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Chrysler Pacifica shakes but then goes away


smokin5s

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So my wife's car has developed a new problem... it shakes (not a violent shake) but will shake for a little bit and then go away. I noticied it the other day cruising around 60mph, I slowed down at a light then sped back up and the shaking went away.... any idea what it could be?
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I've had those symptoms with bad tie rod ends. I'd imagine any bad ball joint in a suspension could cause that symptom, especially if it were the component connected to the knuckle.

 

I've also had that failure mode (i.e. 'shaking'/knocking sometimes but sometimes not) with a bad drive shaft (donut that holds the u-joint on a 2 piece drive shaft was bad). But to a much different effect than the bad suspension components.

 

I'd imagine any worn component like that could cause an issue like this. If it get's into a 'mode' it can shake, but if it doesn't, it won't. With the drive shaft it depended on load. With the suspension components I'm imagining it depends on where the part is sitting e.g. if it's all the way one way it it's play it won't have issues, but if it's the other way it will cause the suspension to go into a resonant mode. If that makes sense.

 

Whole car shaking or coming from one wheel?

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I litterally just put on new heavy duty tie rod ends.

 

any idea how to test the different suspension components to narrow down what it could be?

 

Would this also explain why we've had it in twice in the past month to get aligned and they can't seem to get it right?

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Our Pacifica has been a maintenance nightmare.

 

I put outer tie rods on it, then the inners went bad, now the outers are bad again. The outers didn't last 14K miles (less than a year). I had Derek replace them with lifetime parts. I know they won't last forever, but he'll replace them when they fail. :)

there are also bushings and a rack that can go bad (and will).

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what kind of shake....tires have to much air?

 

struts i have seen bind up and cause this aswell...

 

 

 

road force balance the tires and take it to derrick for the alignment.

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I litterally just put on new heavy duty tie rod ends.

 

any idea how to test the different suspension components to narrow down what it could be?

 

Would this also explain why we've had it in twice in the past month to get aligned and they can't seem to get it right?

 

Yes it very well could explain it. If there is still parts with play in them then doing an alignment is pointless. Random vibrations are most likely worn parts, vibration at any certain speed is usually a balance problem.

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I litterally just put on new heavy duty tie rod ends.

any idea how to test the different suspension components to narrow down what it could be?

Would this also explain why we've had it in twice in the past month to get aligned and they can't seem to get it right?

 

Yes it very well could explain it. If there is still parts with play in them then doing an alignment is pointless. Random vibrations are most likely worn parts, vibration at any certain speed is usually a balance problem.

 

but as I explained to Josh today, tire vibration issues are there and stay there, they dont come and go away. These pacificas are some of the most money gobbling cars on the road. In Josh's case the vibration was coming from his rear tires.. one had 12 psi one had 18. a tire perfectly balanced but not properly inflated will develop a shake.

 

As far as the alignment goes LF toe was off .06 degrees which could be any number of things upto and including what way the tie rod was pointing when the last guy set the alignment. At the end of each alignment adjustment, you are to jounce the front end or equalize the rotational socket of the joint. this helps set everything level for an accurate measurement.

 

josh's front and rear ends are tight as tight can be. As were Eli's last time I checked them.

 

I've seen intermittent vibrations from any of the following

front cv joints/axles

driveshafts/ carrier bearings

bad spot in a shock or strut.

 

The only thing to do is rule out the tires and wheels first because thats the cheapest/ easiest thing to do.

 

I'm not sure if Josh is still getting any vibration after today, but Eli you're welcome to send your wife back up and we'll check the balance on the tires.

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but as I explained to Josh today, tire vibration issues are there and stay there, they dont come and go away. These pacificas are some of the most money gobbling cars on the road. In Josh's case the vibration was coming from his rear tires.. one had 12 psi one had 18. a tire perfectly balanced but not properly inflated will develop a shake.

 

As far as the alignment goes LF toe was off .06 degrees which could be any number of things upto and including what way the tie rod was pointing when the last guy set the alignment. At the end of each alignment adjustment, you are to jounce the front end or equalize the rotational socket of the joint. this helps set everything level for an accurate measurement.

 

josh's front and rear ends are tight as tight can be. As were Eli's last time I checked them.

 

I've seen intermittent vibrations from any of the following

front cv joints/axles

driveshafts/ carrier bearings

bad spot in a shock or strut.

 

The only thing to do is rule out the tires and wheels first because thats the cheapest/ easiest thing to do.

 

I'm not sure if Josh is still getting any vibration after today, but Eli you're welcome to send your wife back up and we'll check the balance on the tires.

 

Like I said Derek bad parts are a possibility, I wasn't specific because there are more then just tie rods and ball joints. We are on the same page I think.

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lean towards the center while you drive................................................................................................................................

I know I'm not the weight I was before I got married, but I hope it's not enough to make the car pull to the left :p

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I know I'm not the weight I was before I got married, but I hope it's not enough to make the car pull to the left :p

 

by no means am I implying that I think you're overwieight, but I am saying even 100 pounds can throw off an alignment..especially in a case like yours where the camber split is already out of spec to the left..add body weight and its that much more compounding on the final result of how it drives...that may be the next step with yours..i'd don't know of its you or your wife that primarily drives the car, but we may need to mimic that to fine tune the alignment....cars are picky bitches

Edited by TurboRust
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it's my wife's car... 130lbs I think it has to be something to do with the tires... it used to pull to the right, change the tires around, now it pulls to the right... just a thought
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Sell the car. Get an import!

last time I checked, imports can have tires loose air on them as well as have issues with alignments... (BTW, that car drove straight as an arrow until I let the NTB at Marion do an alignment on it and now we can't get it right.

 

Derek, I had my wife drive it with my fat ass in the passanger seat and it still pulled to the left.

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last time I checked, imports can have tires loose air on them as well as have issues with alignments... (BTW, that car drove straight as an arrow until I let the NTB at Marion do an alignment on it and now we can't get it right.

 

Derek, I had my wife drive it with my fat ass in the passanger seat and it still pulled to the left.

If you can rotate your two front tires left to right and right to left. and see if it then pulls right.

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