Floppy wheel!?! (Binding problem on front left corner?)

mgjs1 · Post by **mgjs1** » Thu Dec 18, 2003 5:47 am

I posted briefly on this on another thread, but still have unanswered Qs.

Here is my problem:
The front left wheel goes floppy (very hard shake) while accelerating and turning gradually to the left. If it happens at 30mph it is a jalopy-like feel which shakes the steering wheel pretty good. If it happens at 55mph, it is more violent with banging/breaking sound and feel that makes you immediately slow down and pull off.

It goes away if I straighten out or ease off accelerator (coast/decelerate).

CV boot is cracked on that corner, with typical clicking at lower speeds when turning left. BUT, clicking and/or out-of-balance shimmy is different from this violent shake... which comes abrubtly and leaves abruptly ... and I can drive 50 miles at a time real easy-like without it happening at all.

Had shop check prob out, and they said they could not account for what was happening based on a bad CV joint and a potentially bad bearing, so they recommended an evaluation by a transmission shop (not done yet).

Sorry for the long post, but I wanna get this clear in my head. Thanks for any advice you can provide!

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Thu Dec 18, 2003 5:52 am

Unless the hub is flopping with the wheel, it's gotta be a wheel bearing, right?

Have you tried raising the car and seeing if you can shake the wheel?

mgjs1 · Post by **mgjs1** » Thu Dec 18, 2003 6:00 am

My mechanical knowledge is quite limited, so when you say its gotta be the wheel bearing, right? I don't really know.

I have not jacked up the car (but will do so), but the shop must've had it on a lift, and it seems they could/should have arrived at the bearing as the problem... why refer me to Xmission shop?

How much does a bearing replacement run? Axle replacement? I know cvaxles.com has axles, can you get bearings there too?

ciper · Post by **ciper** » Thu Dec 18, 2003 6:10 am

There isnt much over there that could cause it. Perhaps the rear mount for the lower control arm is bad?

Post by **Legacy777** » Thu Dec 18, 2003 4:27 pm

Honestly.....replace the cvaxles..

I had a very similar occurance on my legacy a month or so ago. i was driving down the freeway, I'd get on the accelerator and there was a god awful repeated clunking noise. I let off the accelerator it'd go away. It only did this for a little time, and later went away that day.

My axles were original, and had been repacked back in 01, but they still clicked even after being repacked. So they were never really back to new.

I replaced the axles a couple weeks ago. I haven't had any reocurrance of that clunking. ALSO, I used to have a shimmy which I thought was tire unbalanced related. After replacing the axles, she runs as smooth as can be.

For $55 an axle at www.cvaxles.com I'd highly suggest you start there, especially if the axle has a torn boot.

entirelyturbo · Post by **entirelyturbo** » Thu Dec 18, 2003 5:05 pm

Mgjs, as Legacy777 said, you can't really tell what the problem is, but you need to replace the axle anyway, so eliminate one problem and see if your other one goes away. I'm pretty sure it's your axle, they do terrible things when they come apart.

Post by **Legacy777** » Thu Dec 18, 2003 5:27 pm

I'd suggest replacing both.....but that's me.

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Thu Dec 18, 2003 5:32 pm

Yeah, I agree, since you're going to the effort of doing one, and you know the other probably isn't far behind anyway.

mgjs1 · Post by **mgjs1** » Thu Dec 18, 2003 9:38 pm

Advance Auto has 'em for $60... or new ones for $65. Is there a reason to go with cvaxles.com ... like are they superior in some way?

Thanks

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Thu Dec 18, 2003 9:45 pm

The quality of remanufactured axles can vary widely. Some use poor quality boots that quickly tear again. Some involve reused wear parts (like reusing ball bearings after cleaning them off instead of replacing them). The quality of the grease and clamps can even vary, although I don't know how big a deal that is.

I don't have personal experience with CVAxles, but other board members say they're very good; they replace all wear parts and their boots don't easily rip.

mgjs1 · Post by **mgjs1** » Sat Dec 20, 2003 4:52 am

So, the axle was the problem. I had it replaced with a rebuilt one from the shop, and the problem is gone, which is really sweet (i was getting ready for a 1000 fix and it was 150 instead). I was gonna bring in my own axle, but got lazy and let the guy sell me on him being able to warrant the work if he used his part.

Unfortunately, I still have a lot of buzzing from the front end, and I think that the bearing on that corner is shot. I wonder what that'll cost to replace. Oh well, I'm made of money, right? Riiight.

evolutionmovement · Post by **evolutionmovement** » Sat Dec 20, 2003 5:05 am

Possibly driving on the bad axle killed the bearing. I always try to replace the axles when I hear them clicking.

Detroit roads knocked one of my rear wheels loose on my old GL wagon and I had to drive for a long ways on the highway before I could check out the strange banging from the rear. Anyways, not only did I need to find a new wheel in Detroit (you'd think I was looking for Stanguellini parts), but I needed a new $90 wheel bearing when I was trying to live off one Ramn noodle packet a day. Lesson when broke and starving: no matter how scary the place take care of the car!

Steve

stant093 · Post by **stant093** » Sat Dec 20, 2003 2:49 pm

i would bet that the wheel bearing is toast, infact when you take the CV nut off the end of the CV joint, the spindle will probably fall right out of the hub, i had the same problem, i pulled the rim off and poped the CV nut loose and could physically move the hub about a half inch up and down....i ended up having to replace the whole hub.
Sam

heres a pic of mine:
http://f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/stant0 ... f+this.jpg

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Floppy wheel!?! (Binding problem on front left corner?)

Floppy wheel!?! (Binding problem on front left corner?)