Rear end fishtailing.... Hub or toe link compensators?

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Bob Turner

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Hi Everyone,

Just joined up here on LVC. Been a member of Markviii.org since April 2003. I have a 1998 Lincoln Mark VIII.

How can you tell if you have a bad rear hub? Driving at 70mph last week, I heard a loud noise come from the rear followed by 8 seconds of severe vibrating. It stopped and then next thing I know, I have a flat tire (40mph). Had two new tires installed. Thought everything was fine until I drove home.

Any small movements in the steering wheel translates to the rear "fishtailing" at highway speeds.

Did some research and read that it could be a bad rear hub or possibly the toe link compensators (both look bad). Not sure how to determine if the rear hub is bad. Checked the axles and the axle nuts and they are tight. Any other ideas? Car has 160,000 on original suspension components (103,000 on front strut/rear coil spring conversion).

Any suggestions?

Thanks.

Bob Turner
 
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Put it in the air and start trying to wiggle stuff.
 
+1 to what laser said

With a flat tire I would think you lost a sway bar endlink. Or a broken sway bar
 
Pulled out the coil spring after taking off the lower shock mount on the pass side. Everything is tight as can be..... sway bar links both in the front and rear are fine; sway bars seem intact.

Hmmm.....
 
Thanks to all!!

Also- car has been converted to rear shocks/springs. Shocks have 103,000 on them. (1995 T-bird shocks). I think I'll throw a set on if I can find them today.
 
With the car jacked up or on a lift, can you grab the tire and move it at all (besides rotating)?
 
I just did the cobra hub swap on my 97 and ended up having to replace the rear axles while it was apart with a tru-lock and 4.10 gear. Mine has 184,000 and rear was pretty rusted up. Go with Temkin hubs if you replace yours, I went with a cheaper brand they went bad in a week and had to change to the Temkin's. It rides like new now and the 05 offset wheels are perfect for the mark. Also I think they say to replace hubs at 100,000 miles
 
My friend had an extremely similar issue on his '93 SuperCoupe. Ended up being a bad hub bearing, that eventually took out his rear hub. Had to replace both. Not sure if it will be the same as yours. But his car needed the right rear replaced.
 
As usual with the cars I've owned, I overlook the obvious. The shocks/front conversion struts have 103,000 miles on them as I stated before. I diagnosed it as a "fishtailing" deal where its really a massive "body roll" situation going on with the bad front struts.

I changed rear shocks- no difference. It's so obvious that the front struts need to be replaced again after I did the bounce test on the car (shot to hell) and compared that to my 2008 Acura TL and it's front struts........UNBELIEVABLE difference. Planning to order the struts this week.

The rear end is tight all around. Not much play...... It does need the Toe Link Compensators but other than that, the bushings are in great shape for 14 yrs old. I live in Phoenix, AZ, so that's probably one of the reasons why- dry air; no snow/salt, etc.

Danny- I would say a flat......
 
With the wheels off the ground, there should be NO play in the bearings. It's a 0-tolerance bearing
 
If this issue started only after the blowout I would for a hub bearing toe compensator or even like 98linc said the wheels are not missing lug nuts/all are torqued down properly. I have had the situation and know someone else who had it as well after picking the car up after having tires done and the lug nots not being torqued.

If you front struts are bad that may be contributing to the problem but if you didn't notice the problem before you got the blowout and it's very noticable now there is something else causing your issue.
 
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