Horrible noise from left side front wheel
Discussion
Got into the old Focus today to go to Budgens and everything seemed normal at the start until about 20 mph when a godawful slapping noise started up from the front left. The car was fine the last time it was driven. There are a couple of things lying in the drive which I had to drive over. A branch from one of my trees and the sign board from the house for sale which blew over in the recent high winds. Not sure how either of those could cause a noise in the car though. I really ought to move them.
Any ideas?
Any ideas?
seriously??
(this has got to be a wind up??)
(we could all spend a week guessing whats wrong with your car (my guess btw is that a large mexican jumping newt has become wedged between the brake disc and the back plate and when you go over 20mph the friction is causing it to yelp..... OR, you could just get up off your ass and outside away from your computer and go and look yourself.........)
(sorry, i just couldn't resist a normal "puma" style response ;-)
(this has got to be a wind up??)
(we could all spend a week guessing whats wrong with your car (my guess btw is that a large mexican jumping newt has become wedged between the brake disc and the back plate and when you go over 20mph the friction is causing it to yelp..... OR, you could just get up off your ass and outside away from your computer and go and look yourself.........)
(sorry, i just couldn't resist a normal "puma" style response ;-)
Pumaracing said:
Got into the old Focus today to go to Budgens and everything seemed normal at the start until about 20 mph when a godawful slapping noise started up from the front left. The car was fine the last time it was driven. There are a couple of things lying in the drive which I had to drive over. A branch from one of my trees and the sign board from the house for sale which blew over in the recent high winds. Not sure how either of those could cause a noise in the car though. I really ought to move them.
Any ideas?
Is the noise in sync with wheel rotation, or just a slapping noise ?Any ideas?
Plastic wheel arch liner damaged, or plastic undertray flapping about ?
Max_Torque said:
seriously??
(this has got to be a wind up??)
Of course it is. The tyre was flat when I got to Budgens and had a look. Probably the antique Michelin that had cracked right down to the carcass due to old age had finally gone right through. I just wondered how many people would fail to diagnose a flat tyre.(this has got to be a wind up??)
Pumaracing said:
Of course it is. The tyre was flat when I got to Budgens and had a look. Probably the antique Michelin that had cracked right down to the carcass due to old age had finally gone right through. I just wondered how many people would fail to diagnose a flat tyre.
With such a poor description, is it any wonder ! or maybe that was also the point lolThis reflects almost all 'my car doesn't start' threads.
They are doomed to fail from the start because of the barrier separating the observer from the car that is the internet. There are so many possibilities for 'my car makes a noise at 20mph' that even a very simple diagnosis such as puma's flat tyre, with some very obvious clues, takes 6 replies to (not) get right.
There is no substitute for taking your car to a workshop.
(Ive pretty much ruled myself out of asking for help here ever again, haven't i?
)
They are doomed to fail from the start because of the barrier separating the observer from the car that is the internet. There are so many possibilities for 'my car makes a noise at 20mph' that even a very simple diagnosis such as puma's flat tyre, with some very obvious clues, takes 6 replies to (not) get right.
There is no substitute for taking your car to a workshop.
(Ive pretty much ruled myself out of asking for help here ever again, haven't i?
)What surprised me was how well the car drove with a completely flat front tyre. The steering was a bit heavy but otherwise it drove ok apart from the noise and I could probably have managed a fair few miles to get home without the tyre coming off the rim if I'd kept the speed down to under 40 mph. Fortunately Budgens is less than a mile from the house so it wasn't an issue getting back home. I just tried to avoid potholes and only hammered it round corners on left hand bends when the front left is off the ground anyway the way I normally drive. I have two new tyres and rims ready to go on the front anyway so that's the next job. Be interesting to see how much more grip the new Goodyear GSD1's have than the old Michelin Pilot Primacies.
Pumaracing said:
What surprised me was how well the car drove with a completely flat front tyre. The steering was a bit heavy but otherwise it drove ok apart from the noise and I could probably have managed a fair few miles to get home without the tyre coming off the rim if I'd kept the speed down to under 40 mph. Fortunately Budgens is less than a mile from the house so it wasn't an issue getting back home. I just tried to avoid potholes and only hammered it round corners on left hand bends when the front left is off the ground anyway the way I normally drive. I have two new tyres and rims ready to go on the front anyway so that's the next job. Be interesting to see how much more grip the new Goodyear GSD1's have than the old Michelin Pilot Primacies.
In the past year Ive stopped a couple of people driving with flat tyres. They were totally oblivious to the fact !! But in fairness, despite them being female, modern low profile tyres arent always that easy to notice there is a puncture. At least at the early stages, and road/speed dependant.Although the worst I seen recently was a 4x4 jeep negotiating a roundabout with the front left tyre totally flat.....unbelievable in itself. Except they then continued onto the motorway !!!
I wouldve stopped them, except was going a different direction. If they are that stupid, they deserve all the damage they do to the vehicle.
Max_Torque said:
Well i think the flat tyre was just a coincidence! My moneys still on it being the Mexican Jumping newt issue (a known problem with that age of focus too) ;-)
I agree. I think Puma is just trying to throw us off the scent with this 'Flat Tyre' story.I'm going back to the 'Tyre valve seat angle' theory until proven wrong.
Steve
Weslake-Monza said:
A tyre fitter recently expressed the opinion that modern Michelins tend to perish much faster than other brands.
They crack like barstewards. The cracks open up at the corner between the base of the tread and the sidewall and if that goes down to the cords it's an MOT fail. Not an issue with high mileage vehicles which wear the tyres out rapidly but on mine which sees little use the tyres cracked before the tread wore out. However they were close to worn out anyway (under 3mm) so it's no loss.The Firestones on the rear of the car which are the same age have no cracks at all and I haven't seen this happen with any other brand than Michelin.
Pumaracing said:
They crack like barstewards. The cracks open up at the corner between the base of the tread and the sidewall and if that goes down to the cords it's an MOT fail. Not an issue with high mileage vehicles which wear the tyres out rapidly but on mine which sees little use the tyres cracked before the tread wore out. However they were close to worn out anyway (under 3mm) so it's no loss.
The Firestones on the rear of the car which are the same age have no cracks at all and I haven't seen this happen with any other brand than Michelin.
Ive seen cracking on most brands from cheap Chinese crap, to Bridgestones etc.The Firestones on the rear of the car which are the same age have no cracks at all and I haven't seen this happen with any other brand than Michelin.
Modern rubber used is just pure dung in that respect.
Even my last Federals on my van at only 9 months old ( although quite a few miles ) were cracking at the base of the tread )
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