wheel wobbles- axle nut? Options

[evilkeo]

I just bought a 94 GT and I'm trying to get it put back together and (legally) drivable. Current issue I found while I was getting my tires replaced. The guy was putting my driver's front wheel on and said that the wheel was wobbling after he tightened it. He said the CV axles looked new, so maybe they didn't tighten them up enough. With the lugs tightened up, you can still tilt the wheel back and forth.

Is there more to this than just buying the axle nut socket and tightening it? Do I just pull the pin out and replace it with another when I'm done? Anyone know off the top of their head what size socket I need?

[lagos]

probably a bad tie rod, or your suspension bolts are loose.
any good mechanic should be able to tell you the exact cause. or you pop the wheel off and see whats loose.
axle nut really has nothing to do with it.

[blu94gt]

If the axle nut was loose it would just fry your wheel bearing, which would cause the wheel to wobble a little bit, but you'd notice some other issues.

I'm guessing bad tie rod end, bad ball joint, or bad control arm bushings. A ball joint can wear and loosen up to cause the wheel to wobble like that.

[808celica]

29 or 30mm i cant remember. If axle nut is good and tight, lug nuts are good, then it might be your wheel bearing. If you drive and your steering wheel shimmy's when going straight then its your tie rods. Its kinda hard to tell cuz there's soo many things going on in that area.

[soulshadow]

Does the wheel wobble by hand or does it wobble when its spinning? Could be that the rim is damaged.

[trdproven]

jack up the car and hold the wheel wiggle it left right top bottom. sounds like suspension is loose or wheel bearing is bad.

[Stambo]

sounds like the wheel bearing just took a poop

[pittfirefighter]

money on wheel bearing, jack it up... wiggle it... up and down = wheel bearing, side to side ONLY - tie rod

[evilkeo]

I just put it on jack stands today and the axle nut WAS a little loose. I tightened it up and it doesn't wiggle anymore. I haven't driven it yet, but hopefully it'll help. I'll go try to wiggle it up and down later. Thanks for your help guys.
While I was working on it, I found a big rubber block spacer between the coils of the springs. It has a '3" on it. Almost seems like it was left on when installing the springs. Other side didn't have it. I just slid it off. Ideas?

[WannabeGT4]

I just put it on jack stands today and the axle nut WAS a little loose. I tightened it up and it doesn't wiggle anymore. I haven't driven it yet, but hopefully it'll help. I'll go try to wiggle it up and down later. Thanks for your help guys.
While I was working on it, I found a big rubber block spacer between the coils of the springs. It has a '3" on it. Almost seems like it was left on when installing the springs. Other side didn't have it. I just slid it off. Ideas?

If that CV axle nut was loose and you did any amount of driving on it expect to be replacing your wheel bearings very soon.

That spacer was supposed to be removed when the vehicle was delivered new LOL. I still had mine and after looking in my books it said they're to be removed upon delivery (apparently no dealers got that memo). I'm surprised it's stayed in place over the past 15 years.

[evilkeo]

2 month bump, lol. yup wannabe, you were right. my wife has been driving it to work and she told me it's making a noise. i took it for a drive and there's a HORRIBLE grinding noise(front driver's wheel) if i get it up to 30. it sounds a little better at higher speeds though.

brought it to a local mechanic and they said i need to replace the hub and wheel bearing- $320. i called another mechanic and they said there's no hub on the front and a wheel bearing replacement would cost 180.

input?

[WannabeGT4]

B.S. The bearing is pressed in on the front hub/knuckle/spindle... Whatever you wanna call it. I bought a bearing at carquest for 30 and had a shop press it in for 20. All I had to do was pull the knuckle off and bring it to them. Keep calling around and just tell them you need a bearing pressed out and a new one pressed in. I find that mre often than not I know better than the shop so I feed them as little information as possible to get exactly what I want done.

[Dragondog]

agree with wheel berings......they may be bad

[garin]

jack the car in the air with jack stands. put your hands at 6 o'clock and 12 o'clock. shake the wheel front and back. if there is play the bearing is bad. pit your hands at 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock and shake it front and back if it moves the tie rod is bad. ball joints can be checked by using a pry bar...

[st3v3o]

that sounds like the wheel bearings for sure... my car's wheel bearing gave out a week ago... they were squeaking for a while and since i didn't change them quick it cost me to buy... resurface rotors, brake shoes, both side wheel bearings, and both cv joints.... they were really messed up man.... if i was u changed them asap and quit using your car, here in south texas it came out around 300 parts, and 300 labor (labor was cheap)....