Sway bar link angle and popping noises..etc

[scott2093]

Here's a shot of the idler arm,with the passenger tire lifted/ and I'm shaking 3&6 and kinda rotating while shaking...thoughts?

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[Sean Buick 76]

Lots of play

 

[scott2093]

Lots of play

yeah..
About 7 months ago I went oot.. 400 mile round trip.... felt shaking at 70mph....heard some noises in town driving.....this trip I decided to look under while at the job and noticed the passenger outer tie rod flopping around. Bolt for adjuster sleeve was totally hand tight...Tightened it without thinking to check the others because everything seemed tight.....

Wasn't until yesterday that I saw every bolt on the sleeves were like 10lbs and positioned wrong.... Who knows how much crazy was going on since my alignment a couple of years ago after all my new suspension work..... really not happy about it....

but, it is an Amazon AC Delco idler arm...lol ..who knows...

Would a new idler arm help tame some of this left right play? Obviously there's too much in the pitman arm too but, I know I've had worse in the past and things were never this shaky..
Doesn't make sense...
My entire front suspension was trashed a couple of years ago. Although the truck handled like a boat, it never shook....

 

[454cid]

Would a new idler arm help tame some of this left right play? Obviously there's too much in the pitman arm too but, I know I've had worse in the past and things were never this shaky..
Doesn't make sense...
My entire front suspension was trashed a couple of years ago. Although the truck handled like a boat, it never shook....

That looks like the idler arm PIVOT is worn to me. The arm itself looks ok, to me. I guess money determines if both get replaced.

 

[scott2093]

looks like the idler arm PIVOT is worn to me. The arm itself looks ok, to me. I guess money determines if both get replaced.

Weird...I was just logging in to note that, after looking over my records, the idler arm bracket is a Duralast Gold from Autozone and the idler arm is an AC Delco from Amazon.... I think I had planned on using my original bracket and had to run up the road to get the bracket once I realized it was a bad idea...
Definitely going to take advantage of the lifetime warranty. It was $81 when I purchased it in Feb '23...now it's $60???.....go figure.....

Interesting that the manual talks about correcting non-uniform tires (that cause vibration even though properly balanced) by using an automatic machine to buff rubber from high spots...or vectoring...

on vehicle balancing???wild...

 

[scott2093]

wonder if checking this place out wouldn't be a bad idea? Could maybe steer me in the right direction if nothing else?..heh

Road Force Balancing Orlando, FL | E&R Tire

Get a road force balance at E&R Tire, serving Orlando, FL, Apopka, FL, Rosemont, FL, and surrounding areas

www.eandrtire.com

 

[Sean Buick 76]

Many shops offer a free inspection, you’ve been fighting with the diagnosis for too long by the sounds of it.

 

[Erik the Awful]

the slop in the pitman arm/gearbox isn't as bad but still there....
Idler arm at the box has some movement when shaking 3&9...

Would a new idler arm help tame some of this left right play? Obviously there's too much in the pitman arm too but, I know I've had worse in the past and things were never this shaky..

Any play is too much play. Stop dorking around and fix it.

 

[400Rogue]

So admittedly I have not read every comment in the 7 pages of this thread, but kind of skimmed through some of them. Originally it sounds like you maybe thought it was the bearing and that it seemed to spin fine outside the vehicle. The front is not a preload set bearing. Neither is the rear. The front is already all done for you. You bolt it on, the CV axle torques against the inner race that is splined to the axle shaft. That play looks like it's coming from the outer tie rods or ball joints to me. Could be a destroyed steering box but that doesn't seem highly likely.

You had asked about the sway bar. It needs to be level when the vehicle is on a level surface with the suspension loaded. Since you lifted it and you have stock end links, it isn't level like it should be. Replace them with adjustable end links to get it level again. With this much play I imagine the wheel pulls or drifts side to side on the highway. At minimum I'm sure you have a lot of play in your steering wheel.

This really leaves like 3 options. Either completely shot bushings in your control arms, but you would be hearings thunking noises like crazy over bumps. Ball joints are shot, again you would probably be hearing clunking (metal on metal) noises. Or the tie rod end.

Popping while turning is usually indicative of CV axles. But that wouldn't really cause excessive play like this. The CV axle does not control the movement of the suspension. In any case I'd have it inspected.

 

[scott2093]

Many shops

Yeah many shops....fill in whatever you want here...I could start with a couple negative stories but that would be for another thread...lol
but to be fair, are you saying my asking this is a good idea? Your response to me asking is confusing.

wonder if checking this place out wouldn't be a bad idea? Could maybe steer me in the right direction if nothing else?..heh

Road Force Balancing Orlando, FL | E&R Tire

Get a road force balance at E&R Tire, serving Orlando, FL, Apopka, FL, Rosemont, FL, and surrounding areas

www.eandrtire.com

you’ve been fighting with the diagnosis for too long by the sounds of it.

I agree...But I just started looking last Wednesday because I've noticed hwy speed shaking that wasn't there before...and have been using the truck the whole time. CV axles needed to be replaced because of slinging grease for better part of a year...Clicking when turning sharp.... so I replaced them....

When replacing them, I noticed random 12&6 play on driver side...been hearing moaning....getting vibrations at hwy speeds.... goofed up and got a couple of wheel bearings thinking the detroit axle ones must be living up to their reputation.......
get tires rotated and balanced.....
Find out it's just the ball joint that was loose causing the 12&6 play....

still getting shakes at70-75mph.....
notice alignment shop dorked my tie rod sleeves and left them loose...
notice pitman arm slop and that idler arm bracket slop...idler arm bracket and new idler arm is here...
the sway bar links were just an obsession to sort while in here.... maybe should try to stay focused on one issue at a time...But this is a note pad of sorts for me to reference and get others involved

Any play is too much play. Stop dorking around and fix it.

Guess my obsessiveness isn't translating to my wording or thread ... Of course I'm going to replace it. A few posts above I said I'm going to take advantage of the lifetime warranty. It's already here and is another arm in case the Delco one doesn't make it off in good nick..
Was just asking if there's a possibility that could cause the shaking I've never experienced even when having a shot steering box and pitman arm before...

The pitman arm is going to have to wait I'll admit....
I wonder if that tire place that does the on vehicle balancing will have some direction.. Got a good feeling they may be able to share some knowledge....
Also have a transmission mount coming tomorrow. Was checking this thread to get the tire shop's number to ask them some questions. Like it would obviously be best to have the transmission mount replaced before going there.....

You had asked about the sway bar. It needs to be level when the vehicle is on a level surface with the suspension loaded. Since you lifted it and you have stock end links, it isn't level like it should be.

thanks...I do think something is going on with my ride height but can't picture how a body lift has anything to do with how the end links are. I'm thinking my z height is off...bigger tires or something...idk... bigger sleeve would work....just trying to figure out why ...tires?body lift? control arms or torsion bars not set right?...back burner for now....

Popping while turning is usually indicative of CV axles. But that wouldn't really cause excessive play like this.

Yeah there's no more popping... The earlier 12 & 6 play were loose ball joint nuts....
This 3&6 play is excessive...
Hopefully the new idler arm is going to help..
The transmission mount is shot so that can't hurt with shaking diagnosis I'd imagine.
Maybe that tire shop I'm going to call will help me with some direction the rest of the way....

right now I have to change the alternator in the Saturn... It's been one of those weeks....
Wife rolled her 4runner in a bad t bone accident last Tuesday...someone pulling out trying to make it across to the median.... so she's got the Saturn...My truck was in the garage waiting to do this idler arm so I took the Saturn this morning to look at a job. Battery light is on... Needs alternator....
So my son takes the Yukon and wife takes his car..Yukon totally fine in the neighbor hood and city....
jeez...and I'm supposed to be 200 miles away this morning....no way I'm taking the Yukon like this....
why am I on here?..lol..oh right...the tire shop number...
will update...