Technical grinding noise

[oftenpunto]

Hi ive just started getting a grinding noise when i turn right,Jacked car up and span wheels and quite as a mouse, cant see anything rubbing anyone got any ideas where to look im thinking its suspension trouble had a advisory for lower suspension arm on mot last time but not mentioned on mot 2 weeks ago so abit unsure
thanks for taking time to read

 

[sixpotman]

So last year you had an advisory for the lower
suspension arm and did nothing about it
was it printed on an actual advisory sheet?
This year it passed an mot with the same
wishbone fitted?

You do realise that if you have an accident in
which the contributing factor is the lower
suspension arm your insurance company may
void your insurance - even though it passed
this year.

It's not worth risking leaving if it's worn
your life and others depend on it being right.

John

 

[Moosey]

Have you jacked up and checked the left wheel?

 

[red]

You do realise that if you have an accident in which the contributing factor is the lower suspension arm your insurance company may void your insurance - even though it passed this year.

It's not worth risking leaving if it's worn
your life and others depend on it being right.

John

Stop scaremongering! Advisory is what it says, advisory. It's not dangerous or illegal else it would have failed last year, nevermind this year. It's more like "this is starting to show signs of wear, it's not bad enough to fail this MOT but it might need attention before your next MOT". Chances are it hasn't got worse and this year's tester was less picky. If a wheel fell off tomorrow, how could an insurance company hold the driver responsible for ignoring an advisory issued over a year ago when a professional tester recently missed a dangerous condition?

Anyway, grinding noise doesn't really fit with minor wear in suspension components. More likely to be a CV joint or wheel bearing. Could be either side.

red

 

[DaveMcT]

If the wheel bearing is worn and the disc is stepped the wheel movement can cause the brake pads to make a rubbing noise as the rusty edges of the groove hit the pads.

The outer CV joints can be tested by driving the car though full lock turns in a car park. Open both windows and listen for clicking. The wheel on the inside of the turn has the most angle so stresses the CV join more than the other side. Clicking is caused by the internal rollers jumping over the wear groove indicating you need a new CV or two.

Unless a sealing boot fails, the internal CV joints generally have an easier life.

If the inner wheel arch cover isnt fitted properly it can foul the tyre. Take off the wheel and look for rub marks.

 

[Moosey]

Depending on the type of inner CV joint, symptoms of a worn inner CV are usually vibration under load/acclerating and vabration in 4th gear. (1:1 ratio)

 

[sixpotman]

If you'd had a wishbone ripped off from the chassis
at 30mph and two nights beforehand been on a motorway
doing 70+ in the same vehicle you would be picky.
Car was a right off but luckily no one was hurt.
As it hit a parked car it was classed as an accident
rather than mechanical failure - Your not insured for
damage the insurance company deem is caused by
mechanical failure.

The car had passed an mot 6 weeks before and had an
advisory on part of the rear suspension. We were given the third
degree by the Insurance company as to why the work had
not been done, they had pulled the info off the MOT database
and were looking for an excuse not to pay out.

Doesn't say that because it was not noted this time that
the MOT tester hadn't missed the problem. It's too critical
a part not to ignore. Last year my stilo failed the mot
with a worn ball joint nearside wishbone replaced for the MOT,
and this year I had a verbal advisory of slight wear offside
wishbone. It's been done and sorted and replaced.
You may look at it as scaremongering, I look at it as
being responsible when some people seem to think a
MOT gives them 12 months no care motoring.

John

 

[red]

Noted that you have due cause to have a stronger view on this matter than the average Joe.

From what you are saying though, you had an advisory on rear suspension and six weeks later a wishbone sheared off at 30mph. Unless we are to believe that the fault went from minor (OK to pass MOT) to catastrophic failure in six weeks, I'd say the MOT tester was negligent. Anyway, I infer from your post that despite debate, the insurer paid out. Did you hit a serious pothole or speed bump?

Apologies to OP for going off-topic

red

 

[Scoobysnacks]

The insurer won't pay out for mechanical failure, but if it causes incidental damage then they should. For example a drive shaft breaks. This is not covered. But if the drive shaft whips round and does a load of damage to the suspension and steering, that damage should be covered!

The b######s will try literally anything to get out of paying!

 

[Moosey]

I can understand your reasoning. But it did come accross to me similar to the time a guy at a shop i used to work at told a lady customer words to the effect of "If you repair that puncture instead of replacing the tyre it will explode and you'll crash and kill your children."

Ok, maybe not as extreme, but you get what i'm getting at.

It could be either way, with the MoT testers. After all, stuff like play in bushes is at the tester's discretion.

The insurer won't pay out for mechanical failure, but if it causes incidental damage then they should. For example a drive shaft breaks. This is not covered. But if the drive shaft whips round and does a load of damage to the suspension and steering, that damage should be covered!

The b######s will try literally anything to get out of paying!

Does fully comp cover that? I didn't realise stuff like that was covered under insurance.

I know what you mean about then not wanting to pay out. I met a guy who's an insurance assessor and he told me how they'd had some cars that were total write-offs and they could deny a payout following a good inspection of the car and finding small irrelevant problems.

 

[sixpotman]

We still don't know what caused the failure, no potholes,
speed bumps or debri in the road, but it caused too much
damage to be economically repaired using "New Parts".
I suppose the get out they were looking for "Not maintained
in a good Mechanical condition" and the part failed within 6 weeks
of passing an MOT.
If the advisory had been for the front wishbone
then we would not have been paid out, and believe me
they check the vehicle test records and wanted it's service
records, plus the car was inspected by 3 different vehicle crash
engineers before they agreed to pay out 4 months after the
incident.

To get back to the original post if there is any movement in
the lower ball joint then that could lead to something catching.

Thinking that may be the car's not been getting the attention
it needs:- Brake disks or pads worn. There's a fair bit of
movement in the position of the strut when turning so possible
disk back plate catching - rust build up on a edge of a worn disk.
Brake caliper may be stuck so that one pad is worn more
than the other. Then onto bearings and drive shaft, ok
they should have been picked on the MOT but if they missed
a ball joint, what else could they have they missed.

John

 

[DaveMcT]

A friend's insurance claim was recently paid out after a suspension failure - he hit a curb. The devil will be in the details but to be sure if the insurance can find wriggle room they'll (usually) go for it.

But how do we stand with corrosion? Last year, my car had an advisory about an inner sill. I recently had it checked out and there is nothing wrong - just the underseal needs re-doing.

 

[sixpotman]

But how do we stand with corrosion? Last year, my car had an advisory about an inner sill. I recently had it checked out and there is nothing wrong - just the underseal needs re-doing.

You have done the correct thing - you had it checked out
if by a garage and paid for the work you have a receipt
thus record of service. If you did it yourself you'd have
been a bit more rigorous with a screw driver checking
the sill than a MOT tester is allowed to be.
I presume you have cleaned and protected the
metal afterwards. Physical evidence or inspection would
verify that and you have complied with the requirements
to ensure the vehicle is in a roadworthy condition.

John

 

[Moosey]

The problem with MoTs is that a lot of MoT testers aren't mechanics and don't actually know screw-all about cars.

 

[OPotts]

surely if you jack it up then it won't rub because the cars weight isn't on it anymore :S

 

[Scoobysnacks]

No, but if it has been rubbing there will be evidence on the wheel/tyre/underside of the car!

 

[oftenpunto]

Thanks all for the help and criticism lol the reason it wasn,t done was due to the fact he also said front and rear brakes where worn even though they was only a month old i never took car to mot otherwise i would have mentioned this to said garage cant find any wearing anywhere so going to do wheel bearings at the weekend see if that cures it if not then ill try suspension arm thanks again

 

[sixpotman]

If the wheel bearings are shot they should either
sound or feel rough as you rotate the wheel so
I'd try that before stripping them down.
Also find a clear car park open the window and
put the car on full lock first in one direction
then the oposite full lock. If you get a cracking
noise suspect the CV joint thats on the side
of the car on fullest lock. Look for the stupid
things like a mud flap catching as well.

John

 

[oftenpunto]

Cheers john have tried the full lock thing all ready all i could hear was a grinding noise from near side just cant see anything rubbing got new suspension arms and bearings today so there goes my bank holiday if that dont cure it im buggered
Thanks again for the advice

 

[sixpotman]

Before fetching the hubs bearings off.
Fit the lower arm and take the car for
a run.
Check the plate behind the disk is not catching.
Knock the rust edge off the brake disk.
Check the caliper movement is ok and
check there is equal wear on the brake pads.

Check the boot of the cv joint for leaks or
tears as the cv can grind if it's lost lubricant.
Jack the car up so that the weight remains
on the suspension and get someone to turn
the wheel while you see whats catching.
If need be use a piece of wood as a stethoscope
to see if you can hear where the noise is coming
from.

John