72 nova Front end wobble

ok fellow nova nuts,,

Today, I came around a turn... very slow..(straight away a head) dropped the turbo 350 in to first... around 5 MPH.... then tagged it.... watched the tach hit 7000, up shift.... then the front end began to sway violently... backed out of it quickly.....( inspection) got some scrub on the front tires... its going in for an alignment....


2 questions

#1: what are good specs for a alignment (other than stock)

#2: what would cause the whole front end to wobble like a boat in a wake. It wobble side to side

could be a multitude of worn suspension parts.....

If you have a toe out situation the car will pull back and forth as you try to straiten it w/ the wheel.

recently I had a severly worn tire that was sending vibrations through to the steering wheel so bad I could hardly drive (mostly on decceleration) It was and still is (havent replaced it yet) my steering box. the bad tire just made me feel it. changed the tire, all better.

also check your motor mounts, could be broken or loose

Have it do that at 60 on the freeway...... Mine was the pitman arm.

Mind you, this was under HARD acceleration, front end was UP back was squatted.... the car seemed to teeter from side to side..


kinda like this..... Right front up, left front down,


the whole car was wavering... not just the front.


as for worn parts... all four ball joints are new, upper control arm bushings .. new....... with in the last 6K miles

I will check the idler arm. condition unknown..(you know I though about it..):rolleyes:

lower A Arm bushings... condition unknown...

no broken/leaking shocks on preliminary inspection....

Thanks for the replies guys

Mine did that once. I thought it was just because one rear tire gained traction and the other did not, or some sort of spring wrap.