[codefreak13]

I searched some of the chassis and suspension threads here and haven't found anything exactly matching, so wanted to start a new thread. I have always noticed that my 2014 LT has had a lot of side-to-side 'sway' for lack of better term. Not necessarily noticed in cornering, but actually when standing still. For instance, I am stopped to make a left-hand turn on a four-lane highway where traffic around me is going 55 mph+. When a car passes me in the lane to my right, the air moving alone rocks the car side to side fairly significantly (as do cars passing in the other direction). I can also push the car quite easily side-to-side with a single finger when it's parked. By no means is it a deal-breaker of any kind, but it is kind of an annoyance. I've never really experienced it in any other car I've driven, I came from a 96 Ford Escort. Just looking for possible explanations, along with any possible mods to improve.

To go along with this, I notice that driving over uneven bumps (such as when the left wheel hits it prior to right wheel) also leads to a lot of side-to-side movement. I cannot say if this has always been the case; for the first 20k+ I was driving on very even roads. I only started noticing this within the last 40k as I now commute 80+ mi on a variety of road conditions each day. Any suggestions or help would be appreciated!

 

[jblackburn]

How many miles on it currently? My front end struts were mostly shot by 50k.

The shocks/struts in these are relatively soft, and it's a bit slab-sided, which makes a big side profile for air displacement by cars rushing by - I've definitely felt the rocking as other cars go by, and even shaking your leg will rock the car a bit.

If it's a 2014 1LT, it probably doesn't have the Z-link rear suspension either, which does smooth out some body movement over uneven roads.

I had the chance to drive @XtremeRevolution 's 2012 Eco with some suspension modifications (namely, the Bilstein B6 shocks/struts and chassis reinforcement) recently...and I've got to say that it drove much better than a stock Cruze. The suspension is noticeably firmer over small imperfections in the road, but the big stuff - potholes, dips, washboard - it shrugs off like it's not even there. HUGE difference from the stock suspension in the car.

http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/12-gen1-wheels-tires-brakes-suspension/188770-improving-2011-2016-cruze-handling-suspension.html

 

[14'ecocruze]

Mine has got about 70k and I feel the roll when taking corners big time. Not a guru of any sort on suspension but could that be related to the excessive wear on the inside of my front tires? Or do I just need new tires and an alignment? I have definitely looked into the upgraded suspension like Xtreme but I don't make the kinda dough he does lol

 

[jblackburn]

Mine has got about 70k and I feel the roll when taking corners big time. Not a guru of any sort on suspension but could that be related to the excessive wear on the inside of my front tires? Or do I just need new tires and an alignment? I have definitely looked into the upgraded suspension like Xtreme but I don't make the kinda dough he does lol

You're probably due for replacement struts/shocks - that is all that you'd need really, and I'd recommend the Bilsteins over the OEM simply because they're better bang for the buck in terms of longevity. Drive a low-mileage Cruze if you get the chance and you'll definitely notice the difference. I was in/out of brand new ones as rentals, and could definitely tell that my car was no longer taking dips or bumps as well.

Part of the body roll is simply tire-related. Some tires corner better than others because they have stiffer sidewalls. I saw a huge different going from the FR710 Firestone junk to a V-rated Continental PureContact...those tires improved my 2012's handling and overall grip dramatically.

 

[14'ecocruze]

Well I do have the eco with the OEM Goodyear's on it yet everything looks good except inside edges when they are front. It got bad since last oil change. Thoughts?

 

[jblackburn]

Well I do have the eco with the OEM Goodyear's on it yet everything looks good except inside edges when they are front. It got bad since last oil change. Thoughts?

Definitely in need of an alignment. Have them check out your tie rod ends and ball joints for play while they're at it. If you hear any knocking over bumps at low speed, you probably need sway bar end links as well (though those won't cause alignment issues).

 

[14'ecocruze]

I knew a needed an alignment but tires are dry rotting as it is figured I would push the alignment off until I needed new tires...should have just got an alignment right away. Plant on replacing the plastic ends in there. But gonna be a pretty penny all together if I do the suspension upgrade.

 

[Robby]

Based on your description you are feeling the normal squirm that all larger street compound radial tires exhibit.

Shake the car by hand as you describe and watch the sidewall movement relative to tread and wheel.....normal stuff but is more pronounced with low tires.......by all means check the pressure (cold) when you can.

The tires that are now on the rear are quite worn.....by eye, 4/32" or therabouts.....3/32" is considered safe replacement time. Since the tread is getting thin this 'wobble' sensation will be even more pronounced, but again, all street radials do this to some degree.

Nothing to fix imo.....tires and adjustment before fall unless you are a high miler.

Rob

 

[Eddy Cruze]

One of the things I appreciate most in the 2014 LT is the lack of body roll or lean like my Elantra had. That coupled with the non existent torque steer and the inability to even chirp the tires off the line make the CRUZE a well designed car although woefully underpowered.

 

[XtremeRevolution]

Mine has got about 70k and I feel the roll when taking corners big time. Not a guru of any sort on suspension but could that be related to the excessive wear on the inside of my front tires? Or do I just need new tires and an alignment? I have definitely looked into the upgraded suspension like Xtreme but I don't make the kinda dough he does lol

Shocks as noted earlier were shot 20k miles ago. They still retain some functionality, but nowhere close to what they were stock.

Body roll while taking corners, or while standing still, is the combined result of soft sidewall tires and poor anti-sway functionality on the vehicle. The rate of body sway will be caused by the shocks. These are all factors working against you.

Excessive wear on inside of front tires, as noted, is an alignment issue that should be addressed.

Check your front sway bar end links; they are probably worn out and needing replacement.

The Bilstein B6 HD shocks are not as expensive as you'd think. Cost to get new shocks put on by any shop will run you in the $600-$800 range. You can put on Bilsteins for the low end of that range yourself and get significantly better suspension, or you can run some KYB Excel-G/GR2 shocks (OEM replacements) for much less and throw on a rear sway bar and new front end links, which will cost about the same but make a bigger difference in reducing body roll.

Trust me, I don't make a ton of money. My wife is a stay at home mom and I have 2 kids. I spend the money where necessary to protect the investment I made buying this car new knowing that it will allow me to get more years of use out of it in optimal condition. Our Honda Odyssey at 78k miles needs new shocks badly, and will get them later this year. Consider it the cost of vehicle ownership. Take good care of it and it will last you a lot longer.

 

[14'ecocruze]

I have 3 kids so one up ya there lol and 600$ is like 46 hours worth of work after taxes are taken. Anyways I would definitely be doing the work with a friend of mine so labor is how much ever beer it takes to keep him happy and hand me that wrench ect. He builds dirt track race cars so maybe he can make something up for stability. Save a little at least. Suchs because I was looking to do about 200$ worth of suspension work into my 02 explorer to keep it on the road for another 100k. 260k now and feels almost like a flat when the wind hits it right.

Anyways I'll definitely be looking at the upgraded suspension. Roads around here are crap. How long do the Bilstien typically last? I'm hoping they will get me to 200k 8-10 years from now lol

 

[XtremeRevolution]

I have 3 kids so one up ya there lol and 600$ is like 46 hours worth of work after taxes are taken. Anyways I would definitely be doing the work with a friend of mine so labor is how much ever beer it takes to keep him happy and hand me that wrench ect. He builds dirt track race cars so maybe he can make something up for stability. Save a little at least. Suchs because I was looking to do about 200$ worth of suspension work into my 02 explorer to keep it on the road for another 100k. 260k now and feels almost like a flat when the wind hits it right.

Anyways I'll definitely be looking at the upgraded suspension. Roads around here are crap. How long do the Bilstien typically last? I'm hoping they will get me to 200k 8-10 years from now lol

If money is tight, just run the KYB Excel-G shocks and throw the rear sway bar on there. I have a tutorial for it. The Bilstein B6 HD shocks have a lifetime warranty. I don't expect to need to replace them for as long as I own the Cruze.

Decide first and foremost what your goals are, and then approach your modifications with those goals in mind. Start small with things like Moog front sway bar end links (I have a tutorial up for this), then either the shocks or the rear sway bar (I'd do the shocks out of necessity, but the rear sway bar will reduce body roll more). Both should be done if you really want make this car feel planted.

Roads here aren't any better. The Bilsteins have such great damping that the car is much more comfortable to drive over uneven pavement. Jblackburn drove my car around for a bit at Lordstown and one of his comments was that bumps and road anomalies don't upset the chassis. The car just takes it and stays stable. Doesn't matter if I'm going over railroad tracks, potholes, or roads that have been repaired a million times, the suspension absorbs everything and the chassis remains stable without the discomfort you normally get when the chassis absorbs energy. The addition of the rear sway bar makes it feel more like a sports car and adds substantially more lateral grip.

I towed my boat this past weekend for the first time since I did all of these suspension modifications and was truly impressed. I couldn't feel the boat behind me aside from the braking distance and acceleration, at any speeds from 10mph to 60mph. The chassis is so rigid with the three UR chassis bars I added, and the car so planted and stable with the Bilsteins and the rear sway bar, that the weight of the trailer doesn't phase it one bit.

 

[14'ecocruze]

Thanks X I'll be looking at saving enough up in the next month or so. Unless I get my back pay from the military it will be a tough buy. Looking at around 1000-1200$ with the whole setup I want. Thanks for all the how to stuff. Definitely gonna do it all at once. Tearing appart the same stuff multiple times is no fun lol been there done that. Is there any way to tweak the alignment back closer to where it should be so I can ride out the shot tires for another 2 months. I have seen some of the redneck or poor man's alignment stuff but not sure.

 

[XtremeRevolution]

I'm not familiar with any methods to perform an alignment in your driveway or garage.

Sent from my STV100-1 using Tapatalk

 

[Jackcruze]

I have been a reader of CruzeTalk since I bought my 14 LT in Dec 2013 and have always found it very informative.

With 48K on it I have noticed the ride has degraded a fair bit. I have a source and can get OEM front struts with springs and mounts for 90 each. All being said about the upgrade struts, does this seem OK for a cheapskate like me?

 

[Blasirl]

I would also add thet if you have the stock LT rims and the FR70's find an LTZ in a similar age/mileage range with 18" rims and try doing the same things. The larger (??) sidewalls add to the movement. If it really bothers you upgrade rims as well as suspension components.

 

[14'ecocruze]

I'm not familiar with any methods to perform an alignment in your driveway or garage.

Sent from my STV100-1 using Tapatalk

Done. And seems to have helped a lot. I toed it in quite a bit seeing as it was toed out a lot. Handling is improved and roll has decreased a bit. Sure beats bringing it to a shop lol. I'll have it done again on a alignment rack when I get new tires most likely. Depends on the price seeing as how simple it is to adjust toe. Not sure if there is anything I can do for camber

 

[XtremeRevolution]

Done. And seems to have helped a lot. I toed it in quite a bit seeing as it was toed out a lot. Handling is improved and roll has decreased a bit. Sure beats bringing it to a shop lol. I'll have it done again on a alignment rack when I get new tires most likely. Depends on the price seeing as how simple it is to adjust toe. Not sure if there is anything I can do for camber

Assuming there was never a collision, camber would be caused by worn out control arm bushings and/or strut mounts. Strut mounts wear out on these cars fairly quickly.

 

[XtremeRevolution]

I have been a reader of CruzeTalk since I bought my 14 LT in Dec 2013 and have always found it very informative.

With 48K on it I have noticed the ride has degraded a fair bit. I have a source and can get OEM front struts with springs and mounts for 90 each. All being said about the upgrade struts, does this seem OK for a cheapskate like me?

Sure, if you want to have to do it again in 45k miles. I think KYB aftermarket shocks would last longer for about the same price through rockauto. I'm not a fan of the OEM shocks at all.

 

[14'ecocruze]

Will be replacing shocks and the plan is to go your route X. Upgrade shocks, sway bar in rear and non plastic end links up front.