Monday Mailbag: Possible Causes and Cures for the (Vehicle) Shakes

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Got questions?

We’ve got the answers—Mondays when the Summit Racing tech department tackles your automotive-related conundrums. This week, we try to pinpiont the cause of mysterious high-speed shake in a 1983 Camaro Z28.

M.K. • Darien, GA

Q: I have a 1983 Camaro Z28 with a rebuilt 305. I can’t drive over 80 miles-per-hour without the whole car shaking. I have tried different brands and widths of wheels and tires, but nothing has helped. I am stumped at this point—what should I be looking for?

A: We suggest checking the following things:

• Look for dents or missing weights on the driveshaft. Have it checked for straightness and proper balance.
• Check for bent rear axles.
• Check the engine mounts and transmission mounts to see if the rubber parts have cracked or are missing. If they are, replace them with new mounts—Energy Suspension polyurethane mounts are ideal performance replacements.
• If the driveshaft and mounts are OK, look for a damaged flexplate, torque converter, or transmission input and output shafts. Make sure the harmonic damper is the correct one for the engine, too.