[Shotimes] vibration: what is wrong?

[Ian Fisher]

I have a vibration that I can't pin down.

Symptom:
Vibraton/rubbing felt in steering wheel and front end
of car while moving. Moving the wheel left or right
changes the pitch and sound (increases, decreases).
Letting go of the wheel and letting the car drift
usually alleviates most of the problem. Steering wheel
is no longer centered when driving car straight.
Letting go of the wheel causes car to drift slightly
to the right.

History:
Problem was really bad until last week or so when I
realized that the driver's rear SF bolt was not
torqued tightly and the subframe was lifting up and
down. I torqued the bolt (100 ft/lbs -Al bushings) and
things were better but not perfect. A few days later,
I tore into the car again and found that the driver's
side CV joint had failed and sprayed grease all over
the trans case. I replaced the halfshaft and torqued
the (new) end nut to 190 ft/lbs (spec is 180-200)

Wheel bearings look fine.
Tie rod ends look fine.
Steering rack (reman Ford) + inner tie rods are only
about 2 years old. 

I didn't find significant play in either front wheel
with the car jacked up that would indicate a wheel
bearing or tie rod issue.

One thought did occur to me tonight that I need to
check; the tension strut rods. The last shop that
aligned the car shimmed the tension strut rod to
adjust caster. They used metal shims behind the rear
subframe to strut rod bushing. I should check the
front nut on the strut rod to ensure that it is still
torqued tightly but somehow I doubt this is my
problem.

Other notables: I have wilwood brakes. I had a similar
issue once when the TCE braided line was rubbing on
the inside of the rim. I updated the line with TCE's
newer shorter lines and haven't had a problem since.
Wilwood calipers seem to be operating find (sometimes
a piston can seize causing problems). 

Any ideas?

All I want for Christmas is a vibrationless SHO and my
3.2 installed by Santa Claus (he's used to the cold)

Thanks
Ian


		
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