Okay, for like the last week I've been having a problem and I can't pin it down so I thought I'd throw it out to you guys. When I'm driving and hit a bump, the car seems to lose it's footing. Like, it shakes and bounces over the bump instead of taking it. It isn't a lowrider bounce, like the whole car as one unit bounces around and slips. It's really hard to explain. Also, if I'm lightly accelerating while hitting a bump the tires spin out and screech, almost like the rear of the car loses it. I know I'm not explaining it right, but anyone have any idea what I'm talking about? This is a recent change, I don't know if it's my suspension, my tires, or what.

FYI - 96 GXE with 70k.

Thanks,
Chris

 

Do you have any suspension upgrades? If the struts are still stock, it's possible they are worn and that would explain the bouncing.... ?
My car gets thrown around a bit when going over bumps too, the steering wheel gets hard to control, it's loose and starts to turn hard by itself, I was told it's the control arm bushings when I took it in for an alignment...

 

It is still the stock suspension which makes me wonder about the struts... but your last description sounds a lot like what I'm experiencing. Anyone know the deal with a control arm bushing repair?

 

from personal experience, you struts are probably gone. if the front are out, it gets real bouncy, but when the rears are out, then you start losing traction and control. when my rears when out, i always lost traction, my wheels would spin and my rear would sway out a little. to test the struts, just push down on the car while parked on the rear and the font at seperate times. the car should return to its normal position immediately, if it bouces up and down a few times, then your struts are out. if you do plan on keeping stock suspension, i would get monroe sensatrac struts, they worked perfect with my stock springs and they are one of the cheapest. right now they have buy 3 get on free. good luck

 

All I know is that from driving my dad's old '91 Max when the struts/shocks went bad, I had a definite feel of poor control. I can't say it was bouncing all over the place but it felt like I didn't have good control of the car when it was in motion. Very scary and not at all fun to drive.

CW

 

did you find out exactly what your problem was ? I'm having the same exact problem, I know my struts are out, and that's why she bounces uncontrollably over bumps, but did replacing the struts help the grinding scratchy noise that you hear when you hit bumps ? Furthermore, my car--sometimes (it comes and goes)-- makes that same scratchy grinding noise when I accelerate, but only when accelerating. Never while in neutral or park when I rev it up.

 

You just bumped a 16 year old thread. Read the dates please.