NIKDSC5

iTrader: (10)

How has no one here mentioned the terrible rack and pinion bushings yet?

Sound to me like that is the first spot I would check.

Not sure how anyone fixated on the diff bushing? That being bad will only allow the pinion angle to change, and would do nothing to the cars handling.

The rack and pinion bushings being shot would make it feel like a boat on the ocean while traveling at highway speeds. Or make you look like every actor ever driving a car constantly moving the wheel back and forth.

Alignment is a possibility. Could easily do a preliminary check to that by looking at the tires, and using a measuring tape. Good luck!

ls1247

iTrader: (2)

Need to learn more about our terrible rack bushings...if you could link me into that thread I'd appreciate it cause I must have missed it.

You would understand the reason i fixated on the diff bushing if you bothered reading the thread.

joejbal

I had about 3 degrees of neg chamber, which was noticeable once I looked for it. That toed in the drivers rear. All of which caused uneven tire wear (worse than usual)

1.5 neg camber is what the car has had since new. It's good for turning and a loaded suspension, but how does that help with stability going straight down the highway?

NIKDSC5

iTrader: (10)

Excuse me, the bolt mounting the rack, as well as the entire rack in general.

https://ls1tech.com/forums/cadillac-...failure-3.html

ls1247

iTrader: (2)

Lol!

I saw that thread but it seems more like fuzzy logic than actual problems. For the most part the rack seems to be pretty serviceable for 99% of us.

BudRacing

iTrader: (3)

My V is a little floaty lately too. I found that one of the jam nuts on the outer tie rods had backed off, so I snugged it back up and took it in for a realignment. It wasn't too bad and the shop only charged me ~$26 for the minor toe adjustment.
The alignment helped a lot, but it's still not 100% confidence inspiring. I plan on doing some bushing replacements starting with the front upper control arms (bc they're easy, low-hanging fruit). I'm not going with poly on these, just the OEM replacement.

After that I may consider the rear cradle bushings and/or the rear toe bushings.

I'm at 139k BTW. It's time for some replacements of most things rubber.

isis

iTrader: (1)

I think good condition stock cradle bushings gave the 'crosswinds pushing' feeling in corners. I'd imagine worn ones may do that over every bump. They suck no matter what so I'd start there.

ls1247

iTrader: (2)

Agreed

Mike.g

I got under the car to inspect the bushings, I can see some decay on them, but not too aggressive. I did a search and found some nice replacements: https://creative-steel.com/shop/cts-...adle-bushings/

I was also thinking about taking to an alignment shop, just to make sure all my bases were covered before I start to replace items in the car.

I will keep everyone update as this goes on and post what fixed it just in case other people have this same issue down the road.

isis

iTrader: (1)

Creative steel bushings are exactly what I did. Their installation tool and instructions make it easy enough for a reasonably short single day.

It does look fooked, But that picture isn't a cradle bushing.

Mike.g

Yeah, that picture shows the worst bushing I could find. The ones I think are the cradle don't look too bad at all, unless I am missing something.

isis

iTrader: (1)

The cradle bushing should hold the cradle against the car with the suspension unloaded or loaded. It's not the best pic, but that one looks like it's melted bubblegum. The other one you posted was really bad too. I think you have good places to start for sure. Yuck.

NIKDSC5

iTrader: (10)

No. The cradle bushing keep the cradle in a float type hold. So that the cradle does not contact the car body. The 1st pic he put up is of the front of the trailing arm and there is no bushing replacement for that. Only an entire new trailing arm setup.

OP, both of those bushing look to be in fine shape, and I doubt are any cause to your problem. With that said obviously replacing them will help feel and handling.

serik21

To the opp check your shocks if one of them is out especially the rear ones your car will pull one way of the other under throttle.

ls1247

iTrader: (2)

So we've got alignment, shocks, rack, swps, cradle bushings, control arm bushings,loose tie rods and tires.

That should cover it.

isis

iTrader: (1)

Ok I'll defer to your memory on that one. The only time I saw mine was when I removed them at 40k miles or so. I must not have eyeballed them from that angle.

Even with low miles they absolutely were the thing on my car causing the exact sensation the OP describes. I would start there even though the trailing arm ones look pretty dried up. Maybe get some used trailing arms from somebody who upgraded.

Start a wtb thread here if you have access (there's a minimum post count for classified sections) :
https://ls1tech.com/forums/cadillac-cts-v-classifieds-156/

AAIIIC

iTrader: (19)

Mike.g - Any luck on figuring this out yet?

What terrible rack and pinion bushings? First I've heard of them being a problem.

The first pics he posted were only of the diff bushing, hence the discussion was about the diff bushing.

As already mentioned, that's not a cradle bushing, that's the forward/chassis end of the rear trailing arm. It looks perfectly normal. I'm not sure what exactly is inside that bushing, but I think it's functionally a rubber encased rod end. The rear of the trailing arm moves up and down with suspension movement, so it's normal for the bushing to look like it's twisted relative to the bushing shell.

While getting a proper alignment can help straightline stability, based on your description of the problem, I don't think an alignment problem is what you're dealing with.

That is a cradle bushing, and that looks bad to me. The big-*** flange that's at the bottom of the bushing (in the red circle) should be pretty much centered below the vertical bushing shell. Instead, yours is offset quite a bit towards the rear. And I'm just eyeballing it off the picture, but the center of the bushing (between the two green lines) looks off center and angled compared to the bushing shell (the two yellow lines).



The Creative Steel cradle bushings you linked earlier would fix that by completely replacing the bushings. The other option is Delrin inserts, which is what I have on my car. You can find them on Ebay - 2004 2005 cts V Delrin Rear Cradle Bushings | eBay. (I installed them probably 6 or 7 years ago, at which point there weren't any options for complete cradle bushing replacements.)

So Stability Control Off isn't Stability Control Off?

Sssnake

Not on mine. It is greatly reduced but not off. On very tight twisties it shows back up. Usually at a pretty good time but on familiar roads it becomes a PIA. I think you can turn it off in the tune but I haven't really had the opportunity to check (other bigger things always seem to pop up).

NIKDSC5

iTrader: (10)

I think what you mean is traction control. If you hit the button once it will turn off traction control but stability will still be there. Press the button and hold for 10 seconds and you will get what AAIIC is talking about with stability control off showing up on the dash.

NIKDSC5

iTrader: (10)

I highlighted in red the answer to the first one.

And I get the picture about the diff bushing making it the focal point, what i don't get is how any logic can relate that diff bushing causing the OP's symptoms.