Manta Sway

ephillippe · 06-07-2006

Hey Everyone....
Check this out, when I push up and down on the nose of my Manta, aside from the standard up and down movement that I'm used to with my Valiant, I also get a weird front to back of the car swaying about 3-5 times before it stops. It moves almost as if someone is behind the car pushing back and forth as hard as they can in a totally horizontal motion.

Is that a normal movement for these guys?

Thanks as always and best!

baz · 06-07-2006

how much are we talking about ?
for and aft movement is not normal i think its time to look at the bushes ,
how many times does it bounce up and down after you stop pushing on the car btw? it should stop after 1 1/2 cycles if the specs on the shocks are the same as in europe

jerseyopel · 06-07-2006

What pray tell will he find out by looking at the Bushes?????

ephillippe · 06-07-2006

It sways 2-3 times before stopping. It bounces up and down about two times. I'm dead positive that the bushings and everything else are original since I replaced all of the shocks last weekend and not only were the rusted through and unable to decompress, but they still said Opel on them!

Does the swaying point to all of the bushings needing replacement?

guyopel · 06-07-2006

Are you saying that the rear of the car is swaying side to side when slowing down ? Possible broken belt in the tires would cause this . HTH

ephillippe · 06-08-2006

The tires are good (Only about one month old) but the car just doesn't feel as tight as it should. It rocks in really strange ways on non-perfectly flat surfaces. The "sliding" effect is most noticable when the car is parked and its pushed up and down on the nose/rear. I'll start looking at the bushings, does anyone have any suggestions on where/how to start?

baz · 06-08-2006

Originally Posted by jerseyopel

What pray tell will he find out by looking at the Bushes?????

worn out bushes will give funny movement and wobbles on the body

opelwasp · 06-08-2006

Originally Posted by baz

worn out bushes will give funny movement and wobbles on the body

So does too much beer.

DennisGardiner · 06-09-2006

Definitely check the front suspension bushings. Especially the:
- sway bar to lower control arm,
- sway bar to cross member bracket
- lower control arm bushing to cross memeber

Normally bad bushings in the rear of the car would not cause the above
mentioned problem. Usually bad rear bushings cause a wierd (almost seat
of the pants) vibration at freeway speeds.

Dennis
73 Targa
73 Manta (under construction)

06-07-2006	#1 (permalink)
ephillippe Manta Ray Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Alameda, CA Posts: 74	Unanswered: Manta Sway Hey Everyone.... Check this out, when I push up and down on the nose of my Manta, aside from the standard up and down movement that I'm used to with my Valiant, I also get a weird front to back of the car swaying about 3-5 times before it stops. It moves almost as if someone is behind the car pushing back and forth as hard as they can in a totally horizontal motion. Is that a normal movement for these guys? Thanks as always and best!

06-07-2006	#2 (permalink)
baz opel free after 26 years Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: sunderland england Posts: 4,939 Real Name: barry williams Provided Answers: 4	how much are we talking about ? for and aft movement is not normal i think its time to look at the bushes , how many times does it bounce up and down after you stop pushing on the car btw? it should stop after 1 1/2 cycles if the specs on the shocks are the same as in europe __________________ Copyright © 2003-2009 barry williams All Rights Reserved save praying to God for sunday today we pray to Nike and run like hell

06-07-2006	#3 (permalink)
jerseyopel Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: new jersey Posts: 252	bushes What pray tell will he find out by looking at the Bushes?????

06-07-2006	#5 (permalink)
guyopel Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Duluth,Ga. Posts: 648 Real Name: John Provided Answers: 2	Are you saying that the rear of the car is swaying side to side when slowing down ? Possible broken belt in the tires would cause this . HTH __________________ Guyopel I have not failed - I've merely found 10,000 ways that won't work." ---Thomas Edison It's amazing what God lets man get away with when lightning is so cheap. Mark Twain

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06-07-2006	#4 (permalink)
ephillippe Manta Ray Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Alameda, CA Posts: 74	It sways 2-3 times before stopping. It bounces up and down about two times. I'm dead positive that the bushings and everything else are original since I replaced all of the shocks last weekend and not only were the rusted through and unable to decompress, but they still said Opel on them! Does the swaying point to all of the bushings needing replacement?

06-08-2006	#6 (permalink)
ephillippe Manta Ray Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Alameda, CA Posts: 74	The tires are good (Only about one month old) but the car just doesn't feel as tight as it should. It rocks in really strange ways on non-perfectly flat surfaces. The "sliding" effect is most noticable when the car is parked and its pushed up and down on the nose/rear. I'll start looking at the bushings, does anyone have any suggestions on where/how to start?

06-09-2006	#9 (permalink)
DennisGardiner Kalifornia Kid Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Soulsbyville, CA Posts: 357	Definitely check the front suspension bushings. Especially the: - sway bar to lower control arm, - sway bar to cross member bracket - lower control arm bushing to cross memeber Normally bad bushings in the rear of the car would not cause the above mentioned problem. Usually bad rear bushings cause a wierd (almost seat of the pants) vibration at freeway speeds. Dennis 73 Targa 73 Manta (under construction)

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