04-10-2018, 03:16 PM
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Los Gatos, CA
Posts: 173
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Symptoms of bad LCAs?
Hey everyone,
So good news - my Boxster is finally enjoyable to drive again! After months of tracking down an infuriating vibration, I successfully remedied about 90% of the issue by installing new struts, mounts, track arms, trailing arms, and tie rods. I was able to do all the work myself thanks to the awesome knowledge from this board, so first of all, thank you to everyone who helped!
Secondly - as I mentioned, the issue is 90% gone, but there still is a bit of vibration and slight understeer noticeable. The only things I have not yet changed are front and rear LCAs, rear track arms, and rear drop links. Everything else in the front/rear suspension is new. I'm considering doing the front LCAs since they are relatively cheap (~90 each from Meyle) and shouldn't require an alignment. Could these potentially be the culprit from my last 10%? Before anyone asks, tires are brand new (Conti ExtremeContact DW) and alignment has been done.
Thanks again!
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04-10-2018, 08:33 PM
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#2
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1997 Tip, 2018 Macan
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Upland, CA
Posts: 1,338
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Have any of the wheel weights come off? Maybe have the tires re-balanced?
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04-11-2018, 05:49 AM
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Houston
Posts: 219
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How are your wheel bearings ?
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04-11-2018, 07:03 AM
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#4
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Racer Boy
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 946
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I'm skeptical that the LCAs are the cause of your vibration. I'd check what the previous posters mentioned, the wheels and wheel bearings. It is possible that the control arms are the cause of the vibration if they are completely shot, but I think you'd feel clunking and slop in the steering besides vibration. How many miles are on the car?
Why didn't you replace the LCAs when you replaced everything else? You will need an alignment after you replace the control arms, BTW.
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04-11-2018, 10:11 AM
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#5
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Los Gatos, CA
Posts: 173
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rexcramer
Have any of the wheel weights come off? Maybe have the tires re-balanced?
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I've had three different shops balance the tires, so I'm pretty certain this isn't the case. I had the vibration with my old tires and new tires.
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04-11-2018, 10:18 AM
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Los Gatos, CA
Posts: 173
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gabedrummin
How are your wheel bearings ?
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I don't really notice any noise or play from them when spinning the wheels while up on jacks.
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04-11-2018, 10:20 AM
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#7
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Los Gatos, CA
Posts: 173
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Racer Boy
I'm skeptical that the LCAs are the cause of your vibration. I'd check what the previous posters mentioned, the wheels and wheel bearings. It is possible that the control arms are the cause of the vibration if they are completely shot, but I think you'd feel clunking and slop in the steering besides vibration. How many miles are on the car?
Why didn't you replace the LCAs when you replaced everything else? You will need an alignment after you replace the control arms, BTW.
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There is some slop in the steering as well - it's not as bad as before I did the other things, but still present. The car has 86k miles. I didn't do the LCAs because I figured I could do the fronts without needing an alignment - there are no eccentric bolts on the fronts.
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04-14-2018, 07:46 PM
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#8
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Taft, TN
Posts: 2
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Force balance tires.
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04-15-2018, 09:21 AM
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#9
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Sanford NC
Posts: 2,537
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Are the wheels true?
When the wheels were on the balancing machine did anyone test them to see if the actual rim was bent? I once found my wife's car with three bent rims (non Porsche but they were alloys). Spin at low speeds and hold a stick in a constant position relative to the edge of the rim and see if there is any variation. I was amazed there was no crack or other obvious deformity but they were definitely wobbling.
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04-15-2018, 11:09 AM
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#10
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Upstate, SC
Posts: 109
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I had vibration as well at speeds of 70mph or above; however no slop in the steering. Had the wheels road force balanced and the vibration remained. Replaced all (4) LCA's and the vibration was gone. Apparently the bushings or ball joints had deteriorated enough to cause the vibration without any noticeable clunking. I then upgraded to the RoW M030 suspension and it felt like a brand new car.
__________________
2002 Boxster base - Seal Grey, 5spd trans.,ROW M030 upgrade, FVD Brombacher software tune
2004 550 Spyder Anniversary Edition, #1541,Tip, TechnoFix DOF IMSB upgrade
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