QX4 sways when I excellarate and de-excellarate ... I am stumped

[infinitynissanfan]

I drove my daughters QX4 the other day and was shocked to find the vehicle was swaying (pulling right when I punched the gas hard & pushing hard to the left when I let off the gas). Very dangerous. I instantly thought it was the motor mount or mounts. I did the engine check with it in gear and concluded it was the left mm. So I replaced it and it fixed the engine motion but when I got it out on the istate, it continued to with the same problem. I knew she needed tires and an alignment, so I took care of that and yet I have the same problem. Had front end examined and they think it is in the rear end. Has anyone experienced this and what was the fix. Thanks in advance for your guidance.

[BoostTed]

Common issue, its the rear control links. The bushings are worn. I need to swap mine out too.

[fueler]

yes rear trailing arm bushings. This is from xpolrx4:

To confirm the bushings are bad, put the truck on a level surface in Neutral and set the parking brake. Have a buddy push back and forth on the truck to make it rock forward/backward while you watch the lower control arm's movement relative to the chassis. The chassis and arms should move forward/backward together. If you see the chassis move, but the arm stationary, then the bushings are shot. If you see the chassis move forward/backward and the tires/axle stay put, the bushings are shot. If you see the rear axle rotate clockwise or counterclockwise (watch the pinion angle), the bushings are shot.

I have the same exact symptoms as you, infinitifan, and it turns out to be the rear trailing arm bushings (on the axle end) and my axle twists forwards and backwards when i do this test. I already ordered the polyurethane bushings from 4x4parts.com but those involve cutting out the old bushings and pressing in the new ones.

An easier route is to just buy new trailing arms from the dealer with bushings installed, should be about $100 each i believe. But then you will have the same problem in another 100k miles.

PS this is a pathfinder/QX4 specific problem so most mechanics wont know of it and wont want to take your word for it.... ive seen $1000+ quotes written up that included just about everything EXCEPT for the bushings!!
Modified by fueler at 11:25 AM 10/30/2008

[jimmyzzer]

there are tons of posts on this/////death sway//////

[infinitynissanfan]

Well said. I haven't let me daughter drive it since I discovered the situation.

[infinitynissanfan]

Thanks for taking the time to respond. Is it an easy job? How long does it take to replace?

[infinitynissanfan]

Thanks for the great explanation and detail. Is it a relatively doable job for a shade tree mechanic?

I apreciate all the feedback, I have never seen such a quality Forum. I hope I can help someone out from my learnings from you guys.Sincerely,Norm

[BoostTed]

I'll let you know in about a week. I'll try to document it with pics and a steps on how to do it.

[BoostTed]

I just swapped out the rear lower arms today. Just did the lowers and not the uppers, and sway is gone. I tried to do them myself but that nut holding the arms in place was not coming off and I was beginning to strip it so I just dropped it off to a mechanic who was better equipped to handle the job.

[infinitynissanfan]

SO IT TOOK OUT ALL OF THE SWAY? I PULLED THE ARMS THIS SATURDAY AND OPTIONED TO HAVE THE DEALER PULLED IN THE BUSHING ... HE COULDN'T AND NOW I CAN'T FIND ANYONE THAT WANTS TO TOUCH IT. I AM NOW LEANING TOWARDS REPLACING THE ARMS. I WAS GOING TO START WITH THE LOWER ARMS AS WELL. I AM ENCOURAGED THAT THIS SOLVED YOUR PROBLEM. HOW MUCH WHERE YOU OUT FOR THE ENTIRE JOB? DID YOU REPLACE BUSHINGS OR ARMS?

I ALSO HAD ONE NUT TRY TO STRIP OFF .... AND IT WAS THE LAST ONE AFTER I HAD PULLED ONE ARM AND WAS ALMOST DONE. GOTTA LOVE IT!

[fueler]

replacing the arms (which come with bushings already pressed in) will likely cost you less than if you were to press the stock bushings out and press new ones in.... pressing the bushings is supposedly the hardest part. Some guys torch it, some use an angle grinder, some use a 20k pound press, etc

[SnowSurfLax]

I have the death sway coming in as well, but not so dire so I've only researched it. From wht I've read, the bolts and the bushings are a pain in the ***. Expect to replace the bolts and have to torch or cut out the bushings.

Replacing the arms is easiest, from what I've garnered. But then you're stuck with OEM bushings which won't last. Fine if you're not keeping it, but lousy if you're going to drive it in the ground like me.

[fueler]

^^yup thats what i heard too My bushings will be here on Friday, Mike, so i might have Les at Snappy auto do it over the weekend or next week. I'll let you know the costs and what not.

[Adnan]

i think i have the similar issue here...my truck pulls to the rightwhenever i let go of the wheel...i filled up all my tires to 30 psiand i notice that when i keep my wheel pointed straight it still pulls tothe right so now i gotta keep the wheel pointed slightly to the left

[fueler]

i think i have the similar issue here...my truck pulls to the rightwhenever i let go of the wheel...i filled up all my tires to 30 psiand i notice that when i keep my wheel pointed straight it still pulls tothe right so now i gotta keep the wheel pointed slightly to the left

thats completely different, sounds like alignment to me. The death sway, is when youre just cruising on the freeway and once in a while the truck will just start swaying side to side, and pretty hard too. Like your whole body is just getting pushed from side to side. If driven in the rain on a slick road, it would definitely be dangerous.

[Adnan]

oh okay...thanks

that sounds quite frightening lol

[fueler]

if you have ever felt "speed wobbles" on a skateboard, its the same idea. Very fast side to side action!

[infinitynissanfan]

dealer is cutting me a deal on the lower arms as they jacked me around ... nice to have them doing the right thing. I am going to change out the lower arms as soon as they get in. Hopefully. it will take out the sway. Have you guys found that it is just a matter of time before you have to replace the upper arms or bushings? I am looking at 2 bills for the lower arms, another 3 for the top. I foung it odd that the uppers were more expensive as the bushings and arms are smaller.

[BoostTed]

Yea it took out my sway completely.

[Empty V]

Just reading this post makes me feel kinda weird, bringing back bad memories of how my QX4 used to act. After having the 4 bushings replaced it felt like a new car.

Billy

[infinitynissanfan]

Hey Guys, I put the new arms in and the sway is gone. I only installed the lower arms and it is completely corrected. When I did the test again, it appearded that the upper arm bushings were worn as well, but I think these guys have a different job, based on the angle in which that are set. Very easy job once you break the nuts loose.

Special thanks to all of you for helping me .... the market place did not understand what was going on, I could have spent money I didn't have and would not have solved the problem.

This is the best Forum I have ever been on.

[Fear.No.Art]

Had the same problem in my pathfinder

replaced the arms its like a new car

it should be after i did the whole suspension over. the bushings didnt look bad when i checked them before the suspension. thanks to a little research from a friend got the arms and replaced them. i will be posting pictures of the arms and bushings and i took car of the rusty bolts with a good old fashion torch and grinder

[KimmieHix]

I am so glad that I found this forum. I have a 98 QX4 and have been experiencing random death sways for months!! I took my car to a mechanic and he said that he could not find anything wrong. I've had shocks replaced, alignments etc.