Front End Drifting/Floating Slightly at Speed

[ruby911]

On my way home from work last night, I noticed a slight sensation of the front end drifting/floating slightly. I first I wrote it off that the wind was pushing on the car and creating the feeling. But, this morning, I was feeling it again...with no wind blowing. The car does not feel like it is moving around in the lane much, because I really don't find myself needing to correct the direction of the car with the steering wheel - it just seems to float.

So, when I pulled in the parking lot this morning, I got out and tried pushing/pulling the top of the front wheels to see if I could sense any motion. The left was fine, the right side had the ever so slightest amount of wiggle and a slight clicking noise when it moved. I am assuming this wiggle is creating the floating feeling. What might this be and what is needed to repair it?

[diverdan]

Could be tires: improper inflation or even a broken belt.
Could be a front wheel bearing. They do not have a lengthy life span and need periodic attention.
Could be a loose steering rack, (not too likely). Could be other front end parts worn (or even a rear tire problem.)
Bearings need care anyhow so I'd check them out anyhow. (Perhaps my wheel bearing experience is from fast driving in a very hot climate and the fact that I break anti roll bar linkages frequently due to metal fatigue.)

Diverdan

[ruby911]

Holy moly diverdan, multiple breakages from metal fatigue?! Must be one hell of a ride!

The tires should be good, I just put new rears on last weekend and had the fronts inspected and lugs torqued at the same time - they were good.

I am going to put it up on jacks this weekend and start with looking at the bearings.

Thanks for the feedback

[ruby911]

Please disregard my questions. I committed the most heinous of crimes and did not search the forum before asking my question. I have now done that search and have found more info than I possibly need.

My apologies, please forgive me.

[tonythetarga]

Originally Posted by ruby911

The tires should be good, I just put new rears on last weekend and had the fronts inspected

Did you buy the same tires or do you have a mixed set front to rear?

[tharbert]

+1 on the wheel bearing check. It's very simple to remove, repack and adjust but...

You say you just put on a new set of rear tires and then you start to get some wierd feeling in the wheel? Consider more carefully DD's suggestion about something amiss with the tires. If I change spark plugs and the engine starts missing, I don't start investigating the fuel pump. YMMV.

[Tigerrat]

New tires alone can make things squirrelly for a hundred miles or so.

[dipso]

I'd go with the tires. All four should be replaced at the same time.
I replaced my rears only and couldn't even keep the car in the lane. Did all the necessary searches and couldn't figure it out.
It was very dangerous feeling.

Replaced the fronts and problem went away.
I understand rubber ages, sidewalls get stiff or soft or ?with age. A soft wall in the rear and a stiff wall in the front, or vice versa, will cause major handling problems.

Turns out my front tires were a little worn or cupped on the inside and apparently the rears had worn to compensate.
When I put new rears on, the compensation wear was not there and the car felt like a pinball in the lane.

[masraum]

If you've got new tires, I'd agree, it's probably those. Pretty much any time I get new perf tires installed whether it's one axle or both, the car usually feels squirrely for 100-150 miles.

I'd definitely check out the wheel bearings too.

[ruby911]

Thanks guys. I will montor the tires and see what happens. But, that obviously does not explain a wiggle in the right front wheel when grabbed at the 12 and 6 position. I will check the bearings this weekend.

thanks again.

[RSTarga]

In addition to the above very good advice you might need shocks.

[gr8fl4porsche]

Any chance you have Bilstein's in the front? My car as well as several others on the board have come down with some bad internal bushings after relatively little use.

[RSTarga]

Everybody on this board loves Bilstein's but every set I ever put on a 911 got loose internal bushings in very short time. I switched to the Koni gas adjustables and haven't had a problem since. I will say that the Bilsteins on my c2 Turbo haven't had the same problem as on my earlier cars, 4 911's and a 930.

[Oregon Cab]

This was the same I was feeling last week. Alarming! We had a snow again and I threw studs on the rear but left speed tires up front. Plenty of traction but weird de-weighting feeling up front. I changed the rears yesterday back to my 225-50s and the floating feeling is gone. Whew.

[ruby911]

Boge