Loose front end? Cant find problem...

[Jon89le]

My front end seems 'loose' and i cant figure out what it is. When i hit the gas i hear or rather feel like something is hitting something else. But its not a hard hit. When i hit the brakes i also feel like something not tight. When i press the pedal, it feels like something is kinda grinding. Like its a creaking sound that you can feel in the pedal. If i play with the steering wheel left-to-right i also feel a slight knock. I checked my balljoints and tierod ends and they are all good. They also have less than 10k miles on them. Wheel has no play side to side or top to bottom. The calipers are tight as well. Any other ideas? The springs havent been replaced but arent bad. The front struts are going bad though. The only thing i can see causing the problems are the subframe bolts which are still OE. Thanks for any help.

[DaveFromColorado]

I'd guess it'd be the subframe bolts, especially if there's any rust under the car - you'd be best to at least check them, if not just replace them because there was an issue with them anyhow.

 

You can also check your motor mounts, I don't know how much that'd effect steering, but still, you can check them anyhow because of the accel/decel symptoms you were describing.

 

Check your rack mounting bolts/bushings if those start to go bad, you feel it in the steering, and you can replace your tie rods all day long and it'll never feel any better, I don't know if those would be effected on accel/decel but they might.

 

Also, I'd check the strut mounting plates, if those are going bad, you could get all the symptoms you are describing, and with the struts starting to go out on you, that could be the major cause of the problem, as for the creeking you're hearing, it could be the springs because they are taking more stress then the struts are due to the struts going out.

 

Hope that helps a little...

 

--Dave.

[Jon89le]

The rack was just put in brand new about 2months ago so i doubt its that. The tranny mount looks good, cant see the motor mount however since where its located. The strut mount that you mentioned, wheres it located? And there definitely is rust under the car where the frame bushings are.

[DaveFromColorado]

I e-mailed ya a pic of where the strut mounts are located, it's not the greatest pic in the world, but it should help some.

 

I would certinally replace the cradle bolts if they're rusted, even if that's not the problem, it'd certinally be a good Idea.

 

--Dave.

[Jon89le]

. Was that what you meant by mount? I thought you meant one of the plates inside where the strut goes. With the frame bolts, would you happen to know if the bushings come with the bolts? Whenever i call dealers the only thing they have listed are the bolts.

[patgizz]

theres a recall out on the cradle/subframe bolts, i not long ago had my van done. it was for 88-93 W and U body vehicles in certain states(ny, oh, pa, mn, etc...) with snow/salt. it was free at the dealer

[Jon89le]

Im aware of that recal, i just dont want to take it there, have them replace the bolts, then get whacked with needing to pay out the rear for the bushings since i know they are bad. Id just rather know ahead of time how much they are IF they dont come in a package with those bolts.

[DaveFromColorado]

I was talking about the mounts under those plates, either the rubber mounting, or the actual metal under there starting to get weak...

 

as far as I know, they only replace the bolts, not the bushings, if you're replacing them anyhow, look for some good Polly-U bushings.

 

--Dave.

[Jon89le]

I cant even find OE replacements. Do you know of anywhere to get PolyU ones?