91GEDHATCH

Hello Hondatech, I have a new problem with my 91 Civic Si. It shakes... like a rabid dog... at almost any speed. It gets a lot more noticeable when I'm going faster particularly above 45mph. I have had it aligned three times in the last three months, tires are brand new and balanced, replaced the tie rods about 4 months ago, two new axles and I'm at a loss now. It has continually gotten more noticeable too. Along with the shaking, at highway speeds it feels like the car is kind of like floating or drifting back and forth a little bit. When I take on ramps or off ramps with a constant turn, the car will sometimes jerk one way or the other (and it's kind of terrifying ha ha!). I have to take on off ramps at like 30-35 right now because it feels like I'm hitting ice patches on a 85º day.

Anyone have any ideas? What can I look for? I'm just learning with the Civic so I certainly don't know everything there is to know. Thanks a ton for any input!

jdmboss

tires check? could be a broken belt

91GEDHATCH

I'll check, but I just got brand new Kuhmo ecstas last month.

JustOneOrTwoPosts

he said his tires are new. I would double check all the steering related items when you have the car up. with the car down and at a stand still, try turning your steering wheel left and right repeatedly. Does it feel awkward, or do you hear/feel any slopiness? If so, that could be a good place to start diagnosing your problem. It could also be suspension related too...

91GEDHATCH

What could be the cause with suspension? That's the only thing I haven't really replaced since buying the car so if that could be a cause what kind of things would cause it to shake?

Also I forgot to add, when I turn fully left or right, like when pulling out a parking lot or a u-turn, there is a cracking sound like something is popping in or out of place. I know that probably is a good place to start, I just want to have a bunch of ideas thrown out there so I'm not back and forth under the car for the next two months ha ha!

JustOneOrTwoPosts

for the U-turn symptoms u just mentioned, try looking at the axles. if the boots are torn and have grease all over, I would bank on replacing them. Sometimes they go bad even when the boots aren't torn though. It is really common for honda cv shafts/axles to go bad and need replacement.

91GEDHATCH

Man, that would suck. I just replaced the axles about three months ago with the tie rods. It seems like it would be hard to tell if they are bad without the boot being torn. I mean I had one tear before and heard the clanking sound that causes but this is different. It's like one big pop, knock sound and that's it.

BiG ChOr!Zo

iTrader: (1)

check your front lca's and the rack end bushing...!!!

littlewagon

Loose floating steering could be cause by something as simple as overinflated tires. Check the actual mounting points where the steering rack mounts to the subframe. Could be loose or broken and would cause your symptoms.

Does the shake happen only as you are accelerating and gets worse as you go faster? Or does it just happen if you are driving above 45mph regardless if you are accelerating or just cruising? Is the car lowered? Check the shocks and make sure they are not blown/leaking.

As far as the car jerking one way or another during curves on fwy on/off ramps, check the differential in the transmission. I had an EG do the exact same thing to me and really scared the crap out of me twice. I would be driving on a fwy interchange with a long curve to the right and then suddenly the car drifted hard to the left and I almost hit the guard rail. I thought I hit a patch of water or something but two days later did the same thing. This all started happening after I took the car to the drag strip on slicks w/stock differential for the first time. Drove home fine but started doing the "scary drift" shortly after. After removing the axles from the transmission for inspection, I could see the differential literally just drop down in the transmission case about an inch lower than it should be. I open the transmission and found one of the spider gears in the differential was missing two teeth and the other one was missing one tooth.

I would inspect the steering and suspension components first as these would be a relatively easy fix. If all those check out, then inspect the differential.

91GEDHATCH

Wow, thanks for the input. I'm pretty novice and that's some pretty intimidating stuff with the transmission being I don't know the first thing about it. I'm sure I can figure out what I'm looking for on the steering rack, most I've done there was swap inner and outer tie rods. I guess it's back to square one again... I'm about to set this car on fire...

East_McDuck

I was having similar issues a while back. Lots of front end shaking and felt kind of like I was hitting patches of ice at times, particularly during turns. It was resolved, but I replaced a lot of stuff up front so I don't know exactly what it was. I replaced the upper and lower ball joints, inner and outer tie rod ends, steering rack, struts, axles and tires, and had the tires balanced and then a front end alignment. Felt like a new car again. I will say that everything except the axles was in bad need of replacement. Ball joints were really bad.

91GEDHATCH

Well then where are my matches and the insurance companies phone number...

I replaced the lower ball joints, inner and outer tie rods, and axles. I guess has anyone got a good thread for the steering rack?

90_civichatch

I've have this issue on my 96' now but I've had it before. It's more than likely the upper ball joints its like something with pivots maybe.. But when you take the turn since the ball joint is bad it bottoms out as soon ad you enter the turn before your steering rack gets that far in its travel pattern and that's why it feels like your drifting. Sorry for the run on sentence...lol

DCRB

couple things i didn't see mentioned. How old are your ball joints? both upper and lower. those wearing out will cause the knuckle to be able to move. how are your wheel bearings? nice and tight? jack the front of the car up off the ground, grab the wheel at 12 and 6 o'clock, then 9 and 3 and try to move it in and out. it should be tight.

also while you have the car up in the air (make sure you use jack stands!!!!!!!!!!!!) start the car and put it in gear. look for any moving parts that aren't spinning perfectly.

Tyson

i realize this is an old thread, but as i read thru it, i cant believe it took so many posts until this came up.

seriously, the rack end bushing is the most common cause of play in the steering and suspension clunking.