JohnelP

Car feels loose when driving on rough roads (bumps, uneven roads). It feels like moving slightly sideways left/right, as if all the bolts of the car are not tightened. Hard to describe it....
On the normal road, feels fine. No clunk noises

This is even after i have changed the front suspensions (upper and lower control arms, sway bar links) two weeks ago. CV axles are new also. I did not change the shocks and the motor mounts. Before changing the front suspension it was worse. Tie rods change improved the handling by 30%, but the car still feels loose compared how it used to be. Control arms change made a more psychological improvement. Kind of makes sense as the regular checks procedures suggested on internet articles proved the suspension was tight, even if the ball joints rubbers was broken. The only difference is that now the steering wheel has a light movement left/right depending on how the car is pushed sideways, as the steering is tighter.

When pushing the car downwards i do not see more than 2 bounces on both front and back corners. The front shocks do not show any leak trace but i guess since are gas shocks, i may not see any leak???

I did not check the transmission mounts and motor mounts. Except the front motor mount, that is totally out. But that has a different symptom, like a up down play, not lateral left right play. Can failed transmission or motor mounts generate this kind of feeling?

Alignment was done after the suspension change, and all values are green now. Added two new tires on the front, and the rear are half life.
It s a bit puzzling, so i am curious what you think.

clancy

Rdot

As Clancy stated, If you've never changed the struts that is where I would start. Did you change both the inner and outer tie rod? Have you ever changed the wheel bearings?

JohnelP

Indeed, the shock absorbers were the guilty ones..Just changed the rear shocks last night. I started with rear, because I could see the leak on those. Both rear shocks were completely out. You could push down the piston shaft/rod with a simple touch, and would stay down. It would not move back up, like the good ones. Now definitively we are talking about improved ride. Not perfect, because front shocks may be in the same situation.... Now, the push/bounce test is simple. No bounce. When pushed downwards, it comes back up just once and just stays up firm as a rock. I hate the way the internet describes the shock absorber bounce test. I was misled to think 2 bounces are OK, but no, with 2 bounces only after push downwards and I had practically no shocks.... And that was my only test for shocks always..... .My pride took a big hit on this..... Now I can see the rear has risen also. I could see in the past the car looked low on the rear, and now I know why.

@RDot - I have changed only the outer tie rods. It made a difference. The inner tie rods joint did not have any play and felt rigid, boot looked OK. I did not change the wheel bearings, but the wheel bearings are fine. I know how a bad wheel bearing sounds/feel. A mechanic taught me how to hear and feel a failed wheel bearing on my wife's car. I think the wheel bearings are the original ones, because I did not change them since I own the car (since 2005) and driven 100k miles. Now the car has little under 200k miles. Maybe the previous owners, but I highly doubt, given previous owners put green coolant to mix with the pink one... Loose/missing bolts.... twisted hoses at installation so it pierced pressing against other parts... do not remind me...
In fact, given this was my first shock absorber work on this car, i fear the shocks were the original ones (22 years old), also.

The toughest challenge was the nut holding the piston rod to the upper spring retainer/cap. I could not find a loaner tool,for that nut and used offset box wrench I had was the one with 45 degree instead of 60 degrees... It was not deep enough, and it was a struggle. Manual said hex Allen for te counter, - in my dreams, as the piston tip has - as usually - a unique design..

I need to start working on the front shocks, but when i think I have to get the upper control arms to fit the steering knuckle, i would rather get a new car... I need time to forget, round the right tools, and will aim for that too, as it damages the suspension and mounts....

clancy