Suspension Unbearable Front Vibration

[bigvino]

hey everyone, I got a great deal on a 89 Mustang without a tranny and yesterday I finally got it running with a used T5 and I was on the road 2 things happened. First, there was like a 15-20 degree delay in response to the steering to the wheels and when I reached about 20 MPH there was a slight vibration.. when I got to about 40-50 MPH the vibration was unbearable!! to the point where I thought my engine/transmission was going to rattle out!! Also I noticed some fluid leaking from the sleeve near the outer control tie rod, please help! Thanks!

 

[madspeed]

take it to an alignment shop before you kill yourself

 

[MFE92]

Inner tie rod ends are probably shot, A-arm bushings have probably seen better days, and the rag joint in the steering shaft may have given up the ghost.

 

[bigvino]

Should I be worried about the steering rack & pinion?

 

[MFE92]

Not likely the rack and pinion itself, but that's where the inner tie rod ends are, and they're notorious for wearing out.

 

[7991LXnSHO]

The rack is often replaced with a rebuilt unit when the inner tie rods go bad. Cost and ease of the job just do not usually add up to do just the inner ends. You can check the quality of the fluid to see if it is like an old burned up Tranny or not. The rag joint is easy to check with an assistant. Get your light on the top of the rack to see the joint and have the assistant move the wheel back And forth. The parts should not move independently. You can read up on the web about checking the other parts, but you probably need good insurance or a shop visit ASAP.

 

[bigvino]

I know what you mean.. Under load the car jumps to the left, which can cause a head on collision..which freaked me out! So lately I've been driving real slow

 

[MFE92]

Changes direction under load, huh? Check the rear suspension too, especially the "torque boxes", which are the pockets in the body where the upper and lower rear control arms attach. If they're tearing or torn completely, the rear end can shift under load and steer the car.

 

[bigvino]

Update: I installed a new rack and pinion.. Which fixed the alignment/ pulling issue.. However I still have vibration issues.. I balanced wheels and got an alignment done...any suggestions? Thanks


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[madspeed]

Where is the vibes felt at? Do they change with speed or rpm?

 

[bigvino]

Mostly in the transmission shifter and very little and seat..



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[bigvino]

I meant *in the seat..thanks


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[Noobz347]

U-Joints

 

[bigvino]

Thanks noobz imma check that right now..


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[bigvino]

Installed an old driveshaft from my wrecked mustang.. And that didn't fix it.. Can it be a torn rear lower torque box.. Where the rear lower control arm connects too?


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[madspeed]

do the vibes change with speed or with rpm's?

 

[bigvino]

it gradually gets worse with speed, but also shakes a bit when the rpms are around the 3500-4000 range...

 

[5.0TailPipeHump]

harmonic balancer, motor mounts?

 

[bigvino]

Wouldn't the engine shake at an idle? I don't have any vibration at a stop..


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[MFE92]

Not necessarily. Does it look like there's rubber coming out from between the center and outer ring? Look at it with the engine running, does it look like it's wobbling? Are the timing marks way off?