PINTO CAR CLUB of AMERICA
Welcome to FordPinto.com, The home of the PCCA => General Help- Ask the Experts... => Topic started by: rainbowbrite68 on August 22, 2014, 08:22:12 PM
-
Anyone have any idea how to alleviate the front end shake? I have a 1978 Runabout. I have replaced the tie rods and both front tires. She still seems to get twitchy once she hits over 58 mph. Have had her to 3 different places, nobody can seem to find the issue. Any input is greatly appreciated!
-
You might want to check your U-JOINTs. Ive had a issue very similar situation. Turned out to be U-JOINTS.
-
Detail the conditions, that will indicate issue. Does it in throttle, out of throttle, during braking, roll off of power, etc.
U-joint issue should simply get worse the faster you go and would do it all the time.
Balljoint and/or LCA bushings bad could easily do it. Did INNER ties get changed? 4 total there.
No reason why the car can't stay rock solid there.
-
Don't forget the strut rod bushings.
-
There is a small shimmy at lower speeds but gets progressively worse as it picks up speed. It seemed to improve somewhat once I changed the front tires but still shakes your hand off the wheel over 60.
I will have to talk with the mechanic about the u joints.
Thanks!!
-
I replaced all the front bushings which eliminated 95% of the shake. I also found the front wheel bearings are worn and hope that will steady it more.
-
I've posted this pic of one of my strut rods a couple times. This came out of my 80 but a 77 I scrapped was nearly as bad. The other side was so thin that it bent by hand & was well on it's way to snapping in two. Don't overlook strut rods & bushings when chasing a shake. My 80 shook violently if I hit a pothole above 45 mph & this was why.
(http://i1023.photobucket.com/albums/af357/OrangeCrushMustang/Pinto/006-5.jpg)
-
I most definitely second that.......... ........strut rods cause mucho trouble on these old school suspension cars. Boy you cats get rust, NOTHING here in Texas ever rusts like that.......... ...
Not u-joints if you feel it firmly in the steering wheel. In the front end.
And surprised you've been to 3 different places, shaking like that will show up in a good suspension check in a second if they are LOOKING for it. If mainly alignment shop then kiss them off, in the old days they would be diligent enough to tell you why they could not align car and even show you, now all they care about is the money and COMMONLY align cars with a half inch of looseness in various places in the suspension. Abysmal, and what you get when the guys who couldn't make a McDonald's 1/4 pounder correctly five times in a row then get older to move out into the world and higher jobs. My son and I joke about that all the time.........b ut it's no joke unless it's on us. The Peter Principle is alive and doing VERY well in today's world.
-
Mine is a garage kept 89K mile car that only saw a few Ohio winters back when it was new. Heavy Ziebart rustproofing kept this car nearly spotless except for some floor rust (inside the car out from wet floors) & the lower door seams are bubbled.
Salt corrosion took out the strut rods because water gets stuck in the bushings. Fred sent me some beautiful AZ replacements years ago.