate shaft... there is a TSB out on them so it wont cost you jack

hey thats the answer, I think. the ma carlo and impala would have the same problem. and the intermediate shaft is the sterring column to rack connection, right???

 

I believe that is infact correct.

[bigbuickgs]

The more I think about it it does seem like that could cause the wobble but I don't feel it in the steering wheel and knowing what the intermediate shaft is I would think that I would feel the wheel jerking but it is steady.

[bigbuickgs]

Knowing what the intermedeate shaft is, I would think i would feel it in the steering wheel and I don't. The steering wheel is steady.

[DaveFromColorado]

I'd give those motor mounts a check - like one guy said, put a jack under the motor (with a board of course) and raise the engine, look for excessive movement and try to figure out which mount is the problem.

 

--Dave.

[Cam'ron]

if you havent had the intermediate shaft replaced yet go in and do it anyways... from 2001-2003 or 4 i an not sure they had a shaft going in that had no ability to be relubed... so you cant just lube them to get rid of the problem... they replace it for free with a newer lubable shaft... do it b4 your warranty is up... and who knows it might solve your problem... when i had mine done for the first time i only felt the thud in the wheel when i was turning right and hitting a bump at the same time but it was the I- shaft

[bigbuickgs]

The warranty was up a long time ago. The car has 145k on it. I will give a look to the mounts and the shaft. but as I said I have this car sold all I need to do is fix it first.