Highway speed vibration and front sounds
 

Morning!

I am about to buy what I think I need of this repair but wanted to ask here first.

My 88 vert will, at highway speed vibrate from what feels like the front of the car. Not all the time but randomly, and more noticeable the faster I go. It's a vibration that resonates through the car and shakes the frame of the windshield if I have the top down. Also, when I go over things like speed bumps, the front absorbers creeeeeeeaaaak as the car bounces up and down and settles. Also, there is a clunk sound sometimes when I do that.

It has gotten worse over time.

What I have done - I have had the wheels rotated and balanced - no change. I have Had my mechanic check the rear suspension and axle and things seem fine. I have changed tire pressure with no change.

I'm being told and thinking it's the front shock absorbers. The creak sound and the clunk are likely from the fact they are completely shot. The bearings have been packed once before but it's been a while but if someone thinks that's it I'm open to suggestions.

I wanted to post here before I spent the money on shock absorbers. Just to get my thoughts out there to a more seasoned audience than me.

PZ

You need a new mechanic! Also you could be dealing with a couple of problems. I would check for driveshaft vibrations and drivetrain bushings and mounts. it could be your shocks, shocks control the spring ocilations. You could be dealing with a few things.

ball joints.

So I can see bushings for the front and obviously are bad. They have been replaced.

How can I inspect the same thing for the rear? Or otherwise tell if the shocks are bad in the rear?

Okay. The front and rear struts are replaced and bushings as well.

It vibrates WAY less but still, then I hit w bump, the caR shimmeys a bit more than it should and the vibration is still present, just much less.

I'm assuming control arm bushings next?

PZ

Accelerate quickly then brake quickly. Is there a "thud" sound?

Thanks for the reply!

Been trying at all afternoon and no sir. No thud.

And the vibration isn't all the time. It comes and goes.

I'll see about an alignment tomorrow.

jack the car up and rock the wheels back and forth to see if they are wiggling around on the spindle.

If you go for an alignment, they'll check this.

If it does in fact wiggle on the spindle, bad wheel bearings.

At the tire place. Found a really bad flat spot on the tire.

Update.

Tire place replaced two rear tires for flat spots. So I have new struts all around and two new tires. The vibration is much better. No alignment because the tires showed no tread signs of it being needed.

However I have noticed that when I hit bumps it tends to shake up the frame and the struts don't absorb it as much. This may be normal but I've had bad suspension for so long I can't be sure. Also over a speed bump I hear a creak as the car goes up and down. I did some reading and it sounds like control arm bushings could cause that.

Maybe my control arms and bushings need replaced too?

Do the bushing require a specific tool to replace? Mazda service manual seems to think so.

Doesn't matter if the tires don't show bad tread wear. Get the alignment done. After replacing your shocks it has to be done. You can't take the system apart and put it back together and not mess it up. BUT if you plan to do all your bushing do the alignment after replacing them.

Thanks for that. I plan on replacing the bushings so ill do an alignment at that time. Wonder if Les Schwab can replace bushings or I should just go to my normal mechanic.