Hey guys,
Can anyone shoot me some more ideas on this...
Got a high speed shake on the Escort, seems to "switch on" right at 60mph... I guess there's a verrrry slight trace of it occasionally at 55ish, but hard to be sure it's that and not just our usual crappy roads...
I've bounced on all the corners like an anarchist trying to flip a cop car, and can't fault the struts, found a loose balljoint on the front and changed it, no change in vibe...
One of the tires seemed to have less tread depth on one side than the other, which had been on the front with the bad BJ, so that was switched off. Got 2 snow tires on the back now..
Seems to be damped with weight in the back, but dunno if that's because it loads up the back more or because it unloads the front.. can't decide whether it's coming from a particular side or corner, just seems to be from all over. Feel it through the steering more than anything...
Did wonder if it was an engine mount/vibration issue, and have driven 2800-3000 RPM in other gears to see if there's any trace of vibration at lower speeds at same RPM, but no.
Just had the back in the air trying to find any trace of play in the back suspension or the rear wheel bearings but nothing...
I'm gonna get the front jacked onto stands and blocked real secure and try looking for vibrations with the front wheels spinning off the ground...
Can't find anything that I just wanna gamble money on that being "it" I mean everything looks well used, but not damaged/loose/leaking or exhibiting any other visually, aurally or tactilely obvious sign...
Front alignment seems to be at the low end limit (it wasn't, had it zeroed I thought, before the BJ went out, but couldn't be assed setting it back yet, since it was in the "okay" zone) , I'm out of ideas so might tweak that more to the middle of the range and try that. Thing is, bad BJ should put it too toe out, and this has it on the limit of acceptable toe in, so having the same feeling vibration at both ends seems a bit too coincidental.
Also guess I'm gonna have to go find a hill, stick it in neutral, see if it's a drivetrain thing.
Daft thing is pissing me off.. .
Guess I'm not writing some stuff off completely yet, like bad struts or bearings just stuffing them in the "unlikely" category until I get any evidence against them, but can't fault them so far.
I've got a strange idea that it's gonna turn out to be something weird like the PS pump pulsing, anyone know how to test that?
thanks for any help,
RW222