shimmy in the front

**redrocketws6** · 06-06-2011, 07:56 PM

Okay this might be a little difficult to explain so here it goes..

When i drive my car and make a turn at low speeds the front end seems to walk a little bit. or if I am driving, say 35 mph, i will rock the steering wheel back and forth, and after i stop doing that the front end still seems to rock a little bit. It makes me a little weary, as it should. I have already lost one wheel while driving when i had my pos cavalier.

A guy I work with says it might be the struts getting bad.. im thinking it could be a tie rod. the car had about 90k on it.

Any ideas?

**Smittro** · 06-06-2011, 08:11 PM

Check sway bar end links are not broken, check that the mounts/bushings are intact and the sway is'nt broken..
Could be ball joints or tierod ends too.. Broke both my front end links before..

**KMdef9** · 06-06-2011, 08:23 PM

Like smittro said, sway or ball joints is where I think it might be coming from.

To check the ball joints, jack the car up carefully and securely. Then put your right hand on the top of the front tire and push towards the motor while using your left hand on the bottom of the tire pulling toward you. Make a "rocking" motion to see if there's any play. Even a 1/4inch means your ball joints need replacing. Once again, make surethe car is safely jacked up.

**redrocketws6** · 06-10-2011, 10:10 AM

Yeah, I am a mechanic by trade, ive checked the ball joints and tie rods before, they all seemed tight. checked the sway bar bushing when i did the oil change, no cracks. A guy i work here with that has the same car said it might be my struts or strut mounts. Could that be? I know if I go over a bump i here a clumk sound on the right side and when im driving it kinda sways back and forth.(thats why I checked the sway bar first.) and also when I hit the brakes, sometimes to wheel will cut to the right somewhat hastilly. I think I will just have to put it back up and go over it with a fine tooth comb again. its kinda scary, i dont want to lose a wheel on this car too!

**redrocketws6** · 06-13-2011, 01:01 PM

found the problem, it is my control arm bushings on the passenger side worn out.

**Ant71130** · 06-14-2011, 07:25 AM

Glad you found it. Tire gone sideways happened to my girl's mother's ranger once. Scary shit. Could only be so many things though, ball joint, CA, tie rod, sway, or those shock/struts. Next time if it ever happens just check the entire area for weakness before driving again. Happens on the highway and... Cya

**redrocketws6** · 06-14-2011, 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by Ant71130

Glad you found it. Tire gone sideways happened to my girl's mother's ranger once. Scary shit. Could only be so many things though, ball joint, CA, tie rod, sway, or those shock/struts. Next time if it ever happens just check the entire area for weakness before driving again. Happens on the highway and... Cya

yeah it was deffinately the tie rods and c/a bushings. Everytime I would hit a bump i would hear a clunk on the pass side. and while driving the car tends to rock back and forth. So now she is getting all new inner/outter tie rods, poly c/a, sway bar and end link bushings. That should tighten her up. the ball joints were still good and the wheel bearing might be starting to go. we'll fix that the next time around.