My maxima's felt a lot less stable over the last 60-100k.

Whenever I follow a large truck doing 70mph or so, (not real close, but not real far back either), I feel my car wagging back and forth just a bit. I know it's the turbulent air coming off the truck, but what surprises me is how loose it makes my car feel. It will do this even if I hold my knee against a steering hand to be sure I have the wheel absolutely steady. Almost like there is something worn or loose in the rear suspension. Am I the only one?

FWIW, my Maxima has 190k, new spring perches and rubber on all 4 corners, 70k miles on Tokico Blues, SE springs, properly aligned, front wheel bearings, tie rods and ends, new front control arms and swaybar bushings, and good summer tires at 34psi.

I'm beginning to wonder if I should be replacing the rear axle link and trailing arm bushings.

Dave

 

does it happen when you don't drive behind a semi? i'm a truck driver and when i tailgate for some fuel saving my truck and trailer sways from side to side too, pretty normal.
i know it's illegal but try to get close to the trailer (within 8 ft), then you're in the dead zone when there's almost no air resistance be careful though, most of us don't like it and if there's a blowout your car might get pretty f'd up.

 

I don't think there is anything alarming about that.

I think it depends on the truck you are following. Certain trucks have a bigger deadzone than others (just speaking out loud from those highway experiences).

I've seen this at least twice. A motorcycle comes in behind a truck and starts wobbling all over the place. (it's pretty scary to watch).

 

I'm not worried about the deadzone behind a truck. What seems unusual is the amount my car (compared to other vehicles we own) sways when there is a crosswind or you're in a turbulent deadzone.

When I first bought this car I was impressed with how rock solid it was, particularly on the highway. Now, 140k and 8 years later it feels much less stable and precise. I replaced many of the parts listed above simply to try and cure this vague feeling. I don't think they were wasted parts because all of them are wearing maintenance items, but none of them did much to restore the firm solid ride I remember.

I'm beginning to wonder about the rear trailing arm bushings, control arm, and lateral link. I've looked at those bushings on the car before and seen nothing noteworthy, but maybe it's worth taking it all apart for a serious inspection. (It's not like I'll lose my alignment)

Dave

 

well im no experts but could be just your car showing wear and tear...i mean a car with 190k will have some worn out parts especially in the steering department....maybe just maybe it shows up and becomes more noticeable during those times...just a poke in the dark

 

the dead zone is within a few feet behind a truck with a box trailer, no turbulence there and that's why so many people tailgate with today's gas prices. it doesn't matter how heavy and steady of a car/truck you have...sidewinds will allways toss you around a bit. i have a new bonneville with a tight suspension and still swerve when i get hit from the side.

...maybe it's not the car but you getting older and less sharp is the problem

 

Do you have alignment numbers to compare? Caster tends to be pretty sensitive on our cars with respect to highway stability and shimmy/wandering issues.

 

Dave -

My car feels pretty tight on the road, but I only have 114k on the clock too. You noted new suspension and rubber at the corners and new bushings up front, perhaps you are onto something about the rear stability issue. Try this ... drive backwards on the hiway and see if it still happens. LOL No, really ... all kidding aside, maybe it is perception and over thinking the issue. Does your wife notice it too? Have you done anything to lessen the weight of the car? If so ... that might play a part. When I drive my friends Evo, it is all over the road ... lighter car, lower profile tires. Are you running stock rims / tire size? If not ... that might play a part in the feeling.

Another thought is air temp. The warmer the air, the more turbulant it will be. Does it do it worse on warm or cold days? How long has it been feeling this way? (I know .. you said last 60k - 100k, but I don't know how much you drive in a "season") (I'm sure Allen puts that many miles on his truck in a LOT less time than we do our cars!)

 

I can feel it when I am behind a semi on the Interstate and get a certain distance from it, I think all cars will do it to some degree.

 

That's normal! It can be even scarier with your windows down! As long as you've got new or struts that are in good condition, I won't lose sleep over this. It's worst in a smaller vehicle, it feels like it's gonna go airborne....

 

Hey, it's possible you just have newer, better engineered cars to compare it to now?

But I'd check out those bushings, that was the first thing that came to my mind. Get the alignment checked for the hell of it, and if it turns out that you have zero toe in the rear then I'll trade you beams.

 

My cars have done this. I believe its the air and how it flows on the sides on the semi and what happens afterwards. You are in that zone where there is turbelence from the air passing by the truck. I cant explain it fully but if the truck was to speed through a cloud of smoke you would see that smoke on each side of the semi trailor whirl inward behind the trailor after its passed through. Thats what your car is feeling when it is driving at highway speeds. When I feel that I back away, because I feel like Im too close then.

 

the hand drawn lines on represent air...i know i have no talent
hope this explains the basics:

 

Thats what you are feeling.

 

I dont think my Maxima does that anymore then my Camry or Tacoma... so I'd say it'd be normal.

Kruso

 

when you are behind another vehicle your car loses the wind which is required to maintain its aerodynamics.

 

Thanks for the pretty pictures everyone. The aerodynamics of following a truck was not the point. I figured everyone would know about that.

The problem is how much my car pushes around when something as mild as aerodynamic turbulence is working on the car. It feels as if the rear end of the car is looser than it used to be and that why I'm thinking rear suspension. My wife's big'ol Ford Escape tracks more solidly and it's much less aerodynamic.

It can also be felt when driving over uneven road and crosswinds. But the turbulence behind a truck is where it's most obvious.

Dave

 

A truck weighs more so its effected less by the turbulance. All of my cars have done this brand new or old. One thing I have found that helps quite a bit is wider wheels. My 99 max would wiggle like a snake behind a semi and when passing a semi the draft off the front of the truck would push me over. After putting on some 8.5 inch wide wheels/tires I dont even notice the draft when I pass and wiggling in the rear draft is much less.

 

Yeah, most any car will sway when behind a tractor trailer, but your car is getting up there in age and miles. My Max has almost 160K, but still feels pretty tight fortunately.

 

I have done some "drafting" without any swaying. I've got suspension, 18x8 and 235/40s... alignment is crap but obviously the rear is fine.

I take it you haven't had your beam bent and/or boxed?

 

at that mileage id start looking to replace some bushings, ive had really sloppy cars tighen right up with just bushing being replaced. and es bushings are a cheap way to increase hadling, altho usually only a little bit imo.

 

If you think something is abnormal than just jack up your vehicle and inspect it instead of posting for an answer......

 

Man Dave...I've already PMed you but looking at your old threads makes me think our cars are twins. There's something definitely going on that most everyone wants to rule out as normal or not a big issue, but we know that something's not right.

And back on-topic, when I pass a truck, my car feels like it's a boat.

 

under certain circumstances..

 

I dont know dude...I cant say I've ever felt what you're describing. I used to do it a lot back in high school when I had my 88 & 89 Honda Acccord and I never experienced this. Those were 2700 lbs cars with 13 and 14 inch wheels.

My current Maxima has 317k miles and it does not do that, however my rear struts have been showing signs of wear by bottoming out when I have two 275 lbs friends in the back seat and go over a bump but it still does not do this.

Sometimes when I suddenly accelerate it will pull to one side or on certain roads the wheel wont be straight but I just think the alignment wasnt done all that great.