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1995 Subaru Impreza Wobble

Sent to Car Experts September 1 2006 at 1:32 AM
   

I have a 1995 Subaru Impreza AWD, at around 60mph it develops a real hard wobble that feels like the car is going to shake itself to pieces. It has been to three different shops and they have checked every thing and tell me its fine and can not explain this problem. They have checked: wheel bearings,axles,drive shafts,struts,brakes, tires and tire balance, alignment,and bushings! is there anything they may have missed or do you know of any hidden problems these cars may have that would cause this?
HELP ME>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>PLEASE!!!!

 

Optional Information:
1995 Subaru impreza 1.8l

Already Tried:
wheel bearings,axles,drive shafts,tires,brakes,alignment

Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Answer
September 1 2006 at 2:12 AM (39 minutes and 43 seconds later)
         
REPLIEDCheck Mark

Hello

It sounds like you've covered all the front-end issues which cause vibration but I will add some others not mentioned.

  • check wheel balancing, front and rear
  • check for cracked or bent wheels

The two items were probably looked at before but they are the most common problems associated with vibration.

Another place to look is the transmission, if the torque convertor is not balanced properly it will set up a vibration at the speeds mentioned. There are other engine components like pulleys etc. that will also vibrate if loose or defective.

You should have this vehicle taken to a shop and have them place it on a lift and run it at various speeds to detect the vibration. It may be necessary while on the lift to jack up the lower control arms "just a little bit" to keep the axles even when performing this check. A trained professional should do this to avoid personal injury. The person doing the work has to take an interest in the problem to really find the "problem". It may be necessary to road test the vehicle with the technician to point out exactly when the vibration comes in. I have found this approach to help a lot. It gives the person performing the work a better idea of what the customer is concerned about.

I have found vibrations in the past that were not related to wheels or tires. The other things mentioned came into play, It takes time and patience to detect this but I truly know hopw frustrating this can be.

Dan




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Reply
September 1 2006 at 5:05 AM (2 hours and 53 minutes and 24 seconds later)
         
Reply to Dan's Post: Dan,
     Thank you for your prompt reply, I would have no trouble accepting your answer, however as I had stated in my original comment section, these are the thing's that have been checked at the repair shop: Tire condition and balance, rims,axles and joints, wheel bearings, brakes and rotors, bushings,it is a 5spd standard and the clutch assembly has been checked, we even pulled the rear drive shaft(since the wobble seems to come form the rear)and yet it is still there!
   Please help!!!
Answer
September 1 2006 at 5:23 AM (17 minutes and 23 seconds later)
         
ACCEPTEDCheck Mark

This is why I mention the test on a lift by a good qualified mechanic. Some shops "not all" have a chassis dyno to set the car in motion to find problems like this. I do take an interest in vibrations, rattles and other annoying issues. I have always found the problem but it takes a lot of looking. In your case, as mentioned before, it could be another mechanical issue causing the problem. I strongly suggest that you road test the vehicle with a mechanic, point out exactly when the problem happens. Hopefully the shop will have the proper resources available to further evaluate the problem. I would also like to mention that brake drums and rotors have “weights”, if the weight was knocked off upon a brake inspection it could also have an affect. The shock grommets and shock mounts need to be checked. If the problem is limited to the rear or at least if it feels like it is, try the process of elimination, disconnect and reconnect different chassis components to see if a change is made. Lock up the left side wheel and let only the right side move and then reverse the procedure. Try removing the rear tires and running the car at approximately 2000 rpm in high gear. These are the type of ways to find problems like this. It takes time and patience but eventually you’ll find the problem. If you didn’t live Vermont I would get involved myself. I really like the challenge involved in this type of problem.

Good Luck

Dan




My goal is to save you money and time, I have a simple and logical approach for troubleshooting technical problems.
If you find my answer to be helpful, please remember to ACCEPT the Answer! Thank You!
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