Steering and Suspension Issues Plague my '96! >_<

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Ichigo1174

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Yes like the title says I have a 1996 Honda Accord EX sedan. In my quest of replacing parts and trying to solve "clunks" and repairing things that are broken I'm starting to become a little clueless. :confused:
The Issue: I get in my car, start it up and drive out of my apartment parking area. When I start driving down the road accelerating up to 45~ish and let off some to maintain that speed the car does this "clunk" and 2 things happen simultaneously. 1: The steering wheel turns counter clock-wise about one inch, 2: I swerve from side to side in my lane a little bit. However this only happens when I drive it after being parked!? It doesn't happen the whole time I drive around.
Knowing and hearing a "klunk" when my car changes gears I did some searching and replaced my front transmission mount which was shot, and I replaced my my Stabilizer Bar Bushings (one way torn in half???) and I replaced my Stabilizer Bar End Links (a couple of the bushings ACTUALLY CRUMBLED as I took the bolt out). Tightened the End Links, set the car back on the ground and tightened the bar bushings while the car was on the ground.

Now when driving the same exact thing happens except The Swerve is now worse! The steering wheel still turns counter clock-wise an inch but now I swerve a bit more and I swear the steering feels a little more "loose".

Does this make sense? or am I just confusing you all?
I don't think it is the Tie rods... only the bushings have changed... ball joints seem alright (not really any wheel shake when I try to shake the tire and the car is jacked up)

SIDE NOTE:
I replaced my right outer tie rod several months back because it was bad and I never got an alignment which I know is a little off. I ordered a inner tie rod for the right side and I'm replacing the inner and outer on the left side (there is a little play on the inner rod) and I'm getting an Alignment afterwards. I was going to ask the dudes at the Tire shop what he thinks but I also wanted to know yaw's opinion.

SIDE SIDE NOTE:
I've also had to replace the right ball joint twice. First time i was pulling out of a parking spot when the stud of the ball joint literally snapped! Dang alright, I fixed it. (I was next to an Advance auto parts LOL :p). Second time several months later I was at drill and doing about 60~ish when I hit a pot hole on the side of the road that bottomed out hard enough were it ripped off the bolt threads to the ball joint. Right tire got snatched out to the right sideways and the whole car was thrown in to on coming traffic and I cam screeching to a halt grinding on my Lower Control Arm. Only damage done was I needed a ball joint (duh!), replaced the CV Axle and I had to find a spare tire.
 
I thought of something and decided to test it, What if this only happens under mild/hard acceleration. As I accelerate hard It feels like the tires are escaping and moving around a bit. Then as soon as I let off it feels like they move back into place >_>
Example.... a bad example.
00:17 Accelerating, 00:21 Its hard to see but I feel the shift, you sort of see it and hear it. Same thing at 00:46-Accelerating and at 00:51 Is the shift. I'm thinking I just need to tighten the piss out of the End links and the sway bar bushings to see if that is it... I swear I'm starting to feel silly and stupid. :oops:
 
yeah this is def suspension or rack-related. I was thinking the clunking was coming from the tranny/axels, but it doesn't appear to be that at all.

get under there and inspect all the ball joints, control arms, etc.
 
As far as tightening the sway bar or end links does it matter if the car is jacked up our dots it have to be on the ground?
Ill check it all when im under there tomorrow. (I cant work on it where I live so I have to go to my in-laws)
 
you should always try to tighten stuff up while its on its wheels so you dont bind the bushings, put it up on some ramps, loosen and tighten what you can.
 
Okay so I feel so damn stupid but I tightened down on the bar and end links. The left one wasn't tightened down all the way. (I drove it later and the problem is all fixed) I still gave everything a look over until I actually work on it and I noticed something. I'm STILL having issues with the right ball joint. I guess the vibration or whatever caused the nut to break the cotter pin and the nut was holding on by just a few threads. I' tightened it back on and I'll pick up some more cotter pins but Why is it happening.
Thinking back to when I put the ball joint in I had no problems but when I put the assembly back in/on the lower control arm. I put the castle nut on and when it was in place on the bolt where you are suppose to put the cotter pin through. There is still a gap between the nut and the control arm. I didn't see a washer... do I need washer's or some sort of spacer? Would this gap and hitting holes cause enough force/damage to break the cotter pin?
 
I saw this that I uploaded a while ago,This was first ball joint that broke on me in the the parking lot.... Maybe I do need washers... You only see the gap when the car is jacked up and its almost like you could fit a slightly smaller nut on there under the castle nut. I've also thought about the hole in the control arm is worn out but I'm not so sure. I'd need another control arm to compare it to.
full


Thoughts?
 
You should have atleast one washer on there. The cotter pins should never break. Either it was cracked or bad to weak to begin with.
 
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