1999 Grand Am -- Leaning to one side

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ThirdeYe

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Feb 23, 2007
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Grand Rapids, MI
Hi all,

My girlfriend's 1999 Grand Am SE is having an issue where the front driver's side of the car is leaning a few inches more than the front driver's side. We were told that it is the stabilizer/sway bar bushings. Would this cause a car to lean to one side even when not cornering, or is there another potential issue? I know next to nothing about suspension components, so I thought I'd ask here before having the mechanic go ahead with the work.

Thanks!
55.gif
 
If the bushings are so bad that the bar is binding up and can't return to it's normal position, I guess it could make the car lean. Never heard of it though. Normally I'd think the force of the springs would overcome any binding in the bar or bushings and return the ride height to normal.
 
Whatever it is, must be quite serious and not something that can be ignored. Unless you are the insurance beneficiary on your girlfriend's policy :-)
 
If not broken springs you could blow the "hat" on the strut on which the spring rests, or, more accurately, the weight of that corner of the car.
 
I was thinking it was the spring, because we've had issues with springs on this Grand Am and her old Grand Am as well.

zzyzzx -- She is not fat at all, and that would make it lean more on the driver's side than the passenger side, anyways.
wink.gif


160,000 miles on the car. As far as I know, the front struts are original. We just had the rears replaced.
 
Originally Posted By: ThirdeYe
Hi all,

My girlfriend's 1999 Grand Am SE is having an issue where the front driver's side of the car is leaning a few inches more than the front driver's side. We were told that it is the stabilizer/sway bar bushings. Would this cause a car to lean to one side even when not cornering, or is there another potential issue? I know next to nothing about suspension components, so I thought I'd ask here before having the mechanic go ahead with the work.

Thanks!
55.gif



Oops, I meant to say that it is the passenger side that is leaning, not the driver's side.
 
Originally Posted By: eljefino
If not broken springs you could blow the "hat" on the strut on which the spring rests, or, more accurately, the weight of that corner of the car.


Obligatory:
5nq0si.jpg
 
Originally Posted By: ThirdeYe
I was thinking it was the spring, because we've had issues with springs on this Grand Am and her old Grand Am as well.

zzyzzx -- She is not fat at all, and that would make it lean more on the driver's side than the passenger side, anyways.
wink.gif


160,000 miles on the car. As far as I know, the front struts are original. We just had the rears replaced.


I always replace struts as a group of 4. the front struts are probably bad and this car it's best to use a quick strut since the strut mounts on this car often go bad as well.

I have a 1999 V6 Alero, so I am familiar with this Grand Am. Mine doesn't lean, but it is garaged and only has 37K miles in it.
 
Originally Posted By: zzyzzx
Originally Posted By: eljefino
If not broken springs you could blow the "hat" on the strut on which the spring rests, or, more accurately, the weight of that corner of the car.


Obligatory:
5nq0si.jpg


o_o!!!
 
Brybo86 - I'm at work right now, but I can take one later this evening.

I asked her for clarification on what they said the issue was, and they specifically mentioned it was the bushings that connect it to the frame (rather than the end links). I'm just scratching my head at how this would create an issue when the sway bar isn't loaded.
 
Originally Posted By: SLCraig
Broken springs are common on GMs.... I would be look at that.


You're probably right. We've had broken spring issues with this '99 Grand Am, and her old '99 Grand Am that she had before this one.
 
Yeah those N-bodys would sometimes get broken springs after several years, usually after 10 years. The salt and rust works its way in. A quick strut would be the easiest and cheapest fix. I don't think they give as good ride and handling as the OE strut and spring, but the OE parts cost a fortune. You could take the assembly off a junkyard car but the problem is they'd all be over 10 years old now and you're in the rust belt. But sometimes you get lucky and you find southern or western car, but not usually lol.

Eventually the car will become undrivable and the broken spring can cut the tire sidewall so it needs fixed soon.
 
I had that happen once to a similar Pontiac.
I told the boss to get quick-struts. He said quick-struts? What are those?
Once he saw them, he knew what a great invention they were.

Now, it appears that Gabriel and KYB have started to make their own equivalents to the quick strut. Unfortunately, a bunch of badly made Chinese copies are out there as well.
 
I'm pretty sure we used a quick-strut the last time this happened to her car. Must've been a shoddy brand or something... we're gonna take it in to the place that did it last to see if it's still under warranty. It's been a few years, but it's probably worth looking into anyways. If the car is over at my house tonight I'll take a picture of the passenger side leaning.
 
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