Click, click, click, says the wheel.

Falcon4 · Post by **Falcon4** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 4:05 pm

T.T

I'm a dumb... I've lived here my whole life and I don't know what separates a legit store from a shade tree part swiper. All's I know is, Pep Boys is a huge franchise (?), hence they're respectable. Far as I know... :scratch:

stimpy · Post by **stimpy** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 5:11 pm

Yeah, huge corporation, but no one is really accountable for anything. I doubt they are franchises. Big O, on the other hand, are individually owned and operated franchises. If you have a problem, chances are you are talking to the boss. The company provides a tremendous amount of training to their franchisees, as well as financing to buy the newest, most modern equipment. So you have all the benefits of the large corporation with the attention of a mom and pop.

How do I know? My mom and pop own a Big O in Modesto.

Falcon4 · Post by **Falcon4** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 6:54 pm

Well, so I finally got the call back from them (what, 5 hours after I dropped it off and walked home). They said they checked the bearings and there wasn't any play in them, but I'm no mechanic and I didn't want to rub in the question of "did you look at them?" because I don't know how much work that involves (and remember, they're doing this for free). What they did mention was an inner... tie rod? that had play in it? Don't quote me on that, I'm running on 2 hours of sleep and I don't quite recall. But I'm pretty sure he said inner tie rod. I asked, how could that cause bumping in the road like that... no definite answer so it's still a mystery.

*shrug* Any ideas, anyone?

crzyone · Post by **crzyone** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 7:04 pm

We have given you all the into you need. Its either a tire or a wheel bearing. An inner tie rod will not make your car bounce going down the road.

1. Flat spot on a tire
2. Wheel bearing(s)
3. A belt in your tire failed
4. Bent rim

Any one of those could potentially be the problem. Until you have the bearings inspected or your tire its hard to tell from not looking at the car in person.

Falcon4 · Post by **Falcon4** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 7:51 pm

That's what I figured. That's why I thought a tie rod would be rather weird. I couldn't see, physically, how a loose anything would make a rhythmic bumping as the car rolls down the road. I can't say Pep Boys "scammed" me out of anything, since I didn't pay them a cent, but it would have been nice to get a proper diagnosis by looking at the bearings (which I couldn't get him to say yay/nay to have actually torn apart and looked at). Ugh! I'd really hate to have to clean out the garage and dump the car in there, AGAIN, and work on this shit without proper equipment... =(

Tire stores. Any place I can go to get a proper diagnosis? I seem to have a streak of bad luck with shitty mechanics... =\

edit: Let me rephrase that. Will Big O do such a thing, for free? To check the bearings?

p8ntman442 · Post by **p8ntman442** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 7:59 pm

When I got new wheels on my gf's car, they told me there was a bad inner tie rod. They said this because there was play in the wheel. Well a new set of wheel bearings did the trick. She had a terrible rythmic humming in her car.

Cost me 220 for 2 new wheel bearings installed. You could do it yourself for $100.

stimpy · Post by **stimpy** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 8:27 pm

Falcon4 wrote:Well, so I finally got the call back from them (what, 5 hours after I dropped it off and walked home). They said they checked the bearings and there wasn't any play in them, but I'm no mechanic and I didn't want to rub in the question of "did you look at them?" because I don't know how much work that involves (and remember, they're doing this for free). What they did mention was an inner... tie rod? that had play in it? Don't quote me on that, I'm running on 2 hours of sleep and I don't quite recall. But I'm pretty sure he said inner tie rod. I asked, how could that cause bumping in the road like that... no definite answer so it's still a mystery.

*shrug* Any ideas, anyone?

Did you have them check the balance on the tires?

Falcon4 · Post by **Falcon4** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 8:30 pm

They did a "front end inspection". I didn't ask for anything special... I'm not one to push for extra favors on free stuff. I'm still new to all this. =\
(edit: However, I should take it back to the Pep Boys I bought the tires, suspension work, and alignment from, and have them do that balance...)

But I think I really should have a look at those bearings. Really don't want to have to do all that work myself... I'd hate to end up breaking something.

stimpy · Post by **stimpy** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 8:41 pm

If you're gonna ask for advice, you might as well take it. It's free. You have people telling you that it's likely a problem with a tire or a wheel, and I tell you that a ride on the spin balancer will find that out, right quick. Shops don't care if you bring them something to do, especially on a weekday. Like I said, if they can get your car on a lift, it gives them the opportunity to see what they can sell you. That's not a bad thing, when you need to know what to throw money at. Just don't take it in on a weekend and expect them to jump through hoops for you.

Starlite528 · Post by **Starlite528** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 12:09 am

Falcon4 wrote:They did a "front end inspection". I didn't ask for anything special... I'm not one to push for extra favors on free stuff. I'm still new to all this. =\
(edit: However, I should take it back to the Pep Boys I bought the tires, suspension work, and alignment from, and have them do that balance...)

But I think I really should have a look at those bearings. Really don't want to have to do all that work myself... I'd hate to end up breaking something.

It's not a lot of work to put a jack under the car to lift the tire off the ground. All you have to do is wiggle the tire by holding the 12 (of the) clock and 6 o'clock to see if there's play. Since it's the front, you can also turn the tire by hand to see if there is one spot that 'grinds'.

There's one spot on my left front tire that does it, but replacing the bad wheel bearing is not an option until I have mo moneh.

Falcon4 · Post by **Falcon4** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 4:16 am

I'll hit that tomorrow morning. I've got a jack. :thumbleft:

As fo mo moneh?

I think I have the ability to say... "Shit".

cactus bastard · Post by **cactus bastard** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 10:37 am

Wheel bearings are CHEAP. You could replace the bearings and seal on that one side for like $12. That's about what it cost me per side when I did mine.

Starlite528 · Post by **Starlite528** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 2:11 pm

cactus bastard wrote:Wheel bearings are CHEAP. You could replace the bearings and seal on that one side for like $12. That's about what it cost me per side when I did mine.

Wheel bearings are cheap.

Sealed hub assemblies are not cheap.

cactus bastard · Post by **cactus bastard** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 8:27 pm

yeah but he has an 87

cactus bastard · Post by **cactus bastard** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 8:28 pm

Or did you just mean that a pooched bearing would destroy the whole hub?

Falcon4 · Post by **Falcon4** » Sat Apr 07, 2007 7:23 pm

Well, I solved that problem!

No need to worry about driving it to death. The bearings are, in fact, just fine. Putting up the car on jack stands (all 4 tires) to replace the fuel pump, I idly span the wheels by hand and noticed a HUGE problem. The front tires both have flat spots! Not visibly flat, of course... just barely noticeable in shadows and motion. Only the front tires have that problem though - the old-ass rear tires are perfectly fine.

WTF! This car hasn't even sat for more than a week since I got the tires! They do lose pressure though... which I'm not all too happy about. The lowest they'd ever been was 20. Not happy at all. Someone owes me a new set of tires and a proper installation.

Series8217 · Post by **Series8217** » Sat Apr 07, 2007 9:17 pm

Did you ever lock up the brakes?

Falcon4 · Post by **Falcon4** » Sat Apr 07, 2007 9:45 pm

I was going to say, yeah, but never in the front. They don't know about that. :la:

crzyone · Post by **crzyone** » Mon Apr 09, 2007 1:08 am

crzyone wrote:
Its entirely possible you have a flat spot on your tire.

What do I win!!

Falcon4 · Post by **Falcon4** » Mon Apr 09, 2007 1:32 am

Oh, shut up. :thumbleft:

But I never had the thing parked for an unreasonable amount of time, why would it get flat spots??!! :scratch: :scratch: