C5 suspension problem?

There was an issue early on where the front spring bolts loosened. They are 15MM head and should be checked anytime it is serviced by your GM dealer. Not sure that would allow the condition you describe but it needs to get up in the air and get a good look at everything that keeps you on the road safely.

Sounds like something in the rear end suspension but it could be almost anything from wheel bearings to trailing arms, loose bolts , worn front end alignment parts even loose wheel lug nuts. Better get it up on a lift where you can check front to rear

kickstart

I don't know (yet) how the rear suspension in a C5 works, but in a C4, worn u-joints would do that. Whatever it is, that sounds like something that needs immediate attention.

-rev

Turned out to be front inner and rear outer tie rods. About $900 to replace all four and re-align the car. $400 in parts / $500 in labor. Ouch!

Interesting. First off what are they calling inner tie rods, the only inner ones I can see would be part of the steering rack? What are your driving habits (low speed parking?), conditions, and miles like? I wonder why they put grease zerks in the back rod ends on my C6.

Both the 26071832 front and the 26058600 rear wouldn't come up on the GM parts site. Show front Moog number as EV343 $52 rack & ES2231 $62 tie rod end on Rock Auto, K6537 rear ball joint with a price of $86 (ridiculous). If they replace all six the parts cost looks about right. Would be nice if you can see the parts they replaced and let us know what they are like.

Wish I could tell you more... I just listed exactly what was on the work order, and I didn't get the old parts. Sure fixed the problem though.

The problem is that tie rod ends don't wear out in the time span that your car has been on the road, seldom if ever on the rear. No doubt one can fail but even that is rare without some overriding reason. Then to they can be damaged from some really bad driving/parking habits or driving conditions. One of the more common reasons to have that many go bad is a dealer that sees he can get away with changing them, or not, and turning a large profit, when all it needed was an alignment. Seldom have I had a dealer that I pressed the issue with but the parts they remove are mine and if they can't give them to me I don't pay for new ones.

Still would be of interest to know your driving environment and habits that could have created that kind of failure.

I agree Dad, tie rod ends shouldn't be worn anywhere near enough to cause that kinda slop and movement..... That some serious-ass "wear"!

Well, 107,000 miles on the car, just normal city/highway driving. A few potholes here and there, but nothing major. It wasn't something that could be fixed by an alignment, that's for sure.

Still very odd, my Eldorado had 118K on it and my '92 Corvette had 92K and other than tire changes and an alignment when needed there was never a lost tie rod end, let alone four.