Vibration at highway speeds are driving me CRAZY
#1
Vibration at highway speeds are driving me CRAZY
Hello all!
I've been learking now and then for a couple years here. Figured I'd finally join up and ask a question.
First off for my car info. I've had her for about 8 years. She'* so far my first and only car. Been pretty reliable although I've had a few issues.
My current issue:
VIBRATION
This car has always been amazing at highway cruising. Hop on a main road, set cruse control and it would just go at any speed happily. Great overdrive and smooth ride.
Over the past year+ it has been slowly getting a front end vibration that is speed dependent. It would also vibrate and pulse on deceleration. I had a crappy job so didn't have the ability to do much about it till recently. At its worse the vibration would start a little before 60MPH and pretty much limit me to 60 unless I wanted to risk shaking the poor car to death.
Over the past month or so I changed the front brakes which completely removed the deceleration vibration. I also changed a wheel bearing, balanced tires, rotated tires, checked ball joints, and checked tierod ends.
Everything I have done so far has helped a little. After all is said and done I can now go almost 70MPH with just slight shaking. Thing is after that it still gets quite bad.
Things I suspect:
Control arm bushings are pretty cracked, but not coming apart yet.
A few people mentioned the CV joints, that'* what I will most likely be doing next.
Anyone have input here? I really don't want to tear the whole axle assembly out and need to drain the trans. Way too much work for me to do in my apartment parking lot! But if it'* what I gotta do then I guess there'* no choice. I'm kinda just sick of changing thing after thing to not solve it.
If this is the appropriate next step I do need some info as I haven't been able to find a definitive answer. Should I change the axle seals on the trans when I do this? How are the CV'* held in? I've heard that there is a C clip that hides under the boot. Is that it? I'm good with my hands but new to this whole mechanic thing.
One last question about jack stands. As far as I know there are only the 4 approved jack points on the pinch welds. Can I stick a stand with a block of wood under the subframe or subframe bushing? I would really like to have the car on stands while working, not just the jack.
Thank you all ahead of time for reading and your input,
Will
Car: Buick LeSabre Custom
Year: 1997
Miles: 130,000 ish
Engine: Series 2 3800
Previous repairs:
Alright, so this may get long. Haha!
LIM/UIM (Of course)
Crank position sensor
Plugs/Wires
That friggen water cooled belt tensioner elbow like a bazilion times.
Sub-frame bushings - I cheated, the shop did it
New gastank/sender/pump - Also cheated and the shop did it
Alternator
Swaybar link a while back
New front calipers
New rear brake cylinders twice
New master cylinder
New brake lines
Recently evacuated and recharged the A/C for summer
Repairs related to this issue:
Front brakes/rotors&pads - Helped vibrations while slowing down
Tires balanced - vibration comes in a few MPH later
Tires rotated front to back - Helped delay the vibration another MPH or so
Right front wheel bearing - Helped delay the vibration another few MPH
I've been learking now and then for a couple years here. Figured I'd finally join up and ask a question.
First off for my car info. I've had her for about 8 years. She'* so far my first and only car. Been pretty reliable although I've had a few issues.
My current issue:
VIBRATION
This car has always been amazing at highway cruising. Hop on a main road, set cruse control and it would just go at any speed happily. Great overdrive and smooth ride.
Over the past year+ it has been slowly getting a front end vibration that is speed dependent. It would also vibrate and pulse on deceleration. I had a crappy job so didn't have the ability to do much about it till recently. At its worse the vibration would start a little before 60MPH and pretty much limit me to 60 unless I wanted to risk shaking the poor car to death.
Over the past month or so I changed the front brakes which completely removed the deceleration vibration. I also changed a wheel bearing, balanced tires, rotated tires, checked ball joints, and checked tierod ends.
Everything I have done so far has helped a little. After all is said and done I can now go almost 70MPH with just slight shaking. Thing is after that it still gets quite bad.
Things I suspect:
Control arm bushings are pretty cracked, but not coming apart yet.
A few people mentioned the CV joints, that'* what I will most likely be doing next.
Anyone have input here? I really don't want to tear the whole axle assembly out and need to drain the trans. Way too much work for me to do in my apartment parking lot! But if it'* what I gotta do then I guess there'* no choice. I'm kinda just sick of changing thing after thing to not solve it.
If this is the appropriate next step I do need some info as I haven't been able to find a definitive answer. Should I change the axle seals on the trans when I do this? How are the CV'* held in? I've heard that there is a C clip that hides under the boot. Is that it? I'm good with my hands but new to this whole mechanic thing.
One last question about jack stands. As far as I know there are only the 4 approved jack points on the pinch welds. Can I stick a stand with a block of wood under the subframe or subframe bushing? I would really like to have the car on stands while working, not just the jack.
Thank you all ahead of time for reading and your input,
Will
Car: Buick LeSabre Custom
Year: 1997
Miles: 130,000 ish
Engine: Series 2 3800
Previous repairs:
Alright, so this may get long. Haha!
LIM/UIM (Of course)
Crank position sensor
Plugs/Wires
That friggen water cooled belt tensioner elbow like a bazilion times.
Sub-frame bushings - I cheated, the shop did it
New gastank/sender/pump - Also cheated and the shop did it
Alternator
Swaybar link a while back
New front calipers
New rear brake cylinders twice
New master cylinder
New brake lines
Recently evacuated and recharged the A/C for summer
Repairs related to this issue:
Front brakes/rotors&pads - Helped vibrations while slowing down
Tires balanced - vibration comes in a few MPH later
Tires rotated front to back - Helped delay the vibration another MPH or so
Right front wheel bearing - Helped delay the vibration another few MPH
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