hellp needed quick!

[downhiller101]

OK,not the way i wanted to introduce myself, or have my first post, but i'm at my wits end trying to uncover a problem with the 240. So here its goes: just last weekend i got 4 new snows on her(good thing) but now it has started to kinda side step the rear end( the rear feels like it shifts from side to side) whenever you accelerate, or let off the gas, it is something you can only feel, it doesn't make any clunking sounds, etc, but i know its doing this, and i have had other friends that know what they are doing agree with me on the feeling that the back end shifts side to side.. now this all started at the same time that i got my snowtires put on, and the weather got pretty cold out(6 degrees), i dont think that either of these two things should be of cause, but i figure i will give you the history of everything that has happened since this problem arised. Now i do know that i hace a couple of control arm bushings to replace in the front( i can hear a slight clunk when appplying the brakes) but this needed to be done back in the summer(bad me for not doing it yet) so i dont believe it is contributing to the sensation of the rear end side stepping over. Also, i am replacing the front struts this weekend b/c the cold weather over last weekend did effect them, as, theyt lost all dampening, but since it has warmed up a little, they are working in full again(odd i know but its what happened), I have checked lugnuts on all 4 tires atleast twice now, and have jacked up the back end to try and find play in wheel barrings, bushing, or anything for that matter, but nothing seems to show signs of play. so, please, if any one has any ideas, let me know, and if not, just tell me i will make it 3 hours back to home were i can investigate it better.

Sincerely Eric

[s14xman]

try an allignment

[Rennen]

What tires were on previously? Snow tires have horribly soft sidewalls. That could account for the looseness if you were used to a stiffer tire. If your other tires are on a separate set of wheels, try throwing those on and see if the problem goes away. I think it could just be sidewall flex.

-Matt

[Chernobyl]

Agreed, its just sidewall flex you aren't used to. My car does the same on snow tires.

[downhiller101]

The snow tires are the same size as the prezious tires that i had on there(brigestone potenza's in a 205-60-15). I hope that it is something as simple as the sidewalls on the tires, thought t makes for some sketchy driving having to correct for it all the time. I'm going to go through and check everything in the front end tomorrow probably. Could it really just be a really bad alignment issue, that i showing up because of the new tires?, I dont have the old tires off of it as its just the stock rims, so that rules out putting the summers back on and see if the problem is still there.Also, the problem seems to be more noticable when your get on and off the gas while taking left hand turns on the road as you can feel the back end swing, or shift considerable to the outside of the turn when you let off the gas and there is no torque going to the wheels, but you dont get this when going around right hand turns, since that is the side that it seems to shift to when on the gas, and the turn keeps it pulled to that side when off the gas.