Strange Shimmy help requested...
 

Background: 1986 Carrera shimmies under braking 80% of the time, replaced rotors and pads, no difference. If I am turning, the shimmy goes away. Sometimes I can brake in a straight line and it is as smooth as can be.

After the rotor and pad replacement (which didn't help) I have started suspecting the ball joint/s. Is this the right track?

Yesterday, while backing out of my drive way, I felt what can only be described as a fore/aft movement in the right front along with a slight clunk. I can only surmize that it had something to do with weight transfer and the car moving backward onto the slope of the driveway.

Can anything but the ball joints create fore to aft play in the front end of a Carrera?

Thanks,
Mike

I believe you need new struts--try yanking on the wheels, see if you can duplicate the clunking or if there's any movement. You check your wheelbearings?

Yeah, probably the struts.. If that doesnt help, you might try repaving the driveway.

If it's struts, our hosts have the best price I've seen--$380 ea. for Bilsteins.

Outer wheel bearings were replaced when the rotors were replaced.
What portion of the strut wears out? The spindle itself?

don't know--i'd think it would be some type of bronze bushing, though they're not rebuildable. you do get new dampers, though!

I would get the car up in the air and push, prod, and wiggle things around. It could be a bad strut, but that wouldn't be my first guess. Usually, they hold up quite a while. I would check for maybe a bad/loose top strut mount, loose strut cap, or bad bottom ball joint. Or, you may just need to replace badly worn shock inserts. The tie rods can be a weak link in the front suspension as well (where they connect to the steering rack). Also, I have seen the aluminum hubs themselves go out of true ("warp"). That is usually due to age, and/or over-tightening of the lugs. Lastly, If you just installed new bearings, you may want to readjust them after 100-200 miles or so. I am sure I am forgetting something important to check, but that is just what came to mind. Good luck!
SmileWavy

May also be worth checking the tightness of your steering rack bolts.