Can a bad alignment cause a front end wobble.
03-08-2012, 12:14 PM
#1
Can a bad alignment cause a front end wobble.
I recently replaced my stock front struts with KYB's GR-2's and founders strut mounts. After replacing them i seem to have a wobble similar to the cracked frames behind the gear box wobble. I've inspected thoroughly the gearbox area and it doesn't seem cracked i can turn my wheels in both direction and i see no flex or movement at the gearbox so i have eliminated that as a cause. i raised the car and the wheels have no play in any direction i also torqued them to 100lbs but i have aftermarket 20" wheels not sure if that would make a difference in torque spec. Could the cause be due to the fact that the alignment was moved during the strut install, i dont have to hit any bump for the wobble to happen i can feel it in the steering wheel as i accelerate and also when braking the car seems to wobble side to side.. any suggestions?
03-11-2012, 10:19 AM
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Re: Can a bad alignment cause a front end wobble.
Really the only thing that can cause a wobble in a alignment is Caster. Make sure the back of your rims are clean where the mount to the hub of your car (use a sanding block and some sandpaper to clean them) and make sure the hubs are clean also. Put the wheels on and torque them.. 100ft/lbs should be good and take it for a alignment. Any front end work should require a alignment.
You will love how your car drives after a good alignment!
Pat
You will love how your car drives after a good alignment!
Pat
03-11-2012, 10:39 AM
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Re: Can a bad alignment cause a front end wobble.
Alignment will not generally "cause" a wobble.
It's usually created by a wheel or tire that isn't round, a wheel that's bent, etc.
It can also be caused by a brake caliper that doesn't release; it will rub up against the rotor 100% of the time, which overheats the rotor, which warps the rotor, which then manages to push the caliper partway back such that it's not touching part of the way around but is touching some other part of the time.
First rule out tires & wheels... put the rear of the car up on stands under either THE AXLE TUBES or the very rearmost end of the LCAs (NOT under the pumpkin, NOT under the shock brackets, not under ANYTHING ELSE besides the axle tubes or the axle end of the LCAs); start the car; put it in gear; and watch for wobbling rear wheels. If one wobbles, swap them from left to right and see if the wobble moves. If it does, you have a bent wheel; if not, you have a bent axle. Inspect the tires carefully as you do this; if they aren't round, like if there appears to be a lump anywhere on the tread or sidewalls, then they are separated, and are another likely cause of "wobble". Replace any tires or wheels that turn out to be fornicated. Do not bother P&Ming on here about "cost", "cheeep", "can't afford it", or any other such thing; either you want your car to work right, or not.
Once you have 2 KNOWN GOOD wheels & tires, and I mean KNOWN GOOD by observation as described and not "assumed" or "guessed" or ANYTHING ELSE to be good, put them on the front and see if it's any different.
If it fixes it, then at least one of your front wheels & tires is messed up. You can put them back on one at a time until you find which one it is (or both, as the case may be). Once again, replace the bad parts.
If putting KNOWN GOOD wheels & tires DOESN'T fix it, look at the brakes. Drive the car a few miles over some road or something where you don't have to use the brakes. Pull off to the side after 5 or 10 miles, using the brakes as little as possible. Touch the wheel hubs first to see if either is warmer than the other. If so, touch the rotors CAREFULLY (they might be near RED HOT, so be careful not to burn yourself, might want to have some water handy to cool your skin down if needed) and see how hot they are. They should be "warm", but not to the point of instant tissue death, and should be about the same temp. If either is HOT, or they're not about the same, you probably have a bad rubber brake hose. Those go bad by rusting inside, specifically, the fittings where the actual rubber part crimps onto; the hole in there is TINY, and over time, the steel fitting rusts, and the rust clogs up the hole. When that happens, the pressure of the pedal pushes a few molecules of fluid into the caliper, but it can't return; and the caliper stays applied. Hence, the overheated brakes and .... wobble. You can verify this by attempting to bleed the brakes. If one of them is near impossible to bleed, then the hose is fornicated. Replace them both.
After you've done these things, come back and tell us if it fixed it.
It's usually created by a wheel or tire that isn't round, a wheel that's bent, etc.
It can also be caused by a brake caliper that doesn't release; it will rub up against the rotor 100% of the time, which overheats the rotor, which warps the rotor, which then manages to push the caliper partway back such that it's not touching part of the way around but is touching some other part of the time.
First rule out tires & wheels... put the rear of the car up on stands under either THE AXLE TUBES or the very rearmost end of the LCAs (NOT under the pumpkin, NOT under the shock brackets, not under ANYTHING ELSE besides the axle tubes or the axle end of the LCAs); start the car; put it in gear; and watch for wobbling rear wheels. If one wobbles, swap them from left to right and see if the wobble moves. If it does, you have a bent wheel; if not, you have a bent axle. Inspect the tires carefully as you do this; if they aren't round, like if there appears to be a lump anywhere on the tread or sidewalls, then they are separated, and are another likely cause of "wobble". Replace any tires or wheels that turn out to be fornicated. Do not bother P&Ming on here about "cost", "cheeep", "can't afford it", or any other such thing; either you want your car to work right, or not.
Once you have 2 KNOWN GOOD wheels & tires, and I mean KNOWN GOOD by observation as described and not "assumed" or "guessed" or ANYTHING ELSE to be good, put them on the front and see if it's any different.
If it fixes it, then at least one of your front wheels & tires is messed up. You can put them back on one at a time until you find which one it is (or both, as the case may be). Once again, replace the bad parts.
If putting KNOWN GOOD wheels & tires DOESN'T fix it, look at the brakes. Drive the car a few miles over some road or something where you don't have to use the brakes. Pull off to the side after 5 or 10 miles, using the brakes as little as possible. Touch the wheel hubs first to see if either is warmer than the other. If so, touch the rotors CAREFULLY (they might be near RED HOT, so be careful not to burn yourself, might want to have some water handy to cool your skin down if needed) and see how hot they are. They should be "warm", but not to the point of instant tissue death, and should be about the same temp. If either is HOT, or they're not about the same, you probably have a bad rubber brake hose. Those go bad by rusting inside, specifically, the fittings where the actual rubber part crimps onto; the hole in there is TINY, and over time, the steel fitting rusts, and the rust clogs up the hole. When that happens, the pressure of the pedal pushes a few molecules of fluid into the caliper, but it can't return; and the caliper stays applied. Hence, the overheated brakes and .... wobble. You can verify this by attempting to bleed the brakes. If one of them is near impossible to bleed, then the hose is fornicated. Replace them both.
After you've done these things, come back and tell us if it fixed it.
03-11-2012, 11:19 AM
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Re: Can a bad alignment cause a front end wobble.
Ummmm, yeah, I think I forgot to mention that...
03-11-2012, 01:50 PM
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Re: Can a bad alignment cause a front end wobble.
Alignment can cause a "wobble" if the caster is out but it is mostly felt at higher speeds. Just like a caster wheel on a shopping cart at high speeds it will wobble. If it all started after the struts i would check the rims like already mentioned and go for an alignment. If it didnt have the wobble before you did the struts i cant see it being the brakes inless you were messing with them during the strut install or you wrecked one of your flex lines pulling them out..
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