Front suspension/steering

[kdm0604]

Bought a 1988 Best Seller and replaced everything in the front end. Two lingering problems. Steering wheel wobbles (back and forth) at about 45 mph and then seems to level out. Returns a little at 65(feels more like wheel balance), levels out at 70. I know I need a lower steering column bearing. The second issue is a godawful vibration noise coming from the passenger front. Sounds like loose heat shield on the catalytic converter, dust shield on the brakes, spring rubbing in the strut assembly. Typically is heard first gear starting out, or under hard load at low rpms and tight left turns. Did not have this noise before complete rebuild of the front steering/suspension. Ideas?

[Briano1234]

mm Wheel bearings for the vibration if you have had the tires balanced.
Lower steering column bushing slides out shove it back in place and secure with a hose clamp and say fixed. The bearings are NLA and made of unobtanium.

You may have bent the dust shield. Remove the tire and place the car in neutral and check for gridage... I have also seen the brake caliper bolts come loose and the caliper can rattle on the wheel.

Could be a CV joint that is going out for both issues. If it is a grind or pop on a turn from a stop, then that is usually the CV.

[kdm0604]

Thanks, Brian. I will pull the wheel and check the caliper and dust shield.

Coming home from a drive the other evening the headlights went out. Drove home holding the high beams on. Didn't up upset too many folks. But as I was checking the low beam fuses, I noticed that the aforementioned unobtanium lower steering bushing did in fact need to be reset. Thanks for that tip. Wasn't the fuses afterall. The light switch plug had come loose. Reconnected and away we go! Am planning to use kamzcab86 other forum link for installing relays soon.

Could've had an Audi TT or BMW Z3, for what I now have invested, but those wouldn't look too good with all the other VW's in the drivveway. And, I have seen many of those on the road, but not another single cabby. Not one.

[Briano1234]

Use 3 relays and get the maximum amount of lights on the front end.
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=3111

How I did the relays.
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2759&p=24921&hilit= ... lay#p24921