Bad Vibration starting at about 30 mph.

balls'87 · February 23rd, 2011, 07:20 PM

Hey, all. I'm new here, anyway heres the question. I bought an '82 mustang gt, that has already been modified. One of the relevent mods, is that it has sub-frame connectors. Apparently it used to sport a blower and pull wheelies, and was heavily thrashed at the local drag strip. It runs and drives, but needs TLC. One of the things wrong, is that when you get going up to 28-30 mph and beyond, the car shakes bad. You can feel it in the steering wheel real bad, and see the dash vibrate. Its pretty severe.

Does any one think they know what this is? I want to find out before I put a new engine in it. The guy who sold it to me said he thinks its in the front end, from a hard wheelie landing.

Even though it has sub frame connectors, it has t-tops. Could the frame be bent?

Bent drive shaft?

Thanks, Paul

HMERacing · February 23rd, 2011, 07:25 PM

If it is only at 30mph and up I would think it could be a number of things.
Driveshaft, bent wheel(s), bad tire, bad/broken/loose suspension part

balls'87 · February 23rd, 2011, 08:02 PM

Yeah, I figured. I've had the front wheels off, to replace the calipers, and did a quick visual check of the suspension, and nothing looked loose or bent. Front tires are brand new. And I assume balancing would detect a bent rim. How common are bent driveshafts? Could a bent frame cause a severe vibration? I think it has to be in the front of the car because of how bad the steering wheel shakes. That would eliminate a bent drive shaft.

HMERacing · February 23rd, 2011, 09:10 PM

how about front wheel bearings? when the car was jacked up did the wheel have alot of play?

balls'87 · February 24th, 2011, 03:57 PM

no I dont think they did. I think they were fine, I'm gonna check again though to be sure. Can a wheel bearing make a very severe vibration, because I've heard bad wheel bearings, and its nothing like this. This is maybe 10 times as severe as the bad wheel bearings I've heard.

I think I'm just gonna tear the whole front of the car to pieces, and put a new k-member and coil overs, etc. If I replace everything, I'll be good. Gosh Darnit.

balls'87 · February 24th, 2011, 03:59 PM

maybe a bent hub?

HMERacing · February 24th, 2011, 05:52 PM

Originally Posted by balls'87

maybe a bent hub?

A hub is a non servicable unit. The foxbody has spindles with replaceable wheel bearings. Newer vehicles use hubs. If they go bad you have to replace the whole assembly.

velasco98 · February 24th, 2011, 06:08 PM

My moms truck had the same problem and it was the tires. They were also new, but we replaces them and it doesn't do it now.

balls'87 · February 24th, 2011, 06:21 PM

Ok, thanks.

dbshea · February 24th, 2011, 10:14 PM

Never had any issues with the fox but my Jeep had a terrible wobble, I rotated the tires front to back and it cleared up. Granted that was with 37" tires, but it may be worth a shot.

bennyjet846 · February 25th, 2011, 02:11 AM

usually a bad wheel bearing would make a growling noise when it's bad. what u can do is jack the front end of the car, shake the wheel side to side, and then up and down. If that's ok, spin the wheel of our front end tires and look at it head on. see if the wheel spins straight. make sure the tire balance is correct. hopefully it's that because that's the cheapest fix.

sometimes when u have a bent twisted frame, your door is a little bit cockeyed and your door doesnt' close smoothly. i had one guy came to the shop with a obvious bent subframe. his door didn't close right and his car was shaking like hell.

balls'87 · March 9th, 2011, 12:00 PM

Thanks bennyjet846. Thats kinda what I was thinking, thanks for confirming that stuff. Also, how badly was that guys door askew? My driver door closes rough, but I think the hinge is just loose from it being 29 years old. And I do have sub frame connectors, so it would be very unlikely to have a bent sub frame right?

Anyway, thanks again! - Paul

PONYMAN · March 9th, 2011, 01:38 PM

Originally Posted by HMERacing

If it is only at 30mph and up I would think it could be a number of things.
Driveshaft, bent wheel(s), bad tire, bad/broken/loose suspension part

I agree , I would check all the tires [ especaily on the inside ] for lumps ,bumps , check the outthread for lumps or bumps.
Check shocks \ struts for wear .
Most likely though it might be the drive shaft , I ahd that problem with my stang.
Had a serious virbration like you speak off , it ended up that the drive shaft was cracked & bad u joints.
I replaced mine with a alumium drive shaft & heavy duty u joints.

Forgot to add , see if your tires have been balanced too.
Good luck , keep us posted on the outcome.

February 23rd, 2011, 07:20 PM	#1
balls'87 Newbie '82 Mustang GT Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 7 iTrader: 0 reviews	Bad Vibration starting at about 30 mph. Hey, all. I'm new here, anyway heres the question. I bought an '82 mustang gt, that has already been modified. One of the relevent mods, is that it has sub-frame connectors. Apparently it used to sport a blower and pull wheelies, and was heavily thrashed at the local drag strip. It runs and drives, but needs TLC. One of the things wrong, is that when you get going up to 28-30 mph and beyond, the car shakes bad. You can feel it in the steering wheel real bad, and see the dash vibrate. Its pretty severe. Does any one think they know what this is? I want to find out before I put a new engine in it. The guy who sold it to me said he thinks its in the front end, from a hard wheelie landing. Even though it has sub frame connectors, it has t-tops. Could the frame be bent? Bent drive shaft? Thanks, Paul

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February 23rd, 2011, 08:02 PM	#3
balls'87 Newbie '82 Mustang GT Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 7 iTrader: 0 reviews	Yeah, I figured. I've had the front wheels off, to replace the calipers, and did a quick visual check of the suspension, and nothing looked loose or bent. Front tires are brand new. And I assume balancing would detect a bent rim. How common are bent driveshafts? Could a bent frame cause a severe vibration? I think it has to be in the front of the car because of how bad the steering wheel shakes. That would eliminate a bent drive shaft.

February 24th, 2011, 03:57 PM	#5
balls'87 Newbie '82 Mustang GT Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 7 iTrader: 0 reviews	no I dont think they did. I think they were fine, I'm gonna check again though to be sure. Can a wheel bearing make a very severe vibration, because I've heard bad wheel bearings, and its nothing like this. This is maybe 10 times as severe as the bad wheel bearings I've heard. I think I'm just gonna tear the whole front of the car to pieces, and put a new k-member and coil overs, etc. If I replace everything, I'll be good. Gosh Darnit.

February 24th, 2011, 03:59 PM	#6
balls'87 Newbie '82 Mustang GT Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 7 iTrader: 0 reviews	maybe a bent hub?

February 24th, 2011, 06:08 PM	#8
velasco98 Regular 93 Mustang Gt Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Gilroy CA Posts: 53 iTrader: 0 reviews	My moms truck had the same problem and it was the tires. They were also new, but we replaces them and it doesn't do it now.

February 24th, 2011, 06:21 PM	#9
balls'87 Newbie '82 Mustang GT Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 7 iTrader: 0 reviews	Ok, thanks.

February 24th, 2011, 10:14 PM	#10
dbshea Regular 1990 GT unknown Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: 29 Palms, Ca Posts: 101 iTrader: 0 reviews	Never had any issues with the fox but my Jeep had a terrible wobble, I rotated the tires front to back and it cleared up. Granted that was with 37" tires, but it may be worth a shot.

February 25th, 2011, 02:11 AM	#11
bennyjet846 Enthusiast 1990 ford mustang GT Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Daly City, Ca Posts: 720 iTrader: 0 reviews	usually a bad wheel bearing would make a growling noise when it's bad. what u can do is jack the front end of the car, shake the wheel side to side, and then up and down. If that's ok, spin the wheel of our front end tires and look at it head on. see if the wheel spins straight. make sure the tire balance is correct. hopefully it's that because that's the cheapest fix. sometimes when u have a bent twisted frame, your door is a little bit cockeyed and your door doesnt' close smoothly. i had one guy came to the shop with a obvious bent subframe. his door didn't close right and his car was shaking like hell.

March 9th, 2011, 12:00 PM	#12
balls'87 Newbie '82 Mustang GT Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 7 iTrader: 0 reviews	Thanks bennyjet846. Thats kinda what I was thinking, thanks for confirming that stuff. Also, how badly was that guys door askew? My driver door closes rough, but I think the hinge is just loose from it being 29 years old. And I do have sub frame connectors, so it would be very unlikely to have a bent sub frame right? Anyway, thanks again! - Paul

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