3rd Gen Camaro Death Wobble!!

Eman · 05-19-2014, 12:56 PM

I ordered the Quay kit and their bump steer tie rod end kit. Also found upper strut mounts were cracked, only 29 years old who would have thought? I ordered a set of the heavy steel caster/camper plates to replace the original strut mounts. I'll go over everything in the frt. and already ordered a new center link and idler arm.

Dragsinger · 05-19-2014, 01:03 PM

EMan, you are on the correct path.

Charlie Laraia · 05-19-2014, 01:36 PM

Eman,

My 3rd gen always wobbled when it landed. It did this in spite of all new front end parts, a bump steer kit and a steering damper. This past winter I went through the front end again but I made a few changes.

I found that the rod ends included in the bump steer kit did not have enough range of motion. This caused the front end to bind up and pull the wheels in odd directions when it was in the air and then when it landed. I put chrome molly rod ends with increased range of travel (available from Summit), and it helped that problem.

I assume your car does not have a front sway bar. Did you replace it with a support bar to tie the front of the sub frame together? I put in a bolt in one from Spoehn. I welded it in, and I also welded the passenger side mount for it to the sub frame, and I also welded the steering box mount to the sub frame also. It seems to have really made the car more rigid. I had the car out a few weeks ago and it did not wobble.

Good luck. Let us know how you make out.

Charlie

FED 387 · 05-19-2014, 02:25 PM

GM had stifferner parts for the early Gen III cars to stiffen the front ends and help alleviate just what you are experiencing----look into the 1LE cars for maybe some of those parts

Eman · 05-20-2014, 01:16 AM

I have no sway bar or bumper support bar. I thought about one of those wonder bars, I can fab one up, to tie the 2 frame rails together.

Jim Cimarolli · 05-20-2014, 10:23 AM

Just out of curiousity, is the Ed Quay kit legal for Stock and Super Stock?
I built one of those cars for a customer, first time I took it out to test I almost soiled myself when the car came down. I had no idea that was going to happen (The wobble). Luckily I had a good grip on the wheel or that could have really gotten ugly.

Greg Reimer 7376 · 05-20-2014, 11:53 AM

How much positive caster can you put into these cars' front end alignment?I think I would shoot for the maximum obtainable here.

Bret Schlichtig · 05-20-2014, 10:06 PM

Rambo is right. This was a problem on my car. The steering box frame rail was cracked near the the engine crossmember. I would also recommend having the front bumper support bolted on or a support bar tying the front of the frame rails together just ahead of the steering box. My problem was at the finishline. When the weight transferred back to the front of the car in the shutdown, it would get crazy sometimes. Have the car on the ground and have someone steer the wheel back and forth and look for something moving. I used my cell phone to take a video while I turned the wheel back and forth to find the problem. Stiffened it all up and it is perfect now.

Bret Schlichtig

05-19-2014, 12:56 PM	#1
Eman Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: E TN Posts: 473 Likes: 16 Liked 133 Times in 76 Posts	Re: 3rd Gen Camaro Death Wobble!! I ordered the Quay kit and their bump steer tie rod end kit. Also found upper strut mounts were cracked, only 29 years old who would have thought? I ordered a set of the heavy steel caster/camper plates to replace the original strut mounts. I'll go over everything in the frt. and already ordered a new center link and idler arm.

05-19-2014, 01:03 PM	#2
Dragsinger VIP Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Liberty City [East Texas] Posts: 1,760 Likes: 5 Liked 99 Times in 60 Posts	Re: 3rd Gen Camaro Death Wobble!! EMan, you are on the correct path. __________________ Larry Woodfin 471W

05-19-2014, 01:36 PM	#3
Charlie Laraia Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Wethersfield, Connecticut Posts: 22 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: 3rd Gen Camaro Death Wobble!! Eman, My 3rd gen always wobbled when it landed. It did this in spite of all new front end parts, a bump steer kit and a steering damper. This past winter I went through the front end again but I made a few changes. I found that the rod ends included in the bump steer kit did not have enough range of motion. This caused the front end to bind up and pull the wheels in odd directions when it was in the air and then when it landed. I put chrome molly rod ends with increased range of travel (available from Summit), and it helped that problem. I assume your car does not have a front sway bar. Did you replace it with a support bar to tie the front of the sub frame together? I put in a bolt in one from Spoehn. I welded it in, and I also welded the passenger side mount for it to the sub frame, and I also welded the steering box mount to the sub frame also. It seems to have really made the car more rigid. I had the car out a few weeks ago and it did not wobble. Good luck. Let us know how you make out. Charlie

05-19-2014, 02:25 PM	#4
FED 387 VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 3,419 Likes: 528 Liked 332 Times in 180 Posts	Re: 3rd Gen Camaro Death Wobble!! GM had stifferner parts for the early Gen III cars to stiffen the front ends and help alleviate just what you are experiencing----look into the 1LE cars for maybe some of those parts

05-20-2014, 01:16 AM	#5
Eman Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: E TN Posts: 473 Likes: 16 Liked 133 Times in 76 Posts	Re: 3rd Gen Camaro Death Wobble!! I have no sway bar or bumper support bar. I thought about one of those wonder bars, I can fab one up, to tie the 2 frame rails together.

05-20-2014, 10:23 AM	#6
Jim Cimarolli Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Sulphur Springs Texas Posts: 743 Likes: 146 Liked 166 Times in 46 Posts	Re: 3rd Gen Camaro Death Wobble!! Just out of curiousity, is the Ed Quay kit legal for Stock and Super Stock? I built one of those cars for a customer, first time I took it out to test I almost soiled myself when the car came down. I had no idea that was going to happen (The wobble). Luckily I had a good grip on the wheel or that could have really gotten ugly.

05-20-2014, 11:53 AM	#7
Greg Reimer 7376 VIP Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Glendora,Calif. Posts: 1,136 Likes: 172 Liked 705 Times in 219 Posts	Re: 3rd Gen Camaro Death Wobble!! How much positive caster can you put into these cars' front end alignment?I think I would shoot for the maximum obtainable here.

05-20-2014, 10:06 PM	#8
Bret Schlichtig Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Black Arrow Race Engines, Pa Posts: 20 Likes: 1 Liked 3 Times in 1 Post	Re: 3rd Gen Camaro Death Wobble!! Rambo is right. This was a problem on my car. The steering box frame rail was cracked near the the engine crossmember. I would also recommend having the front bumper support bolted on or a support bar tying the front of the frame rails together just ahead of the steering box. My problem was at the finishline. When the weight transferred back to the front of the car in the shutdown, it would get crazy sometimes. Have the car on the ground and have someone steer the wheel back and forth and look for something moving. I used my cell phone to take a video while I turned the wheel back and forth to find the problem. Stiffened it all up and it is perfect now. Bret Schlichtig