Serious Problems with Handling!! Need Help!!
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Serious Problems with Handling!! Need Help!! - 3/9/2008 2:06:39 PM
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lionel2
Posts: 97
Joined: 12/10/2006
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I have a 2000 chevy blazer 4x4 with original shocks. My car is going on 93,000 miles without replacing the shocks and I believe I need new shocks. I will describe what my car is doing and you tell me what you think is wrong. When I drive down the highway at about 55 mph and I hit a dip in the road my blazer goes all over the road and feels very uneasy. My front end sways back and forth and side to side. My backend bounces up and down. When I am parked and I push down on the front left and right fenders, my car does a whole shimmy and bounces uncontrolable. It just doesnt feel right, but it did pass inspection last month, do they check shocks for inspection?? Feels like my car bottoms out or is just riding on the springs and leaf springs. Its that bad. I have no idea what to do. Should I get new shocks?? If you have had similar problems what did you do to resolve the issue?? thanks.
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RE: Serious Problems with Handling!! Need Help!! - 3/9/2008 2:13:02 PM
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tgod
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I have the very same problem on my 2001 Jimmy. My Bilstein's will be here on Monday. I hope my stab in the dark is right. I'm going to keep an eye on this subject to see what other people think as well.
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RE: Serious Problems with Handling!! Need Help!! - 3/9/2008 2:19:57 PM
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lionel2
Posts: 97
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I hope its the shocks and nothing else too serious. I just got new tires and dont wanna wear them out with bad shocks putting too much pressure on the new tires. thanks.
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RE: Serious Problems with Handling!! Need Help!! - 3/9/2008 3:42:06 PM
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WolfPack
Posts: 2844
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From: Raleigh, NC
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You might want to check your front and rear sway bars and bushings. Alot of times the bushings can wear out and act like your sway bars are disconnected. Shocks were a good move to start with...unfortunately alot of people neglect their shocks with high mileage. Also make sure you don't have bad ball joints up front..but it's more likely a sway bar/shock issue I would guess.
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2000 Blazer 4d LS 4x4 - 265/70/15 General Grabber AT2s - Hunter Brush Guard - Surco Roof Rack with IPF 868s - 1.5'' Shackle + Tbar - 2'' BL
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RE: Serious Problems with Handling!! Need Help!! - 3/9/2008 4:41:20 PM
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lionel2
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Should I take my blazer to my mechanic and tell him to check the sway bars and bushings?? because I took it to my mechanic about 3 weeks ago and he said my shocks were just fine. I am leaning toward sway bars and bushings now. Any way I can do an inspection on the sway bars and bushings?? thanks.
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RE: Serious Problems with Handling!! Need Help!! - 3/9/2008 5:18:00 PM
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swartlkk
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I would definitely recommend replacing your shocks. You can inspect your sway bar links/mounts yourself as well as replace them with a simple tool set and maybe a hack saw. You'll need some bigger wrenches for the shocks if you decide to tackle them. But they aren't too difficult.
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RE: Serious Problems with Handling!! Need Help!! - 3/9/2008 5:18:13 PM
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WolfPack
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From: Raleigh, NC
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Theyre pretty easy to check on your own I think. If you're not in the frigid north of Canada anyway 
This is a pic I had for something else, but it'll work. The big column of spacers and what not underneath the red box I made in paint is the sway bar end link and bushing assembly. This is looking from the the front of the truck to the back, and the passenger front wheel is on the left of the pic. The green box is the lower ball joint on the passengers side.
Mine is completely stock, and at 100k miles. The blue-ish looking thing on the sway bar end link is the main bushing, and should look pretty stout. If it's worn or dry-rotted at all, you have a problem.
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2000 Blazer 4d LS 4x4 - 265/70/15 General Grabber AT2s - Hunter Brush Guard - Surco Roof Rack with IPF 868s - 1.5'' Shackle + Tbar - 2'' BL
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RE: Serious Problems with Handling!! Need Help!! - 3/9/2008 5:59:08 PM
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lionel2
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thanks for the pics. I will check my bushing tomorrow and give you guys an update on the results of the inspection of the shocks, sway bars and bushings. thanks.
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RE: Serious Problems with Handling!! Need Help!! - 3/9/2008 9:28:00 PM
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vinniej
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I just replaced my shocks with the $18 monroe's. when I pulled the old ones out they still had a lot of pressure to them, but the new ones (even though they are the cheap ones) make for a more steady ride (less of a wave action when I hit a bump). No more than they cost, I would personally start with replacing the shocks (@ 93k miles they should be replaced for prevention/safety sake), and double checking the swaybar as mentioned before.
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RE: Serious Problems with Handling!! Need Help!! - 3/9/2008 9:54:23 PM
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rdhack
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Also check upper and lower control arms for bad bushings and lose nuts.......I had that problem once.
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1982 GMC HighSierra Frame 4x4 with 1986 Chevy Silverado Body Restoration Project (Bermadine)
1995 Chevy 3/4Ton 2500 4x4 (Clifford)
1991 Chevy T-10 Blazer (Blaze)
1998 Oldsmobile Bravada (Bravo)
1994 Long Farmtrac 2460 (Betsy)
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RE: Serious Problems with Handling!! Need Help!! - 3/10/2008 5:02:03 AM
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lionel2
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Ok, I put all that on my list of things to inspect. Now if the shocks, bushings on sway bars and control arms need to be replaced, How much am I looking to pay to have them installed by my mechanic?? I hope its under $500 with labor and all that. thanks.
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RE: Serious Problems with Handling!! Need Help!! - 3/10/2008 7:50:33 AM
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swartlkk
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The individual components are not that expensive, but they can be time consuming. I would check things out first, then get an estimate.
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RE: Serious Problems with Handling!! Need Help!! - 3/10/2008 9:01:21 AM
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lionel2
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I made an appointment for friday to get all that stuff checked out as far as the handling of the car. But, turns out i need a new alternator too. Reading .8 to .6!! Not too good. Guess we'll have to wait to friday to find out what is wrong with the handling. thanks.
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RE: Serious Problems with Handling!! Need Help!! - 3/12/2008 5:04:09 AM
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lionel2
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Just looked on Youtube and found out how they tested the alternator, should read 12 Volts with car off and 14 volts with car on. Mine does not even register 1.0 Volts. Man, I guess with high mileage and old age, thats the price you have to pay. thanks.
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RE: Serious Problems with Handling!! Need Help!! - 3/12/2008 5:20:44 AM
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swartlkk
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The alternator doesn't read anything with the car off... LOL What you are reading when the engine is off is the battery voltage which if you were/are able to start the engine, 1.0V doesn't make sense. Where are you reading the voltage from?
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RE: Serious Problems with Handling!! Need Help!! - 3/12/2008 7:23:55 AM
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lionel2
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He was reading the battery, Wait I got it mixed up. He only tested the battery with a mulitmeter with the car ON and it read .8 then .6 on the meter. He did not touch the alternator at all, just had the 2 clips on the battery with the car ON. He told me that .8 is bad. Not even registering 1 volt. Isn't the battery supposed to read like 14 volts with the car ON?? thanks.
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RE: Serious Problems with Handling!! Need Help!! - 3/12/2008 7:29:02 AM
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swartlkk
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Those numbers mean nothing to me... With the test leads on the battery, the voltage meter should read ~12V with the engine off and ~14V with the engine on.
Wait a minute... How did we get onto the subject of alternators and voltage levels in a handling thread??? I mean its your thread, we can discuss whatever, but seems way off the original topic.
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RE: Serious Problems with Handling!! Need Help!! - 3/12/2008 7:37:28 AM
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lionel2
Posts: 97
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As far as the handling, there is nothing I can do until I get it checked out on friday by my mechanic. i just cannot drive my car until I drive there on friday, its that bad. Just going over 55 mph is dangerous, my car is all over the road. I had my tire and shocks shop tell me my shocks were okay, just fine. But, then again my car has over 90,000 miles and The thing is I had my car rust proofed and there is so much black tar stuff underneath, i cannot tell if my shocks are originals. Ever since I got my new brakes and rotors put on, it doesnt feel the same. With new brakes and rotors, should there be any change in handling?? thanks.
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RE: Serious Problems with Handling!! Need Help!! - 3/12/2008 7:40:14 AM
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swartlkk
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Definitely should not be a change in handling when brakes & rotors get done...
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RE: Serious Problems with Handling!! Need Help!! - 3/12/2008 8:07:51 AM
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lionel2
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I am just wondering, you know why all of a sudden after I get brakes and rotor replaced this handling problem shows up. Because I got all new heavy duty rotors and brake pads put on. Maybe once again its old age, and they must have never been replaced. Cause I got the car used in 2005, didnt think to ask about every single part that was replaced. it checked good in 2005 when i bought it and the handling was great, i could go like 70 mph on the highway and not feel a shimmy or anything, not even a viberation. But, now its totally different. Will replacing the bushings and tightening all the nuts and bolts solve the problem?? I dont think its the shocks. So that narrows it down to the bushing and sway bars, and control arms and bushings. Man, I have a bad feeling about friday, when my mechanic says that it will cost like a grand. That i need new shocks, bushings the whole 9 yards. thanks.
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