Rear suspension

808GRANATO

MEMBER
2007 MAZDA 3
4 CYL
FWD
AUTOMATIC
55,000 MILES

2007 mazda 3 hatchback, 53000 miles.
when hit bumps, patched potholes, even the dots that divide lanes, with right rear wheel ONLY. The rear end will jump out to the right, tires will actually slide momentarily. If pavement is wet I can get a small drift going if Im on a left turn when my right tires hit the bumps.

when wheel is hopping really bad due to high speed or bigger bumps, rattle or clank is heard from right rear.

right rear passes the "bounce" test but my first impression is still shocks. After internet searching, I wonder if its bushings etc.

1 Reply

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,873 POSTS

This is a job for an alignment specialist. Have an inspection done at a tire and alignment shop. There are struts in the rear. Those are similar to giant shock absorbers except they also hold the spindle / wheel straight. They can come apart on top and allow the shaft to wobble around while still preventing excessive bouncing. That will let the top of the tire move in and out. Tires want to roll in the direction they're leaning. While that is much more important on the front for a proper alignment, a rear tire that is moving around can cause the symptoms you described.

Worn bushings can cause that too but that would be very unusual for a three-year-old car. Even struts should not be worn out at the mileage you listed but the inspection will tell for sure. Other possibilities include loose wheel bearings, loose alignment adjustment bolts, and broken or rusted links that hold the wheel in position. In an effort to make cars lighter for better fuel mileage, suspension parts have become embarrassingly flimsy lately.

Caradiodoc