Hey guys,
I seem to be having some problems w/my rear suspension. When I get to about 50 mph, my whole car starts to shake, until about 70, and then the famous driveshaft shake kicks in. I've been told that the 50 mph shake is b/c the rear bearings have gone bad, which makes sense b/c the car has almost 200K on it. My question is, what do I need to do? I'm not gonna have a heck of a lot of money to spend on this. So what are my options? Thanks in advance!

Later,
Craig

 

First, figure out what's casuing it. Rear wheel bearings won't make the car shake. Swap the tires off of another car with compatible wheels (almost any GM RWD car the same age or older will do) and see if it clears up. If it does, your wheels are bent, or your tires are separated.

Rear wheel bearings, or axle bearings as most people call them, usually make a kind of scraping or drumming kind of noise, that seems to occur at half wheel speed.

 

I forgot to mention that it makes this awful whining sound when I'm turning right or left, and I know it's coming from the back if that helps!

I don't have another GM car handy to try that out with...my dad loves foreign stuff, so the only other thing we have GM is a truck, and the tires off of that sure won't fit under my car! But if I get the chance, I'll give it a shot. I won't be doing anything until next summer (cash flow starts again), so I've got time.

 

Your '88 probably has a 9 bolt posi rear. If so this noise you hear when turning is quite common. Mine has done it for the 3 years I have owned it.

Thanx,ANDYZ28

 

Well, it didn't do any of this when I first got it, so it kinda worried me.

 

Hey neighbor.

When's the last time you had the wheels balanced? Could be your u-joints, too.

Ed

 

mine 9 bolt too does the same ****. i hate that. i will hopefully replace the 9 bolt one of these days.

 

My 92's rear end started making noise like metal on metal on slow tight turns. I put new Mobil 1 gear oil & GM Posi additive and the noise is gone. I don't have any vibration though.