aeroelasti

http://afcparts.co.uk/TAB-045-FRONT-...REAR-BUSH.html

I am across the pond so suppliers are slightly different here.

aeroelasti

Yes we did but I was looking at comparing slightly different brands that time. But thanks for all the advice & infor. here.

HokieCJ7

Alchemist-

Regarding the ball joint replacement, rather than removing everything just to get the castle nut off of the ball joint, based on your picture, couldn't you just cut the exposed bolt on the threads, since you will be replacing this anyway? Wouldn't this give you enough room to get to everything, and then when you put it back together, the castle nut would not be anywhere near the CV Joint assembly if you don't tighten up the ball joint bolt until you have it back on the car? Am I missing something here, or would you not have access to the 3 bolts?

alchemist

iTrader: (1)

Yes, you could cut it to remove it but i felt that was extreme. I guess you would also cut the new one or shave the nut down like i did. Good suggestion

sparkplugg

Thanks. The ones I was contemplating in the link are polyurethane. I would prefer to install them, but I am not sure about them. If you install them without using the existing ring, then there is no ring, so I would question reliability. Not saying it would not be fine, but just want to make sure first. Anyone that can shed some light on this type of application?

aeroelasti

All,

Mine is done, garage pressed the new bushes in and new ball joints.

I have 2 issues before the replacement of the above:

one was slight steering vibrationn at about 75mph, but the replacement did not solve this problem totally, it helps slightly.
The other issue was steering and brake pedal judder between 30-50mph under braking (i know this is a typical symptom of so call warped disc) but i read somewhere in the GS forum that worn ball joints wil result in this, hence did the ball joints too but problem persists.

I will probably replace the front discs. Note that front brake pads relaced in November 2013 with original OEM parts. I did not replace the discs that time (disc was about 20k old so this might be the cause). If i run my finger on the outer edge of the disc I can feel a "lip" so this might indicate that it is about time to replace...

Hope this will solve the problem.

aeroelasti

hi Alchemist, when you removed the brake disc to access your ball joint castle nut, is it a matter of 2 No. Nuts to remove the whole caliper assembly?

alchemist

iTrader: (1)

It is two bolts that hold the caliper. I never removed the disc.

aeroelasti

I thought you removed the disc while taking the cv joint off to access the balljoint? Page 38 of your DIY. Thanks.

alchemist

iTrader: (1)

I apologize you are correct. I removed the disc on the passenger side. This was the first side i started with, however i dont think removing the disc is necessary to access the axle nut so i did not remove the disc on driver's side.

aeroelasti

so to remove the disc I only have to take off 2 no. Bolts. I want to change my front disc. Just to check before i start. Saw the Gen 1 rx DIY and that is the case, not sure about 2nd Gen?

alchemist

iTrader: (1)

Mine were free floating, sometimes they add set screws during the assembly process. If yours are stuck you can run up a bolt (8mm x 1.25 pitch) into the hole on the disc to break free.

aeroelasti

Hi,

Just to report back. I have swapped my front brake discs and now seems like the two issues I have:

1. steering vibration when braking at 40-30mph
2. steering vibration at 75-80mph (intermittent)

are gone (touch wood).

Just to recap, I went for control arm lower bushes and balljoints change 2 weeks ago and hope that my steering shimmer/vibration at around 75mph will go. I read Alchemist threads about a similar problem and his was resolved by changing the bushes hence did mine. The bushes were pick up in an MOT (annual car test in the UK) as warning items and recommended to be changed within 5k miles or so. But unfortunately the new bushes didn't solve the problem.

I know the first issue with steering vibration under braking at 40mph was due to so called warped disc so decided to change my front discs. Started with the near side one, changed it, took me 2 hours because the amount of rust and corrosion between whe wheel hub and the disc mating surface was shocking. I spent a good hour sanding down the rust and corrosion and clean the surface before putting the new disc on. Voila the first issue was resolved. But the high speed 75mph vibration is still there.

So went on to change the far side disc and same thing huge amount of corrosion, spent another hours cleaning it. Went for a test drive and it is smooth now at high speed. Like I said before the high speed vibration was intermittent, I couldn't quite pin point exactly what the problem was. But after I have seen the corrosion, I realised that the high speed vibration mostly occurred after brake was applied. for instance, approaching a round about at 60mph. If I speed up to about 75mph after the roundabout I can feel the steering vibration.

Here is my own explanation, not sure if everyone agreed. The disc get heated up before I approach the roundabout, metal expands when heated, the rust and corrosion make this even worse hence the brake pad touches the disc and I get the vibration.

Just in case anyone else is having similar issue.

alchemist

iTrader: (1)

Very interesting, thanks for the note. Are your struts ok as well? Did you check them? That would have been my other guess for the high speed (non-braking) vibration.

aeroelasti

Thought about struts too. I did check the strut visually, and bouncing them before I decided to go for the brake discs. Struts seems OK at the moment.

Having said that, the high speed vibration did end up with braking vibration too after the bushes were done because th garage that did it must have tighthened the lug nuts with air gun. It was so tight that I have to use metal pipe to loosen them.

The very tight lug nuts, together with the corrosion at the mating surface, increase my high speed vibration range from 70mph all the way through to 85mph. the tight nut and corrosion has amplified the vibration I guess. And if it is strut, will the range fluctuated? I mean not speed related, might happen any time.

This is just my personal diagnosis really, time will tell how long this will last.