[Healeys] Front end shake - an anecdote

[Steve B. Gerow]

My car had a front end shake a couple of years ago similar to that described here, as well as, I think, the dreaded cowl shake at around 70mph. It turned out to be front end bushings.

IMHO the easiest way to check out the front end is to jack up the car and support it by the spring pans with the wheels off the ground. This way the strain is off the suspension components and you can jiggle everything in the suspension and steering and see where the play is. You can also check the adjustment of your front wheel bearings at the same time.

In my case the upper trunnion bushings were completely gone but the kingpins were perfect, as were the tie rod ball joints. The car actually rode pretty well, considering the upper trunnions consisted of 1/2" bolts rattling around in 3/4" holes!

I replaced the upper trunnion bushings as well as the lower A-arm bushings and all the shaking disappeared.

-- 
Steve Gerow
Pasadena, CA
BN6