I have a 2003 with 38,000 miles on it. I am experiencing what I will call "rubbery-ness" in the front suspension. I get a little trammeling on uneven surfaces. The car has never been hit or hit anything. My tires are Bridgestone REO1R in standard AP1 sizes. I am on CR shocks and springs and have been for a few years. The rubbery-ness is a new condition.

I have put the front on jack stands and retightened the suspension bolts with the suspension loaded with a floor jack. Everything was still at the correct torque spec.

I get a little movement in the compliance bushings. I seems to be the same amount on both the right and the left. I get about a 1/4 to a 1/2 inch up and down movement. The bushings are not ripped.

So my question is how much movement is too much?

Thanks.

 

1/4" is way too much.

Is this movement by hand, with front on jack stands? Or are you using a tool to try and force movement (like a prybar or jack)?

Even with the age of the rubber, with those few miles its very surprising these bushings are that bad.

Did you discount double check your tire pressures? This car is very sensitive to that. Also alignment sensitive. Also sensitive to old tires, which can have warped belts.

 

The quarter inch movement is with a pry bar with the car on jack stands and the suspension loaded with a floor jack.

 

check if they are torn or anything.

i am selling complaince bolts in case yours are seized

 

Check the steering rack, the bushes, and bolts. You could have loose compliance bushing locknuts. I don't care what anyone says, these alignment locknuts are one time use parts. You can re-use them but you have to go beyond factory torque specs otherwise they'll work themselves loose. 99% of people that get alignments on these cars don't replace the locknuts, myself included.

 

What alignment locknuts are you talking about?

 

The eccentric adjuster ones. Some industrial autoclaves that I validate use similar type of self-locking nut, and the techs have to document how many times the nuts are re-torqued. After the 10th time they have to be replaced, because each re-tightening has to be original spec +8-12ft lbs depending on the nut material used. I noticed something similar in my car, I kept losing my alignment when I tightened the locknuts to specs, granted I bought the car used and had probably been aligned several times before I owned it. It stopped when I went +30ft lbs on the locknuts, and even more-so when I replaced the control arms and got brand new locknuts.

 

^that's correct. Locknuts wear out. But I don't think that's the cause of OP's issue. It likely is compliance bushings. Mileage is low. But they may have torn due to age if the car is lowered.

OP also may need just an alignment or to check his tire PSI.

 

My car is not lowered (CR shocks and springs) and tire pressure is 32 PSI all around.

I am having a tough time believing the compliance bushings are bad at 38,000 miles on a car that is garaged. The garage never goes above 78 or below 45 degrees.

I am starting to think the tires may be to blame. I think the REO1Rs may have hardened off. They were older stock when I bought them from Tire Rack, when they sold them out to make way for the RE11.

I have a set of all seasons on extra AP1 wheels I use for winter (though the car has never seen salt or snow). I am going to put those on and see how the car behaves.

Thanks for the replies so far.