This is almost funny if it wasn't for the thought of what would have happenned if it it ocurred going at 90-100 mph down the freeway. I was pulling out of a bank's parking lot, and while backing up I heard a loud bang, felt almost like I had hit something. When I went forward and pulled out of the parking lot and into the street, I could barely keep the car going in a straight line, thank god this was a 25 mph zone. After about 300 feet it started to sound with every wheel revolution and had to park the car and leave it there, walk the rest of the way to the office - about 3 blocks - and make a call so somebody comes pick me up. I popped the hood and look at the steering linkage but didn't see anything alarming, then again I'm not too familiar with the steering system. Anybody has a clue of what should I look for with those symptoms?

 

Well, get under the car and follow the assembly from one end to the other. If you have a victoria british catalogue, there's a good diagram in there. I'm not sure what would cause those exact symptoms, but my guess is either a tension rod, or maybe idler arm.... ? Not my area of forte, but with a "bang" sound, it should be serious enough that if you grab parts and move them by hand you should be able to figure it out.

Jon

 

Yea, and have someone turn the wheel back and forth while you figure out which side the problem is on. Then narrow it down from there.

 

Ok will do that in a few mins when my ride arrives. Thanks for the tips. I'm also printing the steering chapter of the online FSM.

 

In order of likelyhood
(1) Broken Ball Joint
(2) Broken Tension Rod
(3) Broken Tie Rod
(4) Flat Tire
(5) Blood Alcohol level >.08
(6) Small animal\child wraped around tire (need crow bar or spatula to fix)
(7) Missing front or rear tire.
(8) Front wheel bearings broke (not likely)

Good Luck

 

when i was backing my 7 into my yard it made a huge bang noise and i got out cuz i thought i had hit like a stump or somthing but i havnt drivin it out of my yard to see if my steering makes other nosies i might go check in the morning

 

Well upon close inspection I found a bolt and nut missing - it probably broke. I'm trying to find out what size bolt and nut it is. If anybody has the Haynes manual, it's in page 220, illustration 9.8. It's NOT the bolt where the wrench is, but the other one to the left. Anybody knows? I gotta go get it in the morning and then go where the car is and install it.

 

Make sure you get the right grade bolt. Dont use anything else or it wont take the stresses and will break again. I dont have my Haynes here at work so I dont know what bolt your talking about.

 

Its one of the two blots that hold the strut to the lower balljoint.

 

Oh is it? Thats a critical bolt. Dont put a hardware store bolt in there. I think the correct metric grade is 10.9, no sure though.

 

So where can I get the proper bolt? I'm removing the other one to take as a sample. Haha, it was loose as ****.

 

Something as critical as that I'd get at the dealer.

 

Circled is where the bolt is:

 

I hope from the other side of the car. Those bolts are different length front and back.

Only place I know that carries that grade hardware is NAPA, but theyre usually closed weekends.

 

Well I actually was gonna extract it from the other side, but I can't move the damn bolt!!! plus now I have to figure out how to extract the broken piece of bolt - I think both are broken.

Would Napa have them if I specificially ask them for the bolts for the base of the shock absorber rather than having to take the bolts as samples?

Local Napa store:

Saturday: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM

You're right, I measured them and it looks like the front one is 3 cm and the back one 4 cm. 1 cm width, 17 mm head size.

 

Youd have to know the size or have an example.

 

Hmm. SOL. Ok thanks for all the data.

 

Ok so got the broken bolt extracted, took the other one out - it was actually intact - and then got new bolts. They're actually 12 mm bolts. However, the one I got to replace the broken one, which was the longer one, wouldn't go in all the way. Looks like the top part of the thread in the strut base is sllightly deformed. So I put a shorter one, the length of the one in the other side, and tightened it as much as possible, with no lock washer so I could get the most thread in. With that somewhat precarious setup I drove the car home. I probably need to replace the whole thing now.

 

ok so you got those bolts out. Good will make my job much eaiser. You could get a lil gas $ and a ball joint seperator so I could replace your knuckle arm if it got tweaked when the bolts broke.

Call me in the morning.

 

AYE ! !

Tell em' who fixed jo problema holmes. SI WAY ! LA CHINGONDON CHINITO, SIMPRE CONTROLANDO. ESA


Hey we still need to do the control arm....


call me.

-Ryan

 

Yeah, El gordito chingon!

I've decided to get brand new control arms, and all around bushings (probably polyurethane). Now saving for it, please hold...