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My 98 Contour is shaking! HELP!

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pinionlc

New CEG'er
Joined
Jun 5, 2006
Messages
19
It seems that for the past couple of weeks my 98 contour has been giving me the shakes....literally.

I don't drive it too much so I let the problem go for a while, but now I am sick of it.

Here is the background info....I have on it new front roaters and brakes, and 4 new tires. I noticed that a week after the new tires the front right tire started knocking at low speeds. Discovered that the outer tie rod was bad and replaced it during a front end alignment. After the alignment it seems that I am now getting a knocking from the driver's side front tire, or in that general area.

While coasting I hear no noise and the car drives like butter.....but when accelerating, especially over 30 mph, there is a semi-violent to violent shaking of the car. I have read some threads and have decided this might be a strut, wheel bearing (which I don't know how to replace), or maybe a motor mount is bad? Because as I said, this only happens on acceleration. Thanks for any advice.
 
Check your front and rear engine mounts (aka roll resistors). In addition, do the o'clock test to determine if it is the wheel bearing or lower ball joint.

O'clock test

Jack up the car one side. Place on jack stand.

Grasp wheel at 12 and 6 o'clock and push in and out. Any movement, most probably suspect wheel bearing.

9 and 3 o'clock - tie-rod/ball joint.

Lower the car and do the same for the other side.
 
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I was always told to pull the bottom and then the top. Not both at the same time. Kinda like u want to wiggle the wheel off. If it wiggles then it is lose.

But remember the steering wheel will move with the wheel as u move it side to side :cool:
 
Sorry to hijack the thread but since the topic of checking motor mounts came up, what exactly would I look for to determine if the mounts are "worn"? Low rpm part-throttle acceleration and sudden lift off cause an annoying bucking in my SVT that I'd love to alleviate.

*EDIT* Tony, I saw your picture of old and new trans mounts in another thread when I did some searching, but is there any way to tell if they're bad without removing them? You said they were compressed 3/4 inch, how thick should they be? This job can be done without special tools or a hoist, correct? (I do have a floor jack.) TIA.
 
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Ok, pulled the tire off today and saw this...I could tell right off that this was causing the problem, but I don't know what it is....it is right behind the wheel.

IMG_7413.jpg


IMG_7412.jpg
 
Harrry said:
I was always told to pull the bottom and then the top. Not both at the same time. Kinda like u want to wiggle the wheel off. If it wiggles then it is lose.
..
Click to expand...
That is correct. But chances of anybody being able to push/pull both ends with the same force at the same time is almost nil.
 
rollinstylee said:
Sorry to hijack the thread but since the topic of checking motor mounts came up, what exactly would I look for to determine if the mounts are "worn"? Low rpm part-throttle acceleration and sudden lift off cause an annoying bucking in my SVT that I'd love to alleviate.

*EDIT* Tony, I saw your picture of old and new trans mounts in another thread when I did some searching, but is there any way to tell if they're bad without removing them? You said they were compressed 3/4 inch, how thick should they be? This job can be done without special tools or a hoist, correct? (I do have a floor jack.) TIA.
Click to expand...
Ben, I'm not sure about the tranny to driver fender mount for the MTX but it sounds like you need to check the rear engine mount (roll resistor). Jack it up, crawl under and look up from the firewall area just next to the subframe. If it is bad, it is probably "sqooshed". There was a picture of one in the old forums. I will post if I find it.

Edit. Picture of front and rear engine mounts (roll resistors).
http://www.contour.org/ubbthreads/s...er=1191194&page=&view=&sb=5&o=&fpart=all&vc=1
 
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pinionlc said:
Ok, pulled the tire off today and saw this...I could tell right off that this was causing the problem, but I don't know what it is....it is right behind the wheel.
..
Click to expand...
CV joint. It is cheaper just to get a whole side of the axle.
 
The whole side of an axle is cheaper?? I wonder why that is....could you elaborate??

Just got back from Autozone, price for CV axle is 170, but with a 60 dollar core charge. I don't think I would try to put this on myself, so I will prob take it to a place that does alignments and see if they can manage it....any other sugestions?
 
pinionlc said:
The whole side of an axle is cheaper?? I wonder why that is....could you elaborate??

...?
Click to expand...
Sorry, I should have been clearer. If you send it to a shop, it is cheaper to just change the axle. There is less labor to just change the axle than the CV joint. With just the CV joint, they have to "tie-up" the boot bands and what nots.

Edit. Did you check how much Autozone charges just for the CV joint?
 
Yes, I did ask Autozone what the price of the CV axle/joint (isnt the axle/joint the same thing).....the total price is 170, minus a 60 dollar core to total about 110.
 
Replaced the CV axle today at firestone, 214 includes parts and labor....thanks to all that helped...its running smoooooth now.
 
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