Rear end wobble - AE80

[TwentyTwo]

Gday, I've got an AE80 sedan these days and the problem (besides my shredded masculinity) is that when turning left hand bends at any speed, the arse swings out pretty violently. Remember its an AE80, not AE86, so this is a bit abnormal.
It doesnt loose traction, just the balance of the car shifts suddenly once it gets to a certain lateral loading, then you can feel it snap back into line once you straighten up.
Its only left handers and you dont have to be pushing very hard really.
Any ideas?

[oldcorollas]

umm.. some bolts have fallen out and the suspension arms are floating around???

seriously, get under and check that the four arms between the body and the diff, all have their bolts, the mounting points aren't broken (either body or diff) and then the panhard rod is in place and all bounts/mounting points intact...
also check that you have not destroyed any of the bushings...
perhaps try and lever parts to see if they are loose or have compliance

i wouoldn't recommend driving it until you do check

[TwentyTwo]

I did check it out under there and i cant see anything loose/broken/missing. Checked control arms, trailing arms, sway bar mounts and bushes. Havnt looked at the hubs yet, but id imagine it'd be pretty noisy if something in the hub/axle busted, and its noiseless.

[joecoolmk2]

i'd bet money on it that it's the panhard rod. the reason it's only doing it one way is because the mount on the body is holding it in place, as the mount is closed on the outside.

so yeah, have a look at the panhard rod at the body end of it.

[-GT-]

Um, isn't an ae80 fwd (like ae82), so no panhard rod? If its violent like you say i agree it sounds like something major in the suspension is no longer connected; tried control arm bolts to the chassis? I had one of them come loose and the wheel was all over the place.

How about trailing arms (i assume cause ae82 does it does to)? Maybe get a mate to push it around while you lie under it? I can't think of anything else apart from control arms and bushes, definately sounds like suspension the way it does it consistently as the weight shifts, not erratic while going straight.

Edit: Just saw you said you checked trailing arms etc. Only thing i can think is that it's not obvious when you're pushing it around because you can't get close to the loads its under while driving.

[joecoolmk2]

oh my bad, still there must be a similar item controlling the axles? not sure, haven't seen the suspension on one of them.

[Dimmy]

Also thought it may be detroyed bushings or something to do with the swaybar. Jack up the rear and have a feel around

[TwentyTwo]

I was pushing the shocks side to side to check for movement and the big rubber donut bush that sits around the top of the shock in the strut tower fell out in bits. think that might be the issue...

[TwentyTwo]

Replaced that bush, and pulled apart the whole rear end and re-assembled it and the fault is still there. There is nothing wrong with the rear suspension that i can see, and ive looked pretty hard. Trying to think of where to start looking in the front end...

[oldcorollas]

castor rods? mate had the nut holding one onto the lower arm come off.. it did funny things under braking