intermittent shaking in front end?

[TurboSedan]

my Spirit R/T has a wierd intermittent shimmy/shake problem in the front end. it drives smooth most of the time, but every once in awhile it will start shaking badly and i can hear a soft knocking noise when it happens if i stab the gas and start accelerating. it is most noticeable when i'm accelerating. it seems to start after i go over a bump, like railroad track crossings, and then within a few miles it goes away and is smooth again :confused2: even acceleration will be completely smooth once again and everything returns to normal. i usually deliver pizza in this car around 75 miles per night, and the problem will come and go 3-4 times per shift.

i tried switching to completely different wheels/tires and the problem is still there. then i found the lug nuts were loose and thought that was my problem. retorqued to 100ft/lbs and the problem is still there. i even double checked the torque on the lugs after it happened again and they were tight. yesterday i raised the car and shook both front wheels at 3/9 o'clock and 12/6 o'clock, and it seems ok to me; no noticeable play. i checked the axles and the inner and outer CV boots look fine. i tried grabbing the axles and the outer tierods and they seem solid.

anyone have any ideas? possibly an internally damaged CV joint? inner tierod? what puzzles me is that the problem just comes and goes. when it's bad it's REALLY bad, like i'm afraid an axle is about to fly apart....but then it goes away. i should admit that i drove the car with a bad (empty) power steering pump for quite awhile. i have since replaced the pump and the steering seems fine. this problem didn't develop until well after i replaced the PS pump though.

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Joshua Mitchell
'91 Dodge SPiRiT R/T
'87 Shelby CSX #667
'98 Buick Regal GS

[cordes]

I would check the motor/trans mounts and the bearings in the top of the struts.

[butchsuppe]

I'd rec. taking it to an alignment shop to check it out. Improper caster could be the cause, maybe a bent strut. Make sure you tell the tech your problem. A good tech will also checkout your drive angles, which could be the cause as well.

[iTurbo]

I'm betting on a broken spring in the inboard CV.

[TurboSedan]

i pulled the passenger side axle and intermediate shaft today and i'm pretty sure that was the problem. i don't think the previous owner centered the engine when he installed it because the axle could be pushed in alot on the driver's side but barely at all on the passenger side. after i took the axle out i noticed that the inner CV joint felt like it had no spring at all in it; felt loose and like it was held together only with the boot.

i couldn't separate the axle from the intermediate shaft at all so i think i'm just going to go with unequal length setup so i don't have to bother with that crap again. would it be worth it to find a good passenger side axle + intermediate shaft in the j/y?

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Joshua Mitchell
'91 Dodge SPiRiT R/T
'87 Shelby CSX #667
'98 Buick Regal GS

[moparzrule]

I run unequal's on all my setups.

Did you check the wheel bearings at all?

[BIGBRUDDA]

I run unequal's on all my setups.

Did you check the wheel bearings at all?

+1 check the bearings/hubs. Ya gotta pull the c/v out then check for play.:nod:

[cordes]

i pulled the passenger side axle and intermediate shaft today and i'm pretty sure that was the problem. i don't think the previous owner centered the engine when he installed it because the axle could be pushed in alot on the driver's side but barely at all on the passenger side. after i took the axle out i noticed that the inner CV joint felt like it had no spring at all in it; felt loose and like it was held together only with the boot.

i couldn't separate the axle from the intermediate shaft at all so i think i'm just going to go with unequal length setup so i don't have to bother with that crap again. would it be worth it to find a good passenger side axle + intermediate shaft in the j/y?

-------------------------
Joshua Mitchell
'91 Dodge SPiRiT R/T
'87 Shelby CSX #667
'98 Buick Regal GS


If you drill and tap the int. shaft for a grease fitting you can use a grease gun to push the old axle right out. I was skeptical at first, but boy does it work well.