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grinding noise turns fatal


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So I was going to have my front wheel berrings replaced as well as new rotors / pads, seems my mechanic didn't replace the berrings, he said he didn't need to, ok... so I return the berrings and make my 6 hr drive from LA to SF, make it fine, driving my GF home didn't make 1 mile from home made a sharp turn, a large grinding / pop noise formed, car wouldn't accelerate. panic'd, good thing I turned into a residential district when it died. took the wheel off, the right front drive shaft is making a HORRIBLE noise whenever drive is engaged, and the car cannot hold itself in park withhout the e-brake. the noise / grinding is coming from the Driving Shaft. Is there a way I can fix this cheaply? I asked the AAA guy that was going to tow it (decided not to because I can't get work done on new years) and he said it was the berrings or the transmission, hoping for the first rather then the latter. any ideas what it might be, and if I might be able to fix it cheaply / by myself? thanks.

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Let me guess, the engein will rev, but wont accelerate. It sounds like the CV joint completely failed, and the axle is just spinning. How to confirm this?

Open the hood and spy the axle. With someone else in the car, have them put the car in drive and look at the axles (do NOT stand infront of the car at any time). You should see just the axle spinning. You need an axle. I didnt notice if this had 4WD but if you do you can drive the car in 4wd to get it repaired. It will drive like a RWD car.

 

nipper

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this could also be the hub having stripped out as well. Take off the hubcap or whatever, when you do this, so you can see the axle nut as well. If it spins, the hub is toast and the axle may or may not have been harmed.

 

 

Let me guess, the engein will rev, but wont accelerate. It sounds like the CV joint completely failed, and the axle is just spinning. How to confirm this?

Open the hood and spy the axle. With someone else in the car, have them put the car in drive and look at the axles (do NOT stand infront of the car at any time). You should see just the axle spinning. You need an axle. I didnt notice if this had 4WD but if you do you can drive the car in 4wd to get it repaired. It will drive like a RWD car.

 

nipper

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Last time i had it done at a dealer for my 1987 was 250.00. I had it done at the dealer after many feeble attempts by the a mechnaic by my office to fix it. He kept getting the wrong axle. That was a while ago, but there are still a lot of crummy rebuilt axles in the supply chain, so you may want to call a dealer and go there for peice of mind, especially if you have to drive back from where you came.

 

nipper

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+1 on the wheel hub.

 

Dealers around here go between $180 and $240, but 225 would be my absolute limit if I wanted to go to one in the first place. (I got quoted $600 by a dealer that shall remain nameless [but it's the only Subaru dealer in Cheyenne, Wyoming] knowing that I wasn't local and had no place to work on the car. I chanced it and drove home on it, fortunately I didn't need the RWD.)

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the car was grinding, my dad thought i was irresponsible and ground down the rotors, pulled the wheels off, pads had 40% left on them, my dad thought it was the berrings since my step mom had to replace hers for a similiar noise.... I think

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the car was grinding, my dad thought i was irresponsible and ground down the rotors, pulled the wheels off, pads had 40% left on them, my dad thought it was the berrings since my step mom had to replace hers for a similiar noise.... I think

 

ok so the cv joint may have been giving warnings then, but the mechanic should have caught it.

 

nipper

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You should be able to do it by yourself if you can get out the rotors & callipers. I just did both my axles. Wasn't too bad. I added the bearings & seals, ball joints, tie rod ends, rollpins, etc. while I was there. I got the axles for $100 (new ... and yes, AutoZone has rebuilds for $60, but I have seen lots of peeps warn against them - I took their advice.). I got ball joints for $18 and tie rod ends for $20 each. I figure while you got it off, go for it. Bearings weren't expensive, but it's 2 bearings and 2 seals per-side (both front & rear), so it adds up kinda fast. Those are the harderst (at least it was for me).

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i've had good luck with junkyard ones and most parts stores should be able to get you the right one

 

actually some autoparts stores have been terrible at "giving the right one"

Remove yours first and take it with you. Count the splines. Do not give up yours incase the "right one" still doesnt work right. ALso some of their suplliers have been real junk. I would suggest a mom and pop store first before a chain.

 

nipper

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sorry i work at a good checker, i totally know what you mean allot of parts stores employees dont know an alternator from a waterpump, sadly, personially i reccomend this guy

http://www.ccrengines.com/mwe/index.html

 

sometimes its not the guy behind the counter, its the supllier they use. Mom and pops will at least call thier supplier to complain, others would just give you another one. Unfortunitly you are a very rare breed,

 

nipper

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