Shudder/Chatter from rear driving over bumps

**Yarbeau** · 10-20-2014

Car is a 2000 GTP. Tires are new.

Odd feeling whenever I go over a bump or hit a pothole etc. the back right tire seems to almost chatter like its hopping off the road for a second. I know it isn't but that's the feeling I get.

Any ideas? Im completely lost.

**FordMan77** · 10-20-2014

Could be shot struts/spring. Did the rear tires wear evenly before they were changed?

**Scottydoggs** · 10-20-2014

check the strut towers for rust.

then theres the sway bar in the rear, if the bushings are shot it can rattle. theres end links for the rear too.

**stocker** · 10-20-2014

Have you ever followed a car with a tire that is rapidly bouncing up and down after they hit any sort of imperfection in the roadway? That is a worn shock/strut.

How many miles do you have on it and when were your shocks last replaced? If you want to test the rear shocks, find a rear body panel that you won't dent with your body weight and rhythmically get the back bouncing up and down. Once you stop, the car should bounce once or a small second time (and maybe a little sideways wiggle after that). If it continues to bounce more than a couple times, your shocks are shot.

**Yarbeau** · 10-20-2014

Tires wore evenly previously. no tower rot at all, they are clean. Shocks bounce once and level out, no pogo effect here.

Im thinking sway bar personally. that's what its feeling like to me... Just gets a little off track and is then pulled back in, if that makes any sense!

**HighOctaneRacing** · 10-20-2014

worn, defective, or just plain crappy tires can do this too but yea check the rear sway bar, links and bushings. Make sure the trailing arm(s) and lateral links/Track bars aren't bent either. Struts too but I don't they are bent and look at the springs as well

**nik12937** · 10-21-2014

If all the suspension parts are tight, check your e-brake assembly. They make an awful noise when the support insulator inevitably rots away. You can rule it out by lightly engaging the e-brake when going over bumps, if the noise changes or goes away then that's it. Mine makes an awful noise because it taps the body of the car going over bumps.