SOS. In dire need of info. Nobody knows whats wrong. What is this? Why is alignment always screwed up and no answer for why? Im about to give up.

Birdie

Birdie

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Miles City MT
I am insanely frustrated and looking at trading it off. Yall on the forum are truly my last hope.
Car has been repeatedly having issues despite a bottomless pit of visits to every shop in town who will take it and "repairs"... It immediately goes to toe in, and I believe the term is "negative camber"??? Slanted inward. Sometimes the wheel plays around and it makes noises, alignment done repeatedly and that slaps a bandaid on the noises for awhile, it goes back within a day or two. I cannot afford this bs anymore. I also cant rely on it for transportation across state to get medical care bc this is always an issue. Ive had 6 people look under while its up in the air, plus the person who aligns it too, and they tell me nothings messed up or that they dont know whats wrong. Just usually "I noticed it needs realigned something awful though" and I am at this point of well yes but WHY? Nobody knows, not even when its on a lift. But I have gotten down on my belly the best I can and looked to see this is messed up (see attached photo).
What the heck?!?! WHY can nobody diagnose this?? Im trying but shouldnt have to, Im doing my best and seem to get farther from any answers the more I try. I assume the mechanics have degrees/certifications so why is the actual problem such a unicorn to find? This is literally the first and ONLY thing I myself am able to see when I can get down to look but its obviously "not right"...
Yall, why is this happening? What do I buy/tell a mechanic to sort out??? Im seriously at the end of my rope with this thing, SOS. I cannot afford the endless money, stress, and lack of a vehicle because of the runaround Im getting with its alignment always being shitty.

Screenshot_20230715-015041_Gallery.jpg
 
OK, I'll bite: has any of the front suspension been replaced at all? If yes, approximately how long ago?
 
HRLNKN said:
OK, I'll bite: has any of the front suspension been replaced at all? If yes, approximately how long ago?
Click to expand...
No front. Im told the front is fine and no damage or inconsistencies. Its this one specific back wheel being dumb and one guy who checked it out did admit that ones messed up and not in fact fine but he doesnt know why. The car sits lower in back, especially that side and Im not sure why or if that is even related to the rest of this, but the front still feels relatively stable and stays in alignment decently.
 
HRLNKN said:
OK, I'll bite: has any of the front suspension been replaced at all? If yes, approximately how long ago?
Click to expand...
Sometimes that one back one plays around and makes banging noise like its going to straight up come off, wobbles doing city speed limit and even at low speeds in a parking lot it has that wobble. Ive gotten out and had my partner get in and let it roll so I can see from behind, it wiggles around. Explained this to professionals before and I get "Oh needs aligned" and that solves just the noise and wobbling for a little while but still crooked :/ bad wheel bearing was declared a rule out by more than one of these mechanics yet they have no idea what the problem actually is. I know nothing and have zero point of reference. This is getting beyond frustrating >.<
 
You need front lower control arms at the minimum! I don't care what they are saying. You have the prime symptoms of the lower control arm bushings failing. I'm sure that you need the knuckles and upper arms too, as well as the upper and lower control arms in the rear. More than that, you need the rear toe-links. Sorry... Continue to waste money on alignments, get rid of it, or fix it. These are your options.
 
joegr said:
You need front lower control arms at the minimum! I don't care what they are saying. You have the prime symptoms of the lower control arm bushings failing. I'm sure that you need the knuckles and upper arms too, as well as the upper and lower control arms in the rear. More than that, you need the rear toe-links. Sorry... Continue to waste money on alignments, get rid of it, or fix it. These are your options.
Click to expand...
Agree
 
Hey Birdie, just wanted to be sure I understand completely. You have a 2003 LS V8 with ORIGINAL suspension parts on it? Like, the 1st set it left the factory with? From 2002/2003? 20 year old parts?
 
Birdie said:
I am insanely frustrated and looking at trading it off. Yall on the forum are truly my last hope.
Car has been repeatedly having issues despite a bottomless pit of visits to every shop in town who will take it and "repairs"... It immediately goes to toe in, and I believe the term is "negative camber"??? Slanted inward. Sometimes the wheel plays around and it makes noises, alignment done repeatedly and that slaps a bandaid on the noises for awhile, it goes back within a day or two. I cannot afford this bs anymore. I also cant rely on it for transportation across state to get medical care bc this is always an issue. Ive had 6 people look under while its up in the air, plus the person who aligns it too, and they tell me nothings messed up or that they dont know whats wrong. Just usually "I noticed it needs realigned something awful though" and I am at this point of well yes but WHY? Nobody knows, not even when its on a lift. But I have gotten down on my belly the best I can and looked to see this is messed up (see attached photo).
What the heck?!?! WHY can nobody diagnose this?? Im trying but shouldnt have to, Im doing my best and seem to get farther from any answers the more I try. I assume the mechanics have degrees/certifications so why is the actual problem such a unicorn to find? This is literally the first and ONLY thing I myself am able to see when I can get down to look but its obviously "not right"...
Yall, why is this happening? What do I buy/tell a mechanic to sort out??? Im seriously at the end of my rope with this thing, SOS. I cannot afford the endless money, stress, and lack of a vehicle because of the runaround Im getting with its alignment always being shitty.

View attachment 828577825
Click to expand...
I agree if it’s “ original “ your suspension is worn to the point of potentially failing
Take it easy driving it till you can start replacing parts
Save an alignment for last when repairs are completed
 
I'm gonna guess that one of the lower control arm bushings has failed on the drivers side rear... and is putting extra stress on other components (the plastic inside the bushing crumbles).

This is a known issue... and usually the fix is a new control arm. Probably why the rear toe links are shot too.
 
Birdie...

Sorry to say this, but you probably need to do a full suspension rebuild.

Upper and lower control arms (both front and rear)... front steering knuckles (which include new ball joints)... rear toe links... sway bar links, etc.

So basically a complete suspension replacement (except for the coil springs) which would include shocks too.

Be glad that the LS has aftermarket suspension components at this point... but don't buy the cheapest parts you find. The cheap ones don't last very long.
 
And I now see that the pic is of an outer tie rod end. The steering rack also has an inner tie rod end that will go bad too over time.

And yes... I think Joe is right about replacing the front lower control arms... at the minimum.

But that probably means the upper control arms are probably bad too.
 
I don't think Birdie is coming back, although, I do find it hard to fully believe that all the garages he brought the LS to never once told'em that the suspension was shot & needed replacements. Alignments won't help when all the bushings in (possibly) everything suspension related are that worn
 
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