Rotational Grinding Noise When Turning Right

[sambulance]

Hi, new here and looking for help as i'm starting to go mad with my grinding issue.

When cornering to the right or when any weight is on the left side suspension i get a rotational grinding sound. I know the obvious problem would be the wheel bearing but it has be replaced along with the following. n/s suspension mount and bearing, new wishbones, new balljoints, new droplinks, new antiroll bar bushes. Also i have changed two n/s driveshafts (complete) after my mechanic noticed a split inner cv boot when changing clutch and flywheel. I have even stripped the brakes that side to check for uneven pad wear but all looks good. Have moved balljoint and rotor guards inward to avoid surface contact. Nothing major on last mot, tyres are slightly worn and slightly off track but I cant see this being the root of the problem as the sound can be quite aggressive at times. The only thing that seems to stop the sound is hard acceleration which i guess shifts the suspension.

 

Even my local garage first changed another droplink (£50 wasted). Then when returned to the garage they insisted it was my driveshaft. I then swapped the driveshafts over from side to side and still no joy. My last call was the gearbox mount which looks ok and has not collapsed. now i am out of ideas and i know the garage will just want to change all my new parts to fix the problem. Any help on this one will be grately recieved

[viperclive]

I know this may sound daft but I had a similar problem and that was real bad noise from front wheel at slow speed, it turned out to be loose wheel nuts! The previous owner must have ran around for a while and buggered up studs, nuts and holes in wheel, I had to change all as the lug nuts kept coming loose. It sounds like you've covered all other options, good luck.

[sambulance]

Its definately not loose wheel nuts but thanks for the suggestions. I will try swapping wheel nuts from another wheel as i have tried everything else other than fitting a new wheel hub.

[diffeyp]

Hi

 

Another probably stupid suggestion but the front wheel arch liners come unclipped at the botton behind the wheel on my galaxy (when you go quickly through a big puddle) and then rub on the wheel on full lock.

 

Worth a quick look.

 

Good luck

[sambulance]

Hi all. Well my problem is still not resolved but i'm looking for a few some help with a few ideas i have. I noticed the other day that my car seems to sag on the side i replaced the strut mount, also i have more thread showing on the strut top than on the otherside obove the holding cup. I was thinking maybe my strut is knackered and is putting more pressure on my driveshaft when turning. I have had the strut off twice now and everything looks good but i replaced the bush again anyway with the same outcome. This brings me to my secong thought. when reassembling the strut is there a torque rating for the spring retaining nut as i always wind it right down be for releasing the spring compressors. could this mean the spring is to tight and causing the strut to sag more than the drivers side and making the driveshaft grind. Thanks in advance for any advice

[sparky Paul]

The smaller retaining nut under the bush should be wound down fully against the bearing, which seats on the shoulder on the strut shaft, and the top spring seat is held below this by the coil spring. When assembling, you have to make sure the spring seat sits below the shoulder of the strut shaft, and does not get trapped between the shoulder and the top bearing.

 

Not sure about torque, I just spanner-tighted them.

 

If you have more thread showing on one side, it sounds like the nut was not fully against the shoulder before the top mount and nut was locked up against it. The one with the shorter thread has the problem.

 

In any case, I would guess that your problem is not suspension related. It seems more likely to me to be some rotating component making the noise. In addition to the bits you have already checked, I would add discs/pads/shafts/etc. on the O/S, as well as the O/S intermediate shaft splines and bearing.

Edited January 12, 2013 by sparky Paul

[sambulance]

Thanks for the advice paul. The odd thing is though, the faulty side is showing more thread. The o/s which i have not removed is showing less thread but the suspension sits higher, hence my worn strut idea. I am sure it is the driveshaft grinding, I just dont understand why after three changes. The only problem i can see with the car is the suspension sag as i have checked over everything else many times. I will start looking at the half shaft and n/s tomorrow if i doesnt snow. Thanks again. Keep the ideas coming

[sambulance]

Sorry. I meant to say i will check the o/s

[Barlidge]

Bit of a long shot but did you ever find the solution to this?

[sparky Paul]

I doubt you will get a response from the op, he hasn't been active on here for over 18 months.

 

What problem do you have, something similar?

[xavier]

Doh, probably no point posting my suggestion then, but then why not. I had a bad wheel speed related sound coming from the rear on another car, started after I had the tyres changed. Anyway, it turned out that one of my wheels had a dent in it (probably from a pothole) and had been moved from front to rear as part of the tyre change. Anyway, moving the wheel back to the front fixed the problem. Maybe this is something similar, look for a dent in the alloy, also look for a "shiny clean bit" on the body / caliper / hub where it's been rubbing.

[Barlidge]

Yeah thought it might be a long shot on this old post but thought it might be worth a go as my symptoms are almost exactly the same as the OP's except its on left hand turn and also on a straight when the suspension is compressed. Mine started about 18 - 24 months ago, trouble is a few weeks beforehand I'd done a whole heap of jobs all within a short period of time:

 

Gearbox opened and repaired

Clutch kit and flywheel

Driveshafts inc intermediate and stub

Wheel bearings

 

A year or so previous and I did all the wishbone bushes and a year or so previous to that the strut top mounts and bearings were done.

 

Since the noise started the ARB bushes have been done and also the bottom ball joints, I've been through a complete set of tyres with the noise and when they were last put on the rims were inspected for deformities/buckles. Its also been through 2 MOTs where I've asked the guys to pay particular attention to the front end but they also have been unable to find anything amiss.

 

To sum up when cornering to the left with enough force to compress the offside suspension or traveling along in a straight line with the suspension compressed there is a kind of grinding/graunching noise. It sounds to be a rotational noise consistent with the drive train speed.  I am unable to recreate it by turning in a circle in a carpark forwards or backwards or by putting the car on stands and running through the gears.  The shafts don't seem to have any play in them or tightness when the wheels are rotated by hand.

 

When it first started I checked everything for safety and then waited for it to develop and make diagnosis easier, while it may have got a little noisier over the time it hasn't developed significantly but is more of an embarrassment when carrying passengers.

 

I have just recently changed the complete offside knuckle/hub assembly for a 2nd hand unit as I'd kind of put my money on it being a bad bearing but this has had no effect.  The original shafts were only changed due to deteriorating rubbers and as a matter of course when doing the clutch/gearbox and intermediate shaft/stub.  I still have the old ones so my next option is to see if its bad replacement shaft but as the noise is not typical of a failed CV joint I'm not holding out much hope but on the other hand there are not that many rotational parts in there and it has to be one of them.

 

Hey ho, love the old gal lol! 

[seatkid]

Things I'm inclined to check out (both sides front and rear)

 

Check brake flexis and ABS wiring are correctly routed and secured - note the grommets used to clip, can slide along the wire.

 

check wheel liners are properly located and secured and not damaged, check for signs of tyre contact.

 

check the undertray is correctly fitted and secured, check clearance of drive shafts. The securing bolts for this item can easily be overtightened and strip the threads leaving you with a loose undertray.

 

are they wrong size tyres or aftermarket alloys? If so check them for dimensional compatability.

 

check the engine roll restrictor bar isnt loose.

 

check the engine mounts.

 

check the anti roll mounting bar bushes/mounts on the bulkhead.

 

check the abs rings are not loose, although this would normally throw up an abs fault now and then

 

check the exhaust mounts and possibilty of exhaust touching something solid under movement.

 

check the rear spare tyre is wound up securely

 

check the centre brake cable at the rear hasnt lost its return spring.

 

while youre under the car look for loose items in general.

Edited October 24, 2015 by seatkid