Prior to about 3 weeks ago, the car felt as solid as could be and had very predictable handling on the street and auto-x. I could feel the DTSS working to step the rear end out slightly on turn in and stabilize it when turning harder. This is with slightly wider tires on stock S5 TII wheels, and the other suspension stuff in my sig. I also replaced the hanging links on the inner trailing arms with new units from Mazdatrix about 4 yrs ago.

Suddenly, one day the rear end started to feel pretty twitchy, especially going over the tar that they use to seal cracks in the road even when driving in a straight line. In a corner with some sort of side loading on the wheels the twitchiness doesn't seem quite as bad, but you can still feel it there. A deep-sounding (and kind-of resonating) thunk that sounds like its coming from the rear has also started happening when hitting expansion joints.

This definitely seems like a rear bushing to me, but would it be the DTSS bushing, one of the hanging links, the trailing arm, or something else? It started happening right around when we started getting snow/ice if that helps at all. I have energy suspension bushings waiting to go on for everything but the DTSS bushing and will probably try installing them in a week or two, but i'd like to see if anyone's encountered this and has solved it or has specific places for me to look.

 

dude I had the same thing happen to me. In the middle of replacing the shocks I found out the damn nut came off the sway bar and it was making the thunking sound.

 

Its something to check, but removing the rear sway would make the rear end more stable, not more twitchy, so there's got to be something else at play too

 

DTSS = suxor, but I don't think that's your problem unless one of the DTSS bushings failed.

My guess is that one or both of the outer suspension arm cam adjuster things came loose. Those control toe-in, so if they're wobbling your rear toe will change and cause trouble.

 

I kinda like the DTSS and the way it makes the car feel, but thats personal preferance, and if I had to disable it b/c one of the bushings were shot, theres plenty of other variables in the suspension that can be changed to achieve a similar effect.

When it stops raining I'll head out and see if there seems to be any play in either of the rear wheels.

 

I had the exact same situation happen to me, it ended up being a DTSS bushing.... Sadly it made me bump a guard rail with my passenger side

 

i have the exact same problem rear end wandering, follows ruts in the road. I have tein coilovers, replaced the DTSS with eliminators, replaced rear swaybar bushings, replaced lower wheel hub bushings. and it still happens. Im thinking now the rear subframe to chassis bushings are worn out, maybe that lets the entire subframe rotate back and forth?? im almost out of ideas. feels like its definately something in the rear, not the front. makes driving at interstate speeds kinda stressful. im thinking it cause me to lose control in the mtns a little while back also

 

havin the same problem...bump

 

Well im having an issue. Not sure if its the same thing, But when i Step on the gas hard and the rear end squats feels like the rear end is Slightly going to the Left.. like the rear wheels are steering or somthing

 

I had similar symptoms on my 88. It turned out the camber link(~12 inch rod connects sub-frame to chassis)bolt was loose, tightened it up, problem solved.