QuestionHello Again John,
I need your advice about a sound i am getting which is kind of dumb since you can't hear it but i would apreciate any advice. I am getting a light knock when i turn my wheels in any direction mainly when i am moving and it just happens once when i turn the wheel left and then once more when i turn the wheels to straighten out and vice versa when i turn right. I thought it my be my front drvers side shock bushing or maybe the steering stabilizer since the sound is by the divers side and underneath but it does not seem to do it when iam stationary i am worried that it is something with my hubs or my axles and i am about to attempt doing my front rotors and pads for the fisrt time but i dont want to get over my head if there is something seriously wrong and cause more damage. I really appreciate any advice.
Thanks Alot
Eric Distel
AnswerHi Eric,
I think I know that sound very well. It can be either your balljoints (most likely) or a CV joint (I hope not!). I've had both these components fail on my '95 so I have some experience in front-end noises!
Lets hope its balljoints. When you raise your Disco to change the rotors, BEFORE you remove the wheel, see if there is any play in the wheel. Push at 12:00 and 6:00 then 3:00 and 9:00 clock positions on the wheel. If it moves...could be ball joints. Fortunately, most local mechanics can spot balljoint trouble and can do the repairs. I had mine changed by the local VW dealer and it was at least 50% less than the LR dealer.
IF its the CV joint, the crunching sound will eventually become louder and louder. Finally, the CV interior will strip and you'll have no movement unless you lock all wheels using your diff shifter. Cost me $2700 for CV repair at the dealer.
When you change your rotors, I suggest you repack the bearings with new grease. For the front, you'll have to remove them anyway...might as well clean them up (generally) and look for bearing wear. When you remove the hub look for shards of metal in the grease.
HINT: make sure to gently separate the rotor from the axle wheel casing. Over time, the rotor can cease onto this casing and you don't want to damage the casing by brutish hammering on one spot. I used a 1.5 diameter pipe and a ballpeen hammer to carefull tap around the rotor and axle case. Once the rotor and casing was removed from the vehicle, I placed it on a workbench, placed the pipe between the rotor and casing then tapped the pipe all around the casing. Eventually it separated but you should go slowly with this. If you warp the casing, you'll have trouble later.
The rear rotors were easier to change than the front. Inspect the halfaxle when you remove it for any wear on the teeth. If you see wear on the teeth, you had better inspect the rear diff.
Best of luck, Eric. If you do have balljoint or CV trouble, you should be able to change your rotors without any difficulty. You'll only see the front axle teeth when you remove the hub so you won't know the condition of the CV from the outside. I've never changed a CV and am not sure of all the steps that have to be taken. I know that axle alignment is crucial but thats all I know. If I had a large garage, I'd probably tackle this work myself. If I can do rotors, a CV joint should be easy.
Regards,
JohnMc
