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Hello all, I have an interesting issue and wanted to get some feedback from people about what would be causing this rear end sway.
the sway happens mostly over imperfections on the road and makes the back end feel loose and boat like, moving side to side.
I had this issue, then I switched the Supra lowering springs and suspension, and it went away.
Now I put different wheels on and stock Supra springs and it came back over a few days.
I checked my sway bar bushings, they are good, and the end links are tight. I put the rear end in the air and shook the tire (hands at 6 and 12) and there’s a slight amount of play, but the tires (came with the wheels) do have camber wear.
Are the tires directional? Sometimes hitting a bump directional tires will tend to chase over pavement lines. I had Nexen N3000 tires with directional tires or chevrons. After I hit a bump my rear wheels would chase after imperfections. So my rears would pull to the right. Additionally after hitting so many bumps my rear wheels would slide out of alignment so you may want to double check alignment on the rear wheels. Check for unusual wear on the rear tires as well. I'm new to this platform and still learning, so forgive some of my ignorance, just My .02 cents on the matter.
Check your bushings in the rear and your alignment. Odd tire wear can also cause this. However, Tallyhoe is right - I run relatively sticky Falkens on my SC and with it being lowered it does tend to "chase" or follow ruts and imperfections in the road to some degree.
Are the tires directional? Sometimes hitting a bump directional tires will tend to chase over pavement lines. I had Nexen N3000 tires with directional tires or chevrons. After I hit a bump my rear wheels would chase after imperfections. So my rears would pull to the right. Additionally after hitting so many bumps my rear wheels would slide out of alignment so you may want to double check alignment on the rear wheels. Check for unusual wear on the rear tires as well. I'm new to this platform and still learning, so forgive some of my ignorance, just My .02 cents on the matter.
the tires aren’t directional, but it’s not really imperfections that are being chased more of disrupted after hitting the dip or whatever in the road. I would go get the alignment, but I have the feeling they will say replace your tires first, which might not solve the issue.
Check your bushings in the rear and your alignment. Odd tire wear can also cause this. However, Tallyhoe is right - I run relatively sticky Falkens on my SC and with it being lowered it does tend to "chase" or follow ruts and imperfections in the road to some degree.
which bushings?
sway bar? LCA? All? the car had falkens on the previous wheels and didn’t chase, the issue happened, and then I changed lowered the suspension and it went away. and now that I’ve raised it up slightly, it seems to have come back.
So, you have unusual wear on your tires? If you're assuming the alignment shop is going to tell you to get new tires, either 1 you have an issue in your wheel bearing, or control arms causing excessive wear on your tires. or 2, this shop is incompetent, and you need to find another shop, or get a 2nd opinion.
Doesn't hurt to check all your bushings.. I'm no expert by any stretch, but it may sound like the change in suspension geometry is shifting something on your rear end causing the shifting in your driving experience. Maybe a loose sway bar end link that is shifting at certain heights. Lower height it may be restricted at a certain angle giving it little to no movement, higher height it may have more mobility to move around. In comparison apples to oranges on my personal experience my Celica's driver side front sway bar end link would clunk at low speeds over bumps, but not at speeds, it is lowered, but at speed going over certain roads and after bumps it would shift to the right, but very rarely it would shift to the left. I rarely drove it due to this, until I figured it out while inspecting tie rod ends, and wheel bearings I noticed the sway bar shift. I replaced both end links and the shifting stopped and I drive it more often.
So, you have unusual wear on your tires? If you're assuming the alignment shop is going to tell you to get new tires, either 1 you have an issue in your wheel bearing, or control arms causing excessive wear on your tires. or 2, this shop is incompetent, and you need to find another shop, or get a 2nd opinion.
Doesn't hurt to check all your bushings.. I'm no expert by any stretch, but it may sound like the change in suspension geometry is shifting something on your rear end causing the shifting in your driving experience. Maybe a loose sway bar end link that is shifting at certain heights. Lower height it may be restricted at a certain angle giving it little to no movement, higher height it may have more mobility to move around. In comparison apples to oranges on my personal experience my Celica's driver side front sway bar end link would clunk at low speeds over bumps, but not at speeds, it is lowered, but at speed going over certain roads and after bumps it would shift to the right, but very rarely it would shift to the left. I rarely drove it due to this, until I figured it out while inspecting tie rod ends, and wheel bearings I noticed the sway bar shift. I replaced both end links and the shifting stopped and I drive it more often.
just to clarify, the tire wear was already on the tires that came with the wheels, from camber.
So the edges are worn.
i can check the bushings, that could be the cause. I have checked the sway bar end links and they are tight and the sway bar bushings are good and not worn.
just to clarify, the tire wear was already on the tires that came with the wheels, from camber.
So the edges are worn.
i can check the bushings, that could be the cause. I have checked the sway bar end links and they are tight and the sway bar bushings are good and not worn.
Just for reference did you check the endlinks with a hex or a 14mm while tightening the bolt? I've done this mistake thinking it was tight, when I placed the hex in the center and tightened the nut it wasn't all the way tight. I swapped them out for some new ones that require a 14mm on the back end so I can completely tighten the nut, but if you just tighten the nut it appears to be tight.
So I think I found the issue. I was crawling around underneath trying to make sure everything was tightened up and nothing was loose. And I notice what seems to be a bent traction arm/link.
i think this might be causing the problem. What do you think? If so I’m gonna order a replacement.
lol that'll do it. Replace that arm, check ALL your bushings under there, rear wheel bearings, etc and re-align with good tires. You shouldn't experience that kind of sway in a car like this.
That bent arm probably won't cause your issue, other than it would knock your toe out. But the fact you took a pretty severe lick there means your toe arm, the one above the arm that is bent, probably has a bad ball joint. When it has slack in it, usually from a busted plastic socket inside of the ball joint, it will feel exactly as you describe. They are dainty and tender and any lick can cause it to be loose. It will feel like you have another steering wheel, you will be driving and all of a sudden it will turn a different direction on you. Especially going straight with slight changes in steering inputs. I can post a video from 4 or 5 years ago where my car hit the wall at NCM with a friend of mine behind the wheel due to this issue. I had to drive in a race at Charlotte a few years ago in a friends SC and had the same issue. I can assure you going into Nascar 3 there at speed with this issue makes you question your sanity.
Edit: On second thought, if toe is out a lot from the bent arm I guess it could make the car squirrely and cause what you describe. The bent arm is just an arm with very rigid rubber bushings. It can be straightened and reused as long at the rubber bushings are intact and then take the car to get a corrected alignment. I still say the toe arm is the culprit. Order one of the aftermarket ones available out there, they are better than oem. Much cheaper than buying the Lexus ones which are junk. No more plastic bushing sockets.
04-06-21, 12:24 PM
SC400 Rear End Sway
