Bad lower control arm bushing?

[Klutch9]

I've noticed for about the past 10k miles or so on the Sedona, that there is a heavy shake when heavily braking from high speeds. I'm thinking rotors, naturally, but I don't know if that is the issue or not. The shaking only happens under HEAVY braking from higher speeds. If I taper the braking pressure off, the shaking stops, and braking normally almost never results in any vibrations, just smooth stops. I've heard that worn LCA bushings can cause this. Sway bar links are new, FWIW.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Maybe check for sticky caliper slides first? And Re-torque wheel lugnuts evenly.
I hear Michigan Winter roads can bang up a suspension pretty good though ...

 

[HangFire]

Could be the rear brakes. Rears rarely do much work unless you brake very hard.

 

[Bgallagher]

I am having the same issue with my Equinox. New brakes and I serviced the rears and still have the same issue. I think it is the LCA at least in terms of my application. Sounds like we are in the same boat though.

 

[gofastman]

Often times bad control arm bushings will leave minor wear marks where the arm rubs in the mounting point, I have a vehicle on my lift right now for LCA replacement, I'll snap a few pics in a while.
You can get a better clue if it's your rotors by heating them up a bit, if the vibration gets worse it is more likely the rotors are the cause. Try 3 consecutive stops from 45MPH with moderate force or LIGHTLY drag the brakes for 10 seconds at about 30mph. If the shaking is present after that with normal braking, I'd suspect rotors.
I can check for TSBs too.

 

[Klutch9]

Thanks for the pics. If it is indeed the LCA bushings, that could also explain the driveline "clunk" i get whenever the drivetrain changes load direction.

 

[lubricatosaurus]

Klutch9: "clunk" on the driveline might be CV axle/joints going bad. Had that happen myself on other minivans and cars I've had.
When you brake, it applies a load on the joints working against engine coastdown torque, so definitely all points to the COMMON cv joint/axle issues. Your Sedona is just old enough to suspect cv joint stuff.

 

[artificialist]

Raise the vehicle and get a prybar. Pry on different areas of the lower control arm, and if it is easy to move the arm about 1/2 an inch, you know your bushings need replacement.

 

[lubricatosaurus]

I've heard of fluid filled bushings going bad at 8 years or 80k miles on BMWs. Seems early here. Possible sure. Depends on use etc. CV joints same reasoning, 2 early, possible though.

Get back to this forum. I've got 10 bucks riding on it being the CV axle/joint thingie.

 

[Klutch9]

The axle was my other guess. I also get a clunk every time I shift from park to drive, or to reverse, or any time the driveline load changes direction. This is on the drivers side only and can be felt in the steering wheel and by my feet.

 

[lubricatosaurus]

That sounds like cv joint-axle driveline clunk fer sure.
Last time I replaced one, I web ordered a super cheap one (Cardone??? if I remember right). I mean cheap. Likely not quality, but thought OK. I got rid of the car a few months later anyway. I took the cheap axles into the Buick dealer ('00 Park Avenue) and they moaned but put it on for me labor charge only.
Another time I phone ordered a synthetic-greased one for more $$ and the guy on the phone said he sells a bunch to police departments running Chevy Impalas front wheel drives and they like them extra heavy duty, greased up with synth to go longer. I think it was Raxle http://www.raxles.com/default.aspx IIRC.

 

[Klutch9]

Originally Posted By: lubricatosaurus
That sounds like cv joint-axle driveline clunk fer sure.
Last time I replaced one, I web ordered a super cheap one (Cardone??? if I remember right). I mean cheap. Likely not quality, but thought OK. I got rid of the car a few months later anyway. I took the cheap axles into the Buick dealer ('00 Park Avenue) and they moaned but put it on for me labor charge only.
Another time I phone ordered a synthetic-greased one for more $$ and the guy on the phone said he sells a bunch to police departments running Chevy Impalas front wheel drives and they like them extra heavy duty.


That puts my mind at ease, as replacing an axle isn't too hard on this vehicle. Could it also be the differential inside the transaxle making the clunk? RWD trucks can make this exact same noise, which often comes from a "sloppy" differential.

 

[lubricatosaurus]

Differential excessive backlash from more wear than expected is possible. Those things don't usually fail I think so I doubt it.
CV joints fail mostly when a crack or leak lets dust or water in the boots, and some can go for 200k miles without a problem, like a lot of things, it varies on a Poisson distribution with a lambda=2, peak probability is around 120k miles, so yours isn't that far off from likely.

I'm just almost certain it was Raxles from 12 years ago I mentioned above I got those heavy duty Amsoil grease lubed up cv axles, a quality business. http://www.raxles.com/default.aspx The Cardone ultra cheap ones might be worth a try if you want to spend less.