Radial Wabble Problem

mr305 · 01-03-2008, 01:29 PM

Question for all you super stock guys and gals. Im new to this whole super stock thing and i am driving for a cpl great guys outta northern indiana. and i made a few passes in the car this yr and we have come to conclude we have a radial wabble issue. the question i have is if we go to dbl adjustable front struts will this cure the problem?? right now the car has single adjustable strange struts. with dbl adjustables on the rear. This car supposively never did this with byass tires just with the radials. If the struts are the problem whats the best bang for there buck? any input will be greatly appriciated. Thanks
Some young hillbilly bracket racer
Aaron Disinger
327y ss

mr305 · 01-03-2008, 01:52 PM

well my thinking here is that it doesn't do it going down the track, its after i lift at the finish line. then it looks like the westcott's. and its really really bad. if you don't have a death grip on the wheel it will snap the wheel right out of your hands.

Dave Ribeiro · 01-03-2008, 02:14 PM

Aaron,

What kind of tires were they ? I know several other racers who had the same problems with M/T
radials last year.. But, I think the problem was corrected by M/T...I never heard of this problem with Hoosiers...... Maybe its the tires and not the car, you might want to try another set of radials....Good Luck,

Dave Goob Cook · 01-03-2008, 03:10 PM

Sounds like too much caster in the alignment. Try checking the caster curve at different points of the suspension travel.

Kenny Wigington · 01-03-2008, 03:18 PM

I have only heard of the bigger radials doing this. The smaller(9-10") dont do it. I think the tire pressures have an effect on the severity of the wobble.

KEN BUGAJ · 01-03-2008, 04:17 PM

Put the old tires back on, If it still does it.
Check the rear shocks...
It really sounds like a rear shock.

Ven302 · 01-03-2008, 07:02 PM

After checking the rear shocks, (your hand is not a shock dyno) You need to really look over your rear end, brackets, gussets, welds everything with a fine tooth comb, something in your car is probably flexing, or maybe cracked, I had the same problem. Also which radials and on what size rim? I found that a 13.25inch radial wants a 14" rim and the 14" wants a 15" rim. Email me @ venjr@aol.com and I can tell you all of my troubles, which by the way are gone now.

mannymen · 01-03-2008, 07:05 PM

rear shock adjustment issue as told from those who have had this problem with their radials

mr305 · 01-03-2008, 08:27 PM

Honestly i don't have the car right here in my view. (its and hour away from me) so im just gonna guess that they are 14X32 Hoosier Radial. We are gonna end up putting new struts and shocks on it for the simple reasoning of not knowing how long they have been on the car.(Whats the best bang for the buck on the shocks and struts?) I have checked all the brackets 4 link bars the rear chassis itself with a fine tooth comb i honestly don't see anything wrong but there is obviously something there that isn't happy.

Jeff Goss · 01-03-2008, 08:50 PM

I agree with the shocks. If they are adjustable, they are set too loose-or worn out.

I had the same problem with 2 of my cars. My 81 Malibu front end would wiggle around as I let off at the top end. It got downright scary. Tightened up the front shocks to fix it.

My 64 Chevelle would bounce the back end down track, then got real bad as I applied the brakes at the top end. People said the back tires looked like ping-pong balls bouncing. Rear shocks were toast. Replaced them and it fixed it.

Don't skimp on shocks. Get a good (read expensive) set of double adjustables and they will last through many passes and adjustments.

Good luck!

Jeff

01-03-2008, 01:29 PM	#1
mr305 Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Monticello Posts: 159 Likes: 0 Liked 2 Times in 1 Post	Radial Wabble Problem Question for all you super stock guys and gals. Im new to this whole super stock thing and i am driving for a cpl great guys outta northern indiana. and i made a few passes in the car this yr and we have come to conclude we have a radial wabble issue. the question i have is if we go to dbl adjustable front struts will this cure the problem?? right now the car has single adjustable strange struts. with dbl adjustables on the rear. This car supposively never did this with byass tires just with the radials. If the struts are the problem whats the best bang for there buck? any input will be greatly appriciated. Thanks Some young hillbilly bracket racer Aaron Disinger 327y ss

01-03-2008, 01:52 PM	#2
mr305 Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Monticello Posts: 159 Likes: 0 Liked 2 Times in 1 Post	Re: Radial Wabble Problem well my thinking here is that it doesn't do it going down the track, its after i lift at the finish line. then it looks like the westcott's. and its really really bad. if you don't have a death grip on the wheel it will snap the wheel right out of your hands.

01-03-2008, 02:14 PM	#3
Dave Ribeiro VIP Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Williamsburg, Va.---USA Posts: 1,827 Likes: 1,612 Liked 56 Times in 27 Posts	Re: Radial Wabble Problem Aaron, What kind of tires were they ? I know several other racers who had the same problems with M/T radials last year.. But, I think the problem was corrected by M/T...I never heard of this problem with Hoosiers...... Maybe its the tires and not the car, you might want to try another set of radials....Good Luck, __________________ Dave Ribeiro 1033 STK

01-03-2008, 03:10 PM	#4
Dave Goob Cook Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Indy Posts: 422 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Radial Wabble Problem Sounds like too much caster in the alignment. Try checking the caster curve at different points of the suspension travel.

01-03-2008, 03:18 PM	#5
Kenny Wigington Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Cumming,Ga. USA Posts: 967 Likes: 36 Liked 60 Times in 12 Posts	Re: Radial Wabble Problem I have only heard of the bigger radials doing this. The smaller(9-10") dont do it. I think the tire pressures have an effect on the severity of the wobble. __________________ 2894 STK

01-03-2008, 04:17 PM	#6
KEN BUGAJ Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: LEXINGTON NC. Posts: 389 Likes: 43 Liked 18 Times in 7 Posts	Re: Radial Wabble Problem Put the old tires back on, If it still does it. Check the rear shocks... It really sounds like a rear shock. Last edited by KEN BUGAJ; 01-03-2008 at 04:21 PM.

01-03-2008, 07:02 PM	#7
Ven302 Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Stoney Creek Posts: 261 Likes: 40 Liked 28 Times in 6 Posts	Re: Radial Wabble Problem After checking the rear shocks, (your hand is not a shock dyno) You need to really look over your rear end, brackets, gussets, welds everything with a fine tooth comb, something in your car is probably flexing, or maybe cracked, I had the same problem. Also which radials and on what size rim? I found that a 13.25inch radial wants a 14" rim and the 14" wants a 15" rim. Email me @ venjr@aol.com and I can tell you all of my troubles, which by the way are gone now. Last edited by Ven302; 01-03-2008 at 07:05 PM. Reason: forgot something

01-03-2008, 07:05 PM	#8
mannymen Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 728 Likes: 4 Liked 13 Times in 7 Posts	Re: Radial Wabble Problem rear shock adjustment issue as told from those who have had this problem with their radials __________________ N/A

01-03-2008, 08:27 PM	#9
mr305 Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Monticello Posts: 159 Likes: 0 Liked 2 Times in 1 Post	Re: Radial Wabble Problem Honestly i don't have the car right here in my view. (its and hour away from me) so im just gonna guess that they are 14X32 Hoosier Radial. We are gonna end up putting new struts and shocks on it for the simple reasoning of not knowing how long they have been on the car.(Whats the best bang for the buck on the shocks and struts?) I have checked all the brackets 4 link bars the rear chassis itself with a fine tooth comb i honestly don't see anything wrong but there is obviously something there that isn't happy.

01-03-2008, 08:50 PM	#10
Jeff Goss Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Burlington, WA Posts: 361 Likes: 1 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Radial Wabble Problem I agree with the shocks. If they are adjustable, they are set too loose-or worn out. I had the same problem with 2 of my cars. My 81 Malibu front end would wiggle around as I let off at the top end. It got downright scary. Tightened up the front shocks to fix it. My 64 Chevelle would bounce the back end down track, then got real bad as I applied the brakes at the top end. People said the back tires looked like ping-pong balls bouncing. Rear shocks were toast. Replaced them and it fixed it. Don't skimp on shocks. Get a good (read expensive) set of double adjustables and they will last through many passes and adjustments. Good luck! Jeff