Need some help with an issue with my local garage

ostewart

Prominent Member
Joined
May 17, 2019
Messages
2,722
Reaction score
3,247
Points
997
Age
30
Location
Worthing, West Sussex
So I check my car over fairly often, and last month I noticed the front drivers side CV boot had split. They were old anyway and knew this would need doing, but only when they split.

As a preemptive measure I asked by local garage who I've used for previous work to change them all on both driveshafts.

The garage have always been good in the past, and sorted things out quickly for me.

After they changed the boots, I noticed I was getting quite a lot of vibration/wobble when at 50mph and accelerating.

They took it back in, regreased the joints, thought that would do it. But it didn't solve the issue. So they advised it's likely the driveshafts, and billed me for new ones - labour and gearbox oil weren't charged due to them carrying out the CV boot replacement a couple of weeks prior.

That fixed the 50mph issue, but I'm still getting wobble at 20mph now, in a very small band, and also some vibration through the steering wheel at 70mph. Also I'm getting a metallic clunk/click when setting off in 1st or reverse from stationary. None of this was present before.

The driveshafts were fitted less than a month ago, and the garage have a warranty on repairs carried out (1-year / 10,000 miles)

I've spent £550 so far and my car feels worse than when I took it in with the split CV boot.

They have advised me that one of the rear wheels was slightly buckled and that may have contributed to the issues above, but I've changed all the wheels now and it's still the same (didn't get that done by them). They have also advised the rear trailing arm bushes are worn, but I feel that wouldn't have a lot to do with the above issues.

What's my best course of action here? Currently it's booked in for them to take another look on Tuesday. But I'm really annoyed that I've shelled out and had the car made worse, not better...

Thanks for any help in advance
 
Get a 2nd opinion.
 
Get a 2nd opinion.

Means shelling out even more money 🙄

But yeah, that might be my best option, might give my garage one final chance to rectify it.
 
I have a feeling they messed up the balance of my driveshafts and instead of fixing it, it was easier to bill me for new ones in hopes that would be it.

Would I be right to refuse to pay anything further - unless they are necessary parts which they can show me are worn?

The squeak/clunk happens at lower speeds when loading / offloading the drivetrain, so when accelerating and decelerating.
 
Might be worth looking for a owners forum, sometimes they can be helpful.
 
Pads and discs?
Pads can stick and clunk when you pull away.
Now if your discs are worn l/warped too the that could give you vibrations.
 
Pads and discs?
Pads can stick and clunk when you pull away.
Now if your discs are worn l/warped too the that could give you vibrations.

I've got new pads and discs to go on soon.

But the vibration isn't under breaking (that's smooth), it's under acceleration. And the clunk happens when driving too, when you either accelerate or decelerate you can hear it, sounds like movement from two metal parts hitting eachother.

Someone in one of the owners groups said it might be the hub that's worn and there is movement between the hub splines and the new driveshaft splines.
 
Naturally it is really hard to diagnose anything remotely. But if there is one thing I've learned on cars with a few miles on it is that when you change one thing you'd often set off a chain of finding the next weakest spot, then change that and you find the next, and so on.
 
Recent experience with replacing the front suspension mounts on our mini - lots of bumps and thumps mostly under low speed cornering and acceleration.
Turned out the new parts were faulty with rubber disconnected from the metal mounts - all replaced FOC.
Depends what they needed to disconnect/loosen to get at that CV joints and drive shafts?
 
So basically there is some movement between my current brake discs and the wheel studs, which seems to be causing this issue, even though they should be clamped into place by the wheels.

I have new discs to go on so I'll be doing that with my friend around the 17th of this month and we will see if it's the old disc that's causing it, or if there is wear on the wheel studs, at which point it would be a hub replacement.

Not really heard of this issue before, and it seems to be very uncommon, but they put some tape on 3 of the studs to centre the disc on the drivers side and there is no noise. It's not a fix, but just a diagnostic tool.

They haven't charged me for checking it all today, also one of my brake pads was falling apart (friction material coming detached from the backing) so they replaced those FOC - but they'll be changed on the 17th anyway.
 
I wouldn't be driving the car If the disc is moving around on the hub, it'll like ruin the studs or worse sheer them off.
 
Hmmmm, never heard of a brake disc moving on a wheel hub.
 
I'll be changing them soon, and the garage have said they will try another brand of driveshaft too once I've done the discs.

As it seems very unheard of that a disc can move to hit the studs.

@mjn it seems to be very uncommon looking online.
 
Hmmmm, never heard of a brake disc moving on a wheel hub.

Yeah me neither, I'm definitely going to try and get a second opinion.

I drew a line with some crayon I had in a bike puncture repair kit where the wheel meets the disc and got the car to clunk and no movement there. I highly doubt the wheel is moving on the hub, the nuts are torqued to spec and seem a perfect fit.

And yes, I know my discs need changing, I was just getting the last bit of life out of them.

PXL_20210804_210431859.jpg
 
Booked in to another garage tomorrow for a second opinion, from showing the guy the sound he thinks it's either the shafts or hubs but they will have a look tomorrow.

Fingers crossed I can get some answers and go back to the place that fitted the driveshafts with it.

Brake discs do have quite a bit of life left even if they are slightly lipped.
 
Second opinion and it seems much more sound (the guy who runs the garage showed me the movement etc...) - there's a bit of movement between the caliper and the carrier - this happens from time to time where they fit new calipers and clean a tiny bit too much material off, common to do as it's easier to fit.

This leaves some room for the brake pad to move a little in the carrier when first setting off or moving slowly from forward to reverse etc...

The noise may go away with time, but it's nothing serious or harmful.
 
I was going to say poorly fitted brakes in my last post but I've took abuse before after saying people don't know how to do brakes, but go with the 2nd opinion if you think clonking brakes is ok.
 
I was going to say poorly fitted brakes in my last post but I've took abuse before after saying people don't know how to do brakes, but go with the 2nd opinion if you think clonking brakes is ok.

It's an old car, I'll see how much play is there when I do the discs and pads on the 17th with my friend. He's great with cars, and it's routine maintenance, otherwise it means getting new carriers from a scrapyard or eBay breaker.

They only make the noise when pulling away or changing from reverse to forwards etc...

Also I only wanted the 2nd opinion as to what was causing the noise, if I asked they probably could have quoted for a repair (likely new carriers, as the calipers are basically brand new)
 
Still find this weird. I’ve not heard of someone taking material off the carrier when cleaning them.

Did I read it correctly that you have had the callipers changed? Without seeing what is going on I would guess that someone has put on some wrong parts or bad fitting non oem parts.

It’s why I like doing jobs like these myself. I’d make certain I used the right and good quality parts.
 
Still find this weird. I’ve not heard of someone taking material off the carrier when cleaning them.

Did I read it correctly that you have had the callipers changed? Without seeing what is going on I would guess that someone has put on some wrong parts or bad fitting non oem parts.

It’s why I like doing jobs like these myself. I’d make certain I used the right and good quality parts.

New calipers were put on a while back (6 months or so ago), didn't have the noise but with the amount they've messed with it recently, apparently you can make the pads sit a bit loose in the carrier side by being too rough when cleaning them up. Looks like some places often use wire wheels to clean them up.


I've got Brembo OE spec discs and pads to go on it, then I'll be seeing what kind of fit they are in terms of tightness.
 
I did think brakes (see post #6).
Glad its sorted now though.
 
I did think brakes (see post #6).
Glad its sorted now though.

Thank you :) it does seem to be a fairly common thing with some brake pads and I'll be able to have a good look with my friend soon. Just glad it's nothing sinister and it's all safe to drive etc..
 

The latest video from AVForums

Is 4K Blu-ray Worth It?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom