98 Voyager (front-end shimmy/wobble only when accelerating)

[bebopxx]

I have a 98" Voyager with 98,000 miles. Brand new Goodyear RegattaII tires ( just balanced ). Brand new front axels including cv joints & boots ( both sides & new, not re-built ). New sway bar links & bushings.

I have a shimmy/wobble/shake that I can feel in the floorboard and steering wheel... ((but only when I accelerate))! I feel this at any speed from a dead stop to as fast as I drive on the highway. If I take my foot off the gas & just cruize, the wobble/shimmy is completely gone. Or if I put the van in Neutral when I'm driving, the sensation is gone. So it can't be an un-balanced tire.

Any ideas as to what is causing this?

[Bernard Feltzer]

The new front axles were not installed properly.

[Mrbizness1]

Originally Posted by bebopxx

I have a 98" Voyager with 98,000 miles. Brand new Goodyear RegattaII tires ( just balanced ). Brand new front axels including cv joints & boots ( both sides & new, not re-built ). New sway bar links & bushings.

I have a shimmy/wobble/shake that I can feel in the floorboard and steering wheel... ((but only when I accelerate))! I feel this at any speed from a dead stop to as fast as I drive on the highway. If I take my foot off the gas & just cruize, the wobble/shimmy is completely gone. Or if I put the van in Neutral when I'm driving, the sensation is gone. So it can't be an un-balanced tire.

Any ideas as to what is causing this?

Did you have this shimmy before you had the axles and tires changed?

[bebopxx]

Yes the wobble/shimmy was there, before replacing the axels. That is why I replaced them... but it didn't correct the problem.

[B1G BLEU]

My old 94 T+C did exactly that, (front-end shimmy/wobble only when accelerating), I rotated tires, it was driver side axle

[webbch]

You're sure it's not a torque steer - pulling one direction during acceleration, or it does it with the cruise control on as well? Most easily diagnosed by giving it a hefty dose of acceleration and see if it pulls on you, and then chopping the throttle and see if there is a tendency to pull the other direction.

If these are the symptoms, then worn engine mounts tend to be the cause of this. If not, the tires are truly the cheapeast and easiest thing to rule out - have them balanced, if no joy, rotate front to back and see if this changes the situation. Heck, some tire places will balance them for free if you bought your tires with them.

I don't suppose you still have your old axles, do you? I'd take a close look at them, and see if any of the weights appear to be missing - I guess its possible that the drive axle is unbalanced and causing your problem. I've not heard great things about replacement drive axles in regard to their off-the-shelf state of balance.

[luth]

i had a a caravan did exactly what you discribed and like you i went through all the same thing tires, driveshafts, ect. and end with another trip back to the shop because it kept getting worse where i found out it was the diff bearings going out