rear-steer?

["Neal Tovsen" <ntovsen@piper.hamline.edu>]

As some of you know, I got a new Koni/H&R set up just before Cincinnati.
Until last Friday, that setup kicked ass!

Friday afternoon, I was driving "with intent" around a cloverleaf when I
noticed that it felt like my rear tires were low. You know how it feels like
the rear of the car is squishy and is causing a wierd kind of oversteer? Not
super-bad like I was going to crash or anything, but not the tight feel that
it was before. It was only noticable in a moderate-heavy turn where you
achieve a steady weight transfer to one side...perhaps slightly more
noticable in a right turn than a left. Driving straight or through
small/slow corners still seems to be fine. It only seems to be noticable
when you start pushing the envelope of "normal" driving (as in normal for
most other people on the road...not for you speed freaks!).

When I pulled over, I checked my tire pressure. It was fine (35psi on all
four tires). Later I had a friend ride along, and he said it felt a little
wierd, too. When I shook the rear tires with my hands, I could feel a little
bearing play in one wheel, so I replaced the wheel bearings this weekend.
The play is gone, but that squirmy feeling is still there!

Anyone know what could be causing this? As I said, my Koni/H&R setup is only
about 2 weeks old. Could it be the springs and/or shocks just breaking in,
and this is normal? If the rears broke-in more/quicker than the front,
causing an unbalanced setup, I guess I could see this type of behavior
happening. If so, perhaps I could just tighten the rear shocks a notch.
Could the rear suspension pivot bushings cause this feeling? Is there any
"alignment" that could have come loose (I didn't think there was, and the
shop only did a front-end alignment)? I didn't see any problems with the
beam or swaybar when I changed the wheelbearing.

How difficult/expensive is a rear bushing swap? Worth a try, if it's not too
difficult? If so, are aftermarket (i.e. poly or whatever) bushings a big
deal, or should I just get new OEM ones?

Thanks in advance!
Neal
88 16v


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