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Thread: Wobbly back end after lowering

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  1. #1

    Wobbly back end after lowering

    A few months ago I lowered my 9G (2007 SE) Galant with Eibach Pro springs and brand new struts (Monroe). It dropped the car pretty good in the back (about 2in from wheel well) and a bit in the front (4-5in? from wheel well). I didn't do an alignment.
    The car drove fine afterwards. I even took a 1600mi trip to MT (windey roads at high speeds (90mph+)) and the car felt better then ever, but recently (about 2000 miles after lowering) I've noticed a few times the back end gets a really scary wobbling feeling. I can't explain it extremely well, but it's similar to if I hit a patch of ice going really fast only at the back end. Even though it's only for a few seconds at the time it's pretty scary, like I don't have a lot of control and it feels like the car is going to flip or something. I can't pinpoint exactly when it happens. I drive about 20 miles each way to work and it's happened a handful of times to various degrees on different parts of the road at different speeds. It's always only during traveling at 50mph + though.

    I'm worried I didn't tighten everything down enough or something, but I'm a pretty big stickler of heavy tightening and spent all day doing the strut/spring job. I've relooked under the car and nothing feels loose at least to a hands touch. Should I break out my tools and try to retighten?

    The online reading I've done sounds like I either need to get an alignment done, or my axels aren't handling the drop. Anyone have any experience with this? I'm going to a dealership across the street tomorrow to hopefully get an alignment done and 2 new tires. I'll see if that fixes it, but if not I wanted to ask around on here for any advice.

    Here's some pictures, I'll try to upload better ones up close as someone on here earlier mentioned they couldn't get a good picture of the drop from these.



  2. #2
    Torque everything to spec under there and go get an alignment


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    AWD Converted Forward Facing 6466 E85 EVO 8 ECU Powered 2003 Galant

  3. #3
    TGC Lifetime Patron oakrdrs187's Avatar
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    Monroe shocks are a P. O. S

    Even on stock springs I've seen them blow within the day. Should have went with KYB. I'll bet money the shocks are gone.

  4. #4
    Bleh, I rotated my tires and checked the bolts for everything accessible back there. Everything was tight, but when I yank on the springs I can shift them away from the strut a tiny bit. Not sure how to phrase that better... I'm trying to say the springs don't seem to be compressed strong enough. Guessing this is a case of being an idiot and not tightening the bolt on the top of the strut enough. I had problems with the fronts not getting tight enough and had to take it to a shop to have then hit with with an air ratchet. I did the backs by hand and they seemed tight enough, but apparently I was dangerously wrong.
    I'll tear the back seats out and see if I can tighten that nut any better. If not I'll take the backs off and bring them into the shop again to have them use the air ratchet on it too. I hate not having more tools, but it's tough without a garage to store them.

  5. #5
    You need some torque wrenchs.

  6. #6
    TGC Lifetime Patron oakrdrs187's Avatar
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    Could be the problem. Or those Monroes are done. I have one of mine lowered on KYB GR2s and Tein S Tech springs and there is definitely no play in the springs.

  7. #7
    I'm thinking it's more likely that I just didn't torque the nut down enough. When I did the fronts by hand I couldn't even break the plastic bushing in the nut before the spindle started to rotate. I remember the backs I could get past that plastic part so I just assumed it was fine, which I really think is the error. I'm buying a torque wrench on the 8th (20% discount then) and I'll crank em down and see from there. If I have to switch out the struts the wrench will make the process a thousand times easier anyway.

  8. #8
    Torque them down, drive it again. If the problem persists, remove and reinstall.

  9. #9
    What do you think about getting an alignment done? Is that necessary after changing out all 4 struts/springs?

  10. #10
    Yeah usually you want to do that. It's not as needed as a tie rod change would be but still is recommended


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    AWD Converted Forward Facing 6466 E85 EVO 8 ECU Powered 2003 Galant

  11. #11
    Yeah usually you want to do that. It's not as needed as a tie rod change would be but still is recommended


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

    AWD Converted Forward Facing 6466 E85 EVO 8 ECU Powered 2003 Galant

  12. #12
    Good idea to align the car after lowering because ride height affects camber, caster, toe, etc...

  13. #13
    My lady picked up this for $80 with her discount! Here's to hoping it gets the job done. I'm pretty stoked to have one of these though even if it's pretty entry level.

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