Baddog Posted July 2, 2011 Share Posted July 2, 2011 So I finally got my axle seal replaced today after not driving the car for 3 weeks. And a couple weeks ago had my driver side wheel bearing done. On my way to get my Axle Seal replaced I noticed a decent amount of vibration on the freeway going 60+ the faster I went the worse it got. I thought I will just hit the tire place on the way home and have them rebalanced. I did that and got back on the freeway and the problem was still there. What do I look at next? My shocks are good (checked them a few weeks ago when I put my STI springs on). I am going to give an alignment a shot and see what that does for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subikid90 Posted July 2, 2011 Share Posted July 2, 2011 What axle did you use for replacement? I have heard of cheap axles causing vibrations at 60+mph. -Subikid90 1997 Legacy GT 5spd & EJ251 w/EJ25D heads ~10.5CR 1998 Legacy GT Limited waiting for EJ22T hybrid swap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baddog Posted July 2, 2011 Author Share Posted July 2, 2011 Never replaced the axle. I did that probably a year ago. It's the same axle I have had on. My axle seal was leaking (inside the trans/front diff) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subikid90 Posted July 2, 2011 Share Posted July 2, 2011 Ah I cant read lol. I would check for play in your wheel bearing. Could of got a bad one or the other one could be shot now also. -Subikid90 1997 Legacy GT 5spd & EJ251 w/EJ25D heads ~10.5CR 1998 Legacy GT Limited waiting for EJ22T hybrid swap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baddog Posted July 2, 2011 Author Share Posted July 2, 2011 Did that as well. When the tire shop had the car up they checked for any play when I was there. All of it was solid. Even when my old bearing was shot it didn't shutter like this. So I will give the alignment a shot in a few days and see what that does for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevenva Posted July 2, 2011 Share Posted July 2, 2011 The alignment will do nothing to help your problem. (not likely anyway-sorry) When they balanced the tires did they look for any bent wheel or out of round issue, or did they just shut the hood on the balancer and hit "spin"? Even though they said they checked for loosness, Something up there isn't right. I'd get a second opinion. There is a valid reason they wouldn't want to have to warranty their work. The press-fit bearings are listed as a 6 hour job. Mistakes do happen. RIP 96 Legacy 2.2 4EAT lost reverse @ 374,000 miles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baddog Posted July 2, 2011 Author Share Posted July 2, 2011 Yeah I can't just keep wasting my time with this car. It is about time to move on to something else. I haven't been able to drive it in almost a month. Here's what I don't get. My car has SAT for 3 weeks due to my Axle Seal pissing all over the place. It was fine before. I did my wheel bearing about 3 weeks ago as well (the Axle Seal and Wheel bearing were both issues at the time). Drove it around the block a few times and it sat parked till the Axle seal was fixed. Finally got that fixed today. Then drove it. So my wheel being out of round from just sitting there is HIGHLY unlikely. Even when my other wheel bearing was bad (which ate my hub and sheered metal off) it never vibrated like this. I pulled the knuckle and everything my self. I was told I needed an alignment after I did the wheel bearing. My suspension is good. Brakes are good. I re-greased them and they are not sticking. Ball joints were replaced. I am down to either Alignment or Control Arm bushings. Everything else has been replaced. So this makes no sense to me. But quite frankly if it doesn't get fixed shortly it will become a part out car and I will move on. I took it to 2 different tire shops. I also checked it all my self when I got home and put it up. Checked front and rear there was absolutely zero play coming from anywhere. Tie-Rods were solid and so were the ball joints. Any more suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevenva Posted July 2, 2011 Share Posted July 2, 2011 Did you pound in the bearings or use a press? How bad was the hub where the bearing presses in, Was it in perfect shape? RIP 96 Legacy 2.2 4EAT lost reverse @ 374,000 miles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baddog Posted July 2, 2011 Author Share Posted July 2, 2011 The hub was out of round so I bought a new one. The bearing was pressed in by a shop was $55. I just removed the knukcle and took it in with the new hub and bearing with inner and outter seals and had them put it all together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baddog Posted July 4, 2011 Author Share Posted July 4, 2011 Heard an alignment won't do me any good from several people. Tires are 8 months old. The car has the same axles that have been on there for the past year. I can't think of what it could be. Might be time to part it out and move on to a more powerful car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShadowImg Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 Sounds like a wheel (or multiple) are out of balance and/or bearings, no? Have you checked the wheels for play while parked? I know bearings can fail in a variety of ways leading to different results. Does it start at a specific speed and stop, and come back again at various speeds, or just once you hit a certain speed becomes constant all the way up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baddog Posted July 4, 2011 Author Share Posted July 4, 2011 60+ on up. Sometimes around 35 I can feel it vibrate a little more then usual but that goes away when I go a hair under 35 or a hair over. But it's freeway driving when it shows. The driver side bearing was replaced. I check all 4 tires for play (I know the rears wont cause a shaky steering wheel) there was none in any of the tires. I cannot figure it out for the life of me. I just got a 4 wheel alignment (which I needed anyways) and it didn't do much as others said it wouldnt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShadowImg Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 Check your wheel balance then, sounds like you threw a weight (or strip of weights). Rears can absolutely cause a shaky wheel if they're wobbling in some way that causes odd off alignment/etc, as your fronts will be fighting it. I don't know how bad the shaking is, but when I took my RS out in the mud and got the wheels caked up, at anything over 35mph the off-weight made the wheel jump like 2 inches side/side until I cleaned it up and got the balance back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baddog Posted July 4, 2011 Author Share Posted July 4, 2011 Yeah the same thing happened to me up in the mountains I got snow caked on the rim and it shook. It is shaking a decent amount to where it is uncomfortable. I will have the shop re-do the balance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baddog Posted July 5, 2011 Author Share Posted July 5, 2011 Cleaned the tires. Had them rebalanced. They are straight. Had a 4 wheel alignment (needed one anyways). The problem is still there. I feel it a little bit at around 35 and up now. Wheel bearings were replaced on the front end. The rear right rim has a SLIGHT bend but they said nothing major. Any suggestions? I don't feel it in the seat of my pants only in the wheel. When I brake hard the car gets a little squirly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baddog Posted July 5, 2011 Author Share Posted July 5, 2011 Update: Just put it up on jacks my self. Absolutely no play in either front wheels in any direction. Although the axles have some (not a lot) play in them. Not a lot but it's noticeable especially on the passenger side. I have the cheapy Autozone axles on there. Never had this problem before though. There is no play in them at the wheel hubs. Only at the transmission. Also what are the chances that the shop screwed up putting in the wheel bearing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShadowImg Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 'Fraid I have no idea, hopefully someone knows better than I do. The two situations I know of you've already knocked out. Aside from that it could be suspension of course (struts/springs). Sounds unlikely from what you've described though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesm113 Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 If the same shop did your tires, alignment and balance, you should take it to them and have them figure out what's going on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongHiway Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 I'll get hate mail on this, did you over-torque the hub and now have a bad brake caliper? I sort of had this happen to me on another car, the tire shop really over torqued the lug nuts when putting the front tires on. Bent (if you can believe it) the brake caliper which vibrated like crazy @ 60 mph, then was OK above 65. Took a long time to figure this out (and many different tire shopes / alignment checks). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevenva Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 "When I brake hard the car gets a little squirly." Have the rotors (likely the front) checked for runout. (bent) LongHighway may be the propeller head in this topic RIP 96 Legacy 2.2 4EAT lost reverse @ 374,000 miles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baddog Posted July 6, 2011 Author Share Posted July 6, 2011 Would that also cause a problem only during freeway speeds. How do I have the rotors checked? What kind of shops do that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I Donated broknindarkagain Posted July 6, 2011 I Donated Share Posted July 6, 2011 Any brake shop can check for runout in the brakes. Warped rotors will cause a vibration when you're on the brakes though...not while you're off the brakes.....and vibration only...a warped rotor won't make the car "squirly" Over torqued lugs are a possibility. You can warp the hub, the rotor hat, or even the wheel...however over torquing the lugs WILL NOT bend the caliper. -broknindarkagain My Current Project - Click Here COME AND TAKE IT "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevenva Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 http://www.carquest.com/common/downloads/partsTechBrakeCQB%2003-02.pdf A simple warped rotor.... It should be apparent at all speeds when the brake is applied. But I would not rule it out. Your car has odd symptoms. Most good brake shops require the technicians to measure the thickness of the rotors and the runout. The key word is most. They should provide the customer with this but it is overlooked sometimes. This is how they base their decision on weather to machine the rotors or replace them. RIP 96 Legacy 2.2 4EAT lost reverse @ 374,000 miles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baddog Posted July 6, 2011 Author Share Posted July 6, 2011 The rotors are maybe 3 months old as well. I wonder if I have a stuck caliper? I have no shaking in the wheel when braking. It just gets a little squirly when I brake hard. The driver side hub is brand new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevenva Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 "I have no shaking in the wheel when braking. It just gets a little squirly when I brake hard." You lost me......? RIP 96 Legacy 2.2 4EAT lost reverse @ 374,000 miles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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