HELP!! Front End Viabration

[builttolast]

I currently own a 86 944 that has a viabration problem in the front end. I have replaced my tires, had a four wheel alignment done and it still viabrates. It does not viabrate at low speeds, but any speed over 50 mph the front end viabrates. It does not viabrate all the time, it comes and it goes, it will drive for a couple of miles without viabrating and then it will viabrate for a couple of miles. I have disconnected the power steering because of a leak in the rack, but I do not think this is why it viabrates. If the rotors are warped will it cause the front end to do viabrate? I have owned the car for two years and I have never replaced the brakes. When I bought the car there was a slight viabration in the front, but not as bad as it viabrates now, even with new tires. If anybody else has been able to correct this problem, of if they have not and now how, please help me out!!!!

[justin]

Hello, I have a 83 944 and mine vibrates too,somebody on this board told me that 944's do this but I find that hard to beleive. Does your steering wheel move side to side or up and down? mine is side to side.I think it might be ball joints,I just changed my front pads and rotors and it didn't change anything.But I put new wheel bearings in after that and it seemed like it helped. good luck

------------------
Drive it like you stole it........Justin

[justin]

Shaun........motor mounts will vibrate the front end while driving? Dosn't make any sense.

------------------
Drive it like you stole it........Justin

[p0r2chby]

am thinking that the problem is somewhere within the front suspension and not teh motor mounts. The motor mount vibration is at low rpm's and goes away with speed.
Perhaps this is something to do with your stearing rack. A fluid leak can mess up several of the rubber bushings in the general area (a-arm bushings may now be "soft" from fluid contamination". Also, what is the condition of the tie rod ends and ball joints.

I guess the best place to start is to ask about the mileage on the car and if you have had the tires "spin" balanced while mounted on the car.

[builttolast]

Is the motor mount problem persistant with the 944? How hard is it to replace them?

[justin]

The motor mounts go out over time,but they will not cause vibration at high speeds(50 mph+) I'm going to say get the ball joints and tie rods looked at.

------------------
Drive it like you stole it........Justin

[builttolast]

Yes I had the tires spin balanced before I had them mounted. They are brand new, Pirelli P6000's. I have a new set of wheel bearings that I bought last year and never put them on due to the winter season, but that is one option that is available.

[builttolast]

Is it hard to replace the ball joints and tie rods? Is this a job that I would want a professional to do?

[justin]

Yes it is hard to do ball joints, but the tie rod ends you can do yourself,just count the threads or measure the threads and put the new ones back just like the old ones and you shouldn't need a alignment again.

------------------
Drive it like you stole it........Justin

[justin]

Oh yea I forgot....put the wheel bearings in first to see if that helps any at all, it might fix the problem. just make sure you pack them with a good grease well.

------------------
Drive it like you stole it........Justin

[p0r2chby]

ball joints on the 85.5 and later cars is a major pain. It requires the replacement of the a-arms due to the joint being non-servicable. Some remanufactures do update the arms so you may find this to be the best low cost path. Before you think about teh ball-joints, I'd take a good look at the rack and make a pass at checking teh wheel bearings.

"A spin balance" on a tire machine is probable not going to catch this. Try for a "mounted on the car" balance.

Motor mounts. Yes, the 944 series cars have problems with the mounts. The best solution todate is to upgrade to the turbo style mounts as they tend to take the heat better. Heat?... passenger side mount gets cooked by the exhaust

[Blackfoot]

definitely not motor mounts. i still think it's in the tire balance. try to find a speed shop or one that specializes in front end alignment.

[eimkeith]

Yeah, motor mounts are DEFINITELY NOT the problem.

The problem is: bent wheel, bad ball joint, bad tire, or bad wheel bearing, or a combination of the above.

FWIW, I have to ASK tire shops if my wheels are bent when I put tires on, or they will not think to check. Sad but true.