1994 Plymouth Voyager Feels like suspension looseness and w

DOUGTHEMUSICMAN

MEMBER
1994 PLYMOUTH VOYAGER
6 CYL
FWD
AUTOMATIC
211,563 MILES

Greetings:

I have 4 brand new tires, new inner and outer tie rods (both sides), new CV joint (left side), and had an alignment two days ago.

While driving and hitting around 45 -50 mph and hitting a patch of rough road, left side begins to wobble bad enough for me to hit the brakes. Today when this occurred, I sped up to about 55-58 mph and the wobbling smoothed out.

When driving in all conditions vehicle feels like there is suspension looseness with all these newly installed parts.

Could it be a wheel bearing (I have bolt in type) or strut bearing? Your thoughts?

Thank you in advance for your assistance,

Dougthemusicman

3 Replies

MERLIN2021

MECHANIC
17,250 POSTS

It wouldn't be the first time a nut wasn't retorqued after an alignment. Bearings will make a whine sound starting at 35 mph when they go bad, strut mounts will make a coffee percolator type noise going over bumps when bad. Was the ball joint checked?

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Thursday, September 30th, 2010 AT 11:25 AM

DOUGTHEMUSICMAN

MEMBER
2 POSTS

Yes. Well, sort of. When I had new tires installed the mechanic on duty checked the front in suspension and said the ball joints look good. Now, I know how to check for a worn ball joint.

The inside at the bottom should be flush with the housing (or outside of it) when new. It is a little depressed but not dramatically.

I don't think the struts were ever changed in 15 or so years and the way it feels and acts it just seems likely to be the struts and strut bearing because everything else seems tight, I did check the tie rod nuts, etc. And they are set to 55 ft lbs.

There is no noise coming from anything that I have noticed. It's a little bumpy riding all the time and when I hit a bit of road that is bumpy or messed up (at around 45-50 mph), the left side shakes really bad ( I cannot really tell if it is a wobble from side to side or an up and down motion.

That's why I was thinking that perhaps the strut is coming apart and/or the strut bearing has gone out.

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Thursday, September 30th, 2010 AT 11:43 AM

MERLIN2021

MECHANIC
17,250 POSTS

At over 200,000 miles, struts are a top of the list item, but to check the ball joint, jack the tire until it's off the ground high enough to place a bar under it, pull up and down on the bar, if the joint is worn you will see it moving up and down, also grab the tire at 3 and 9 o'clock positions and shake it, if it moves, replace the joint. If it is as you suspect, and the strut came apart, oil should be visible leaking from the top of the shaft and seal area. If you plan to keep it, replace the struts just on principal! Are the tires showing a scalloped edge? This is a sure sign of the tire bouncing while you drive, and is a bad strut.

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Friday, October 1st, 2010 AT 10:03 AM