3rd Gen Camaro Death Wobble!!

[Bret Schlichtig]

Rambo is right. This was a problem on my car. The steering box frame rail was cracked near the the engine crossmember. I would also recommend having the front bumper support bolted on or a support bar tying the front of the frame rails together just ahead of the steering box. My problem was at the finishline. When the weight transferred back to the front of the car in the shutdown, it would get crazy sometimes. Have the car on the ground and have someone steer the wheel back and forth and look for something moving. I used my cell phone to take a video while I turned the wheel back and forth to find the problem. Stiffened it all up and it is perfect now.

Bret Schlichtig

[Eman]

I appreciate all of the responses. I will get the car on the lift this weekend and disasseble everything after checking for any odd movement. New parts will be installed and any stress or cracks will be repaired. i'm thinking of making a "wonder bar" which ties the 2 frt. frame rails together. My car only runs the 1/8th mi. so speed is just at 100mph.
As far as wheel alignment goes anyone have any exact specs they know works on these cars?

[FED 387]

because the Gen III Camaro/Firebird cars are unibody construction they tend to flex quite a bit. By adding parts usually found on Z-28/TA/GTA/Iroc-z cars you can take almost all of the chassis flex out at launch eliminating flexing & cracking of body components and mounting points--- Some parts to use are

1-hood hinge to firewall brace rod
2-rame rail to front strut tower brace rod
3-wonderbar
4-front subframe braces to k member

[FED 387]

when you are doing your front end alignment are you setting it up with the car sitting at static height or at launch height?? Depending on the way you are doing it will make a big difference in how the car handles down track.

[Charlie Laraia]

Eman,

My last alignment was set at

Camber -.5 Degrees
Caster 4.5 Degree
Toe .05 Degree

The 4.5 degrees of caster makes the car go straight as an arrow down track. It also makes it a little hard to steer at low speed.

[Bench Racer]

Look around in the pits, you will see a lot of stabilizers on the tie rod. My brothers car was built and owned by Pete Z and it had a VW beetle stabilizer. This was put on by Pete when he built the car. It was updated a few years ago by Gary Weiscarver and he didn't take it off. It hooks like a bear and 60 foots in the high 1.20 in GT/FA with no wobble. Santhuff front shocks kept it from unloading on the wheelie bars. There may be frame or suspension issues but take a look at the beetle stabilizer. They are cheap and easy to put on. Don Jackson

[Eman]

Originally Posted by Charlie Laraia

Eman,

My last alignment was set at

Camber -.5 Degrees
Caster 4.5 Degree
Toe .05 Degree

The 4.5 degrees of caster makes the car go straight as an arrow down track. It also makes it a little hard to steer at low speed.

Was all of this with the car at rest and you in the seat? or did they raise the frt. a little?

[Eman]

Ok, took my car all apart, here's what I found. Ball joints in great shape,idler arm a little loose, center link a little loose at pitman arm, everything else tight. I removed all steering linkage. I removed steering box and examined frame rail, no cracks or any problems, bolts were tight as were the top cover bolts. Reinstalled box and removed cover, box tight and full of grease.
I'm installing all of the new steering linkage. I bougt the Quay bump steeri kit and will drill out the spindles. I'm guessing that using the spacers they provided as is will be OK, that's what Quay recommnded.
Once all of this and the steering stabilizer are installed i will fab a "wonder bar" up to help tie the frt. together.

[Charlie Laraia]

This was with me in the seat (210lbs), and the front raised approx 2" from rest position.

My car measures approx. 28 1/2" to the very top of the front wheel well opening.