Mind of its own?

Had a slightly scarey moment the other day. Was driving merrily along the A30 at about 50 when suddenly my landy veered unnervingly into the oncoming traffic. My first thought was that i had had a blow out but the tyres are almost new so unlikely. I got back into the right (left) lane (alive!) and carried on fine for half a mile or so till i could pull over, but noticed a funny grating kind of noise.

I got out and had a look about and saw nothing wrong whatsoever so tentatively continued my journey home. I noticed there was an intermittent kind of grating noise that i hadn't noticed before (but that could be coz i was a bit shook up and hyper-sensitive to everything!) amnd also the brake pedal was far softer than normal, although the brakes seemed to be working absolutely fine.

I got home OK and had a good look around it again and could still see nothing wrong. Drove to the local trye and suspension place this morning thinking it was a brake issue, still intermittently grinding (although not very noticeable and not affecting the drive) and they said they couldn't find anything wrong at all - brakes AOK, tyres fine, wheel off inspection they said there was nothing wrong!

Still getting the grinding noise from time to time (esp down hills and on corners but not more in one particular direction) and the brake pedal still feels far softer than it did but seems to handle OK.

Any ideas???

wheel bearing??

Would that go spectacularly and throw me into the oncoming traffic and affect the brakes?

a customer of my son's had a similar problem the other week, on a froggy hatchback.
in that case, it wur a rear brake lining that had detached from the shoe and wedged itself betweeen the drum and the wheel cylinder.
it was rubbing a bit, gradually heating up the drum and the wheel cylinder, eventually boiling the brake fluid, causing a soft pedal, and intermittently siezing the drum, causing the car to pull to one side.

yup! it would.. most folk would pick up on iy when check wot you've had checked but some are too ......thick. i had a garage check my steering with one wheel falling off and they dint spot it.

car wur behaving funny, so as i'd just had new BJ's put on and then had a garage balance me noo tyres i thought " ah! tracking" as i was on holiday at the time i just went to the first place i seen. he reckoned it was well out. ant way it dunt cure it soi i had a look see and the front left wheel was near orf.

anyway check yer wheel bearings as they might have missed it

Will check the wheel bearings tomorrow, just seen Spudy's excellent info on that so should be able to sort it if that's what it is!

It's not pulling to the right all the time, it just did it the once very suddenly when it threw me into the oncoming just down from Town and Country! Almost pooped mesself!!! I guess coz it's now behavin OK and kind of "tweaked" me into the other lane, it may be a back one.

I agree wheel bearing seams favorite, but if not, what about CV joint?

Check all the suspension bushes and nuts and bolts while you are about it.

Soft brake pedal suggests a brake problem, but where? TRy using a btrake hose clamp on the flex hoses one at a time. you might just find that clampin one of them suddenly give you a hard pedal. That might be a clue which brake to have a damned good look at ....

CharlesY

CharlesY said:

Soft brake pedal suggests a brake problem, ....

CharlesY

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Depends on the meaning of soft. If its just more travel, loose bearings will allow the discs to wobble and push the pads back.

I'd still go for wheel bearings, but a nice list of other things to check if there OK.

Whatever I wouldn't recommend driving it again until you've found (& fixed) the problem, it sound potentially fatal

Definitely wheel bearing issue, will tackle it tomorrow (and hope the bits of bearing haven;t welded themselves to the 1/2shaft too bad) but will check all else at the same time, watch this space and thanks chaps!

slob said:

wheel bearing??

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I concur. same happened to us on our way to Bodmin on the M5. except mine completely collapsed, flat bed back to Bristol. When you remove the bearing also check the inside one. mine had the outer race welded to the stub axle. take it all apart, put new bearings and grease em right up.

G

Griffdowg said:

I concur. same happened to us on our way to Bodmin on the M5. except mine completely collapsed, flat bed back to Bristol. When you remove the bearing also check the inside one. mine had the outer race welded to the stub axle. take it all apart, put new bearings and grease em right up.

G

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Chap i spoke to today said he's know for this to happen and the wheel to actually come off coz of it - i guess everything kinda gets a bit hot and goes pop! It was pretty scarey being thrown into the oncoming traffic when it went, the stop half a mile later was partly to regain composition as much as check the motor over! (and clean me grundies out!)

Spot on, remains of o/s front inner bearimg (plus a half shaft full of iron filings and shards). Inner bit of bearing was an absolute bugger to get off the half shaft! (drill failed, BIG hammer and cold chisel worked eventually!

Thanks chaps, jobs a goodun!