Diff/gearbox noise when slowing down

[Supertoucher]

Cheers Steve, I'll give it a go at the weekend and see how I get on.

[Diarmuid]

THanks Steve for that, it was out but was not causing the noise. But I have located the noise I think. The previous owner went a bit sideways and gave the left rear wheel a bang and I think thats where the noise it coming from. I went to get the tow/camber done and the guys said that they couldn't get that corner aligned perfectly but nothing looks bent so not sure what's out? So now this slight grinding noise when speeding up quickly or slowing down is coming from that corner but what could it be? A bearing maybe? shaft? some kind of alignment?

[MX5Spares]

Wheel bearing damaged

[Diarmuid]

Wheel bearing damaged

But would that cause the alignment to be out? Basically there is no more you can adjust the wheel settings. I'd be happy if was just a bearing. Having said that the bearing could be the noise and the alignment could be something else.

[scallan]

Could it be the bolt holding the hub to the wishbone happened mine a few years ago when i hit a kerb.

[Diarmuid]

Could it be the bolt holding the hub to the wishbone happened mine a few years ago when i hit a kerb.

You were kinda right Scallan, I took off the hub today and the long retaining bold at the bottom of the wish bone was the slightest be bent (you could only tell by rolling it) so straightened it and put it back and it was visually straighter but made no difference at all Unfortunately it got a bang and it could be 5 different things that could be bent. I might order some bearings and start there. I don't mind having problems but I REALLY hate not knowing whats causing them!!!

[MX5Spares]

You can waste your money on bits n pieces but hub etc must be damaged if the long bolt is bent as this bolt is quite strong.Also as you say the alignment wont correct by adjusting the camber bolts so something else must be damaged either wishbone,hub or similar .No point in changing wheel bearing if hub etc is bent !!

[sidewaysreilly]

if rear bearing is damaged it will make a serious racket, from experience. If the bolt was bent then the bearing needs replacing.

[Diarmuid]

if rear bearing is damaged it will make a serious racket, from experience. If the bolt was bent then the bearing needs replacing.

Your Prob right, fitting the bearing can be a bit of a pain in the ass I believe, I might look around for the whole hub assembly

[scallan]

Ya i ended up doing the bearing after i changed the bolt but my hub was grand are the alignment bolts bent?

[Diarmuid]

Ya i ended up doing the bearing after i changed the bolt but my hub was grand are the alignment bolts bent?

I actually never checked the alignment bolts (DOH!)

[MX5Spares]

You can check but the alignment bolts are about 10 times stronger than the wishbones and the subframes are quite weak where the wishbones connect so basically the bolts wont be bent!!

[sidewaysreilly]

sorry Robert but its well known they do bend. Anyway, bearings dont like sudden shock loadings so i'll be surprised if its not the cause.

[MX5Spares]

Never seen one bent yet although I have seen a few bottom hub bolts bending .So much so I cant get them out!!The subframe is light enough to bend at the points where inner wishbones are fixed to

[Diarmuid]

THanks guys, I think its worth replacing the bearing even just for piece of mind. But I am beginning to wonder again, came back from a good spin yesterday and when I turned off the ignition I heard a rattle from that end. I need to go over it all again..... but get it hot first as I also just discovered it only makes the noise when its hot... The plot thickens!!!