Re: What's wrong with my front end?!?

[Domenic Lippolis <domlipps@mail2.nai.net>]

At 08:50 AM 4/14/97 -0700, you wrote:
>Last week, I posted a question about my CVs on the '82. 
>
>To refresh all of your memories, at highway speeds, anytime that any
pressure is put on the right front tire (IE: left turns, dips in the road
etc...) I get a shimmy from that area. Over the weekend, I pulled the drive
axle, and sure enough, the outer boot had a cut in it, so I replaced the
joint. (BTW, not NEARLY as bad a job as I was anticipating... one thing that
I forgot was to wear surgical gloves... still have grease under the nails...)
>
>On my test drive, the shimmy was still there. I took a good look at the
tires, and that tire seemed to be bad - has a good cut in the sidewall etc,
so I rotated all 4 around. The problem remains. 
>
>It now seems to be getting worse. I have thought this through, and have a
few ideas:
>
>1. Could the brakes be rubbing on that side? I suppose if that were the
case, I'd be more likely to feel it at lower speeds, though, wouldn't' I?
>
>2. Something in the steering assembly? Like I said, every time I turn left,
I seem to get a shimmy from the leading (right) tire...
>
>3. Alignment? I had the car pulled straight after I bought it (it took a
nose-dive into a ditch). The body shop (whom I trust) said that they pulled
it straight, and had a front-end alignment done on it. This was a year ago,
but the car sat for the majority of 1996. I have only put 3000kms on it
since then. At these speeds, it has a tendency to pull to the right,
resulting n me putting left pressure on the wheel to go straight. This also
gives me the shimmy.
>
>I was so proud of myself for making what I thought to be the correct
diagnosis, and now the problem is at lease as bad as it was on Friday...
>
>Help!
>
>
>Greg

        Well Greg you didn't really lose money changing the CV joint.  Now
what you have to do is jack up that tire and grab the top and the bottom of
the tire.  Then wiggle the tire (alternating pushing and pulling with your
hands) if there is play chances are your bearing is a-shotta. Or your ball
joint is shot.  If there is play look at the ball joint and see if it moves.
Movement = bad. 
        If you grab the sides (3 and 9 o'clock) of the tire and it does make
a clunking noise then it is most likely a tie rod end.

					DOM!
					1980 VW Scirocco S in DM
					1983 Alfa Romeo GTV-6
					1986 Kawasaki 600 Ninja
					1979 Piaggio Vespa P125X

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