99 Ford Mustang GT - bad front end bounce

[Sheila]

beginning to hate this car. really bad bounce, any road condition, starting at around 35mph. had tires replaced, balanced and aligned. replaced front calipers and brake pads (they needed it) had the struts, springs, tie rods, control arm, shock any kind of bushing you can think of checked, everything seems to be fine to I need a new front end. I have some basic knowledge, can change my own oil and brakes, spark plugs even put in a heli coil not long ago when my spark plug blew out.

last shop i took it to got me for 700.00 and didn't fix anything. there is a grinding noise but the wheel bearings do not seem to be worn, i can wiggle the tires back and forth and there is no play, same with the bounce test for the shocks.

had new rims put on it last year, there is a spacer in there and it is not self centering. boyfriend swears he had them road force balanced, I wasn't there but he loves the car and I won't even take it down the road now cause I am afraid I am tearing it up which means he isn't driving it either.

i don't think it is just one thing worn out, but i really can't afford to just start changing everything out, espcially since i bought another car to drive so i wouldn't tear this one up.

the bounce came first about 8 months after the new rims, now i have the grinding noise with it. any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[DakotaR]

Does it bounce or is it a vibration (kind of like a badly out of balance tire)?

If its happening while going down the road, sounds like the non-centering spacer may be off center... it only takes a little bit to be off and make all kinds of racket. This will prematurely wear the front bearings, too, but you may be scraping elsewhere.