Soft Grinding/Creaking Noise from F/L Tire/Axle

[Dathaeus]

Ok so I had a fiasco with this one shop in South FL, to be named later if this thing goes even further south.

Anyways they did a repair on the LCA bushings, and I am assuming they did a halfway job on putting my wheel back together afterwards because even in the first week I got back my car, I heard a little something, especially going slowly and turning either way, from the F/L tire area. I was hoping it would go away on its own, and didnt want to call this idiot at the shop to hear his excuses.

Now a couple of months later, it has very slowly gotten worse, where now when I start out of my parking spot, I get nervous at this sound, makes it sound like something can break or pop out at any moment.

I dont believe it is causing any massive friction because my car coasts just about what it normally does, not sure if that is even a great test since the car is so heavy. And of course at higher speeds outside the neighborhood I hear nothing, not much of a surprise there.


What do you think it is... same as what I am thinking or...?
When I call and take this back, what do I say, meaning it has to be fixed, but do I have to prove this was their mistake and fix for free or... There is NO WAY there was any sound or play like this before this repair. Obviously I dont want to be an ahole and antagonist from the start, and even though he really pissed me off, I left on good terms when I picked up the car... but frankly I dont feel like he gives a sh$% about anything but his racing clients.



Cheers guys, and if this does not go even 1% of the way I want it, you will hear about this shop... maybe I am too lenient but I dont want to blast a place that is just run by an idiot.

[CarbonZHP]

Hard to determine without driving the car. It depends on what they took off for the install. Im thinking wheel bearing or sticking brake. Compare the brake pads in the front side to side. Also try jacking up that corner and spin it or move it around to see if you can locate it

[Dave1027]

I do not believe the noise is related to the work done on the LCABs. Really, I don't see how an LCAB replacement job can go bad.

If it was the LCABs you'd get a clunk on braking. I agree with Carbon, could be a wheel bearing or brake. Actually, you don't even need to remove the wheels when replacing the LCABs.

It would help if you could give a better description of what it's doing and describe the noise.

[Dathaeus]

I do not believe the noise is related to the work done on the LCABs. Really, I don't see how an LCAB replacement job can go bad.

It would help if you could give a better description of what it's doing and describe the noise.

There was also an engine replacement done, air boot, sway bar end links... sorry I should have listed all that at the start, I didnt know if any of those would be relevant.

The care definitely whines more from the starting position when I first set off on the road... and then when I make low to medium speed right turns, i.e., when more pressure is on the left front.

Steering is also more resistant than usual, unequally throughout the rotation, mostly when making that initial 1/2 to full turn to the right.


I made a recording, hopefully you can hear something.
You can hear some stuff starting at 1:15 and after:

https://youtu.be/_h8aFrDTqHo

I am taking it in tomorrow morning, have no idea right now whats going to happen but it would be nice to go in there informed even though these guys are supposed to be "real good."

[Dave1027]

There was also an engine replacement done, air boot, sway bar end links... sorry I should have listed all that at the start, I didnt know if any of those would be relevant.

The care definitely whines more from the starting position when I first set off on the road... and then when I make low to medium speed right turns, i.e., when more pressure is on the left front.

Steering is also more resistant than usual, unequally throughout the rotation, mostly when making that initial 1/2 to full turn to the right.


I made a recording, hopefully you can hear something.
You can hear some stuff starting at 1:15 and after:

https://youtu.be/_h8aFrDTqHo

I am taking it in tomorrow morning, have no idea right now whats going to happen but it would be nice to go in there informed even though these guys are supposed to be "real good."

Sounds more like power steering pump to me. Have you checked the power steering fluid level ?

[cornercarver]

There was also an engine replacement done, air boot, sway bar end links...
What kind of end links? I replaced mine with spherical rod ends, then a couple of weeks after the install I noticed this 'creaking' noise with small steering inputs at slow speeds. Turned out to be the end links; I greased them and the noise disappeared.

[Dathaeus]

Sounds more like power steering pump to me. Have you checked the power steering fluid level ?

They said they couldnt find anything in the wheel, and said there was a leak in the power steering fluid, so yes that was it, but they wanna charge like $1045 ($327 labor in there) to fix it. Thats with

PS Reservoir
PS Res Cap
Return Pipe
Pump to Rack
Reservoir to Pump
Cooler to Reservoir
Rack to Cooler

Does this seem legit?

And said I also need both front control arms replaced, $600.

All this after only 2 months they spent 3 months replacing the engine and the other work I mentioned above....

Everything felt perfectly fine before they did that other job.... is it possible they screwed up something while doing the other jobs? Seems highly convenient that there was nothing wrong before and now immediately after there is, another $2k worth of work to do.

[Dathaeus]

What kind of end links? I replaced mine with spherical rod ends, then a couple of weeks after the install I noticed this 'creaking' noise with small steering inputs at slow speeds. Turned out to be the end links; I greased them and the noise disappeared.

Not sure sorry, there was no detail in the invoice on that.

[slater]

They said they couldnt find anything in the wheel, and said there was a leak in the power steering fluid, so yes that was it, but they wanna charge like $1045 ($327 labor in there) to fix it. Thats with

PS Reservoir
PS Res Cap
Return Pipe
Pump to Rack
Reservoir to Pump
Cooler to Reservoir
Rack to Cooler

Does this seem legit?

And said I also need both front control arms replaced, $600.

All this after only 2 months they spent 3 months replacing the engine and the other work I mentioned above....

Everything felt perfectly fine before they did that other job.... is it possible they screwed up something while doing the other jobs? Seems highly convenient that there was nothing wrong before and now immediately after there is, another $2k worth of work to do.

that's a bummer. it's entirely possible that they tore one of the PS lines during the engine install, but sadly this might be impossible to prove.

i doubt ALL of those lines are bad. :) best case scenario, you replace the offending leaky line and re-fill the PS fluid and you're good to go.

i would find another shop.

[Dathaeus]

Well they sending a tow to pickup my car tomorrow after I complained about the whole situation... I kinda went livid after finding out that they REPLACED MY PREMIUM AAA battery with some lawnmower battery and now it is DEAD.... wow, really? AAA could not even replace it even though it should have been under warranty because of what is in there now.

So after getting it back, they better put in a brand new battery and fix that SF leak.

I'll post the final results and also about the shop in the proper section once this fiasco is over once and for all.

And ya, after this stage is done, I am done with this shop regardless. Too many incompetent and shady things going on with an owner who doesnt really GAS.

[Smolck]

$1000 for a P/S pump replacement!? They are hammering you on parts. It isn't even remotely hard and takes me about 2 hours total. I could almost fly down there and fix it for less (including air fare). Bummer man.