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Thread: Mechanical people? Help!

  1. #1
    God/dess Lena's Avatar
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    Default Mechanical people? Help!

    So my car started making this noise yesterday and I stopped at the shop. They said that one bearing and two uhm... something arms... ambler arms? adulator arms? I dunno, they said it holds your stearing to your wheels. Anyways, they said that stuff was loose.

    I asked if it was safe to drive and they said probably for a month or so. I called my mechanic today and they said it's absolutely not safe and I should immediately come to them and give them lots of $$$.

    There has to be an inbetween here? Or is my mechanic right and I'm riskin my life by driving it? Am I right to think that this is an indication of more problems to come? I'm really leaning towards getting a new one instead of fixing this, but that means driving this around to find the new one...

    Help!



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    Default Re:Mechanical people? Help!

    What kind of car?

    Tie-rods? Thats the only thing between your "steering" and your wheels. These usually are not anything that is dangerous. If you're steering wheel is really "loose/sloppy" then you probably do need new tie rods. Control arm and ball joints could also be what they mean....if you needed new ball joints the car would make a banging noise over bumps. If it needed new control arms....which it probably doesnt you wouldnt be able to tell w/o looking at them. These can be dangerous if the break....but this is rare....i would let your other mechanic take a look at it (FOR FREE) and get a better report from what he says.

    Bearing? Wheel Bearing? This can be dangerous if the bearing fails. If it fails suddenly the wheel will lock up and not spin....DANGEROUS....but usually it will make a low rubbing sound for a while before it locks up....

    You probably arent risking your life. I would get one more opinion.

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    God/dess AinNY's Avatar
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    Default Re:Mechanical people? Help!

    oh and where are you located? If you're anwhere near NY/NJ/CT i can try and recommend a mechanic for you.

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    God/dess Lena's Avatar
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    Default Re:Mechanical people? Help!

    Idler arms, that's what they are.

    It's making a squeeling noise, and a banging noise, and the whole thing shakes when I go faster than fifty



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    Default Re:Mechanical people? Help!

    Quote Originally Posted by Lena link=board=1;threadid=11486;start=msg145430#msg145 430 date=1091034446
    Idler arms, that's what they are.

    It's making a squeeling noise, and a banging noise, and the whole thing shakes when I go faster than fifty
    Idler arm is not something that is dangerous.....your steering should feel really sloppy and loose if it is the idler arm thats messed up.

    This should not be expensive AT ALL to replace. Especially on an american car.
    The part should be no more than 50 bucks(if you told me what kind of car i can get you a price)...labor shoul dbe no more than 2 hours (150 bucks at most).

    If you dont want that info out here...feel free to PM me.

    Hope that helps a little

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    God/dess Lena's Avatar
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    Default Re:Mechanical people? Help!

    Yes, the steering is weird too, and when I put the brakes on it doesn't really steer at all.

    I was going to get a new truck in a couple weeks anyways, my freind's husband who owns a car lot was looking for the truck that I wanted. So I called him and he said don't drive it, he's going to come and get me and I'll drive one of his trade ins until he finds my truck. He said that my wheel could fall off or my steering could stop working.

    Lena

    PS, It's a Chevy Astro and my mechanic wasn't sure but they said in the $4-600 range to fix the two wheel bearings and two idler arms. I don't want to spend that much money on this thing, cause it's pretty much falling apart anyways (I've put 140,000 miles on it in the three years I've had it, and it was always totally reliable until the last couple months there was an electrical problem and the headlights caught on fire, the sway bar fell off, half of the exhaust system fell off, the a/c messed up, and the water pump went out).



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    Default Re:Mechanical people? Help!

    oh ok...so its 2 wheel bearings and the idler arm...

    Thats a fair price...

    If you dont plan on keeping it...definitely dont fix it

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    God/dess Lena's Avatar
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    Default Re:Mechanical people? Help!

    Thanks, A :-)

    Soo... until I get my truck... Honda or Buick? What do you think?



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    Default Re:Mechanical people? Help!

    Honda

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    Default Re:Mechanical people? Help!

    Honda.

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    Default Re:Mechanical people? Help!

    Ford!
    "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."

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    Featured Member polecat's Avatar
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    Default Re:Mechanical people? Help!

    My only concern would be the wheel bearings... if they are TOTALLY shot, and making a howling sound on the freeway, one could eventually sieze-up or freeze at speed.

    If you think they are this bad, then I'd keep driving to residential and lower speed jaunts.
    It doesn't matter if you're somebody in this world, it rather matters you mean the whole world to somebody.

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    Default Re:Mechanical people? Help!

    Polecat, I drive an hour and a half on the freeway to work and back most days...

    Sooo.... for five hundred dollars I'm now the proud owner of a little old honda civic that will be worth five hundred as a trade in when I get the truck that I want. It's so low! I feel like I'm sitting on the ground!



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    Default Re:Mechanical people? Help!

    Quote Originally Posted by Lena link=board=1;threadid=11486;start=msg145366#msg145 366 date=1091030071
    I called my mechanic today and they said it's absolutely not safe and I should immediately come to them and give them lots of $$$.
    Maybe should call your mechanic back and give him the same message.
    "He will come in one of the pre-chosen forms. During the rectification of the Vuldrini, the traveler came as a large and moving Torg! Then, during the third reconciliation of the last of the McKetrick supplicants, they chose a new form for him: that of a giant Slor! Many Shuvs and Zuuls knew what it was to be roasted in the depths of the Slor that day, I can tell you!"

  15. #15
    Pamela
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    Default Re:Mechanical people? Help!

    HONDA! Best selling car right now. Wish i bought one. You can keep your Mercedes and 3000GT's! Shit.

    I am looking for that damn 1978 PINTO everyday! I want a friggin carb. again. Who needs class, who needs speed. I give up.

    I love my cars, but shit already. I don't like working for them.

    And my mechanic puts NITRO in the 3000gt, it's killing my damn motor now. I only switch on the toggle for a few seconds and back off, but it's such FUN. Now i pay the price.

    Sorry small vent, friggin cars.

    Pamela

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    Default Re:Mechanical people? Help!

    Description: The idler arm is used on vehicles with conventional suspension systems and parallelogram steering. This type of suspension and steering arrangement is used on virtually all rear-wheel-drive vehicles and many light trucks. Essentially, the idler arm is a pivoting support for the steering linkage. The idler arm consists of a bracket, an arm that connects the bracket to the center link of the steering linkage, and an internal pivot bearing. A few vehicles use two idler arms.

    Purpose: The idler arm assists the pitman arm by supporting the steering linkage as it moves in the direction controlled by the steering gear.

    Maintenance Tips/Suggestions: The idler arm should be lubricated at every oil change. The idler arm, along with other suspension components, should be inspected annually along with a complete wheel alignment. The most common vehicle symptoms associated with a worn idler arm include wandering, tire edge wear, and loose or erratic steering. Idler arm inspection techniques and specifications vary; have your vehicle inspected by a qualified service professional.

    Parts - $50 - 100
    Labor - $300
    Wheel berring replacement and labor.... $500

    I'm going to guess the whole thing would cost you around $700 (how much did they tell you?) - But yeah....it's not safe, and if your berring is already out, it'll go very fast. Is it squealing already? Cruising for 1 1/2 hours on the highway could heat that sucker up enough to catch on fire....so have all your valuables out of the car.


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    Default Re:Mechanical people? Help!

    Lena,
    If you still need help with this, send me an email ([email protected]). My boyfriend is a mechanic and I'm sure he'd be happy to let you know what is going on. He can also look up the prices for everything (parts, labor, etc...) with no problem.
    Let me know if I can help!



    Because there ain't no tits on the radio

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    Default Re:Mechanical people? Help!

    Now what could a real mechanic possibly offer that we dumbshits can't?
    "The problem with the world is that everyone is a few drinks behind."
    -Humphrey Bogart

    "Sir, if you were my husband, I would poison your drink."
    -Lady Astor to Winston Churchill
    "Madam, if you were my wife, I would drink it."
    -His reply

    "If God had intended us to drink beer, He would have given us stomachs."
    -David Daye

  19. #19
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    Default Re:Mechanical people? Help!

    Lol, MojoJojo. Not much. But he does have access to all the GM manuals, websites and all that other stuff. Hell, I don't have a clue what he talks about half the time...

    But you yourself said, "have your vehicle inspected by a qualified service professional."



    Because there ain't no tits on the radio

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    God/dess Lexi's Avatar
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    Default Re:Mechanical people? Help!

    Gotta give love to the Hondas here!!!

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    Veteran Member Trix's Avatar
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    Default Re:Mechanical people? Help!

    Lexi has a niiiiiiice Honda. Her backseat was roomy...

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    Default Re:Mechanical people? Help!

    Yes...I was utilizing sarcasm in my last post :-P
    "The problem with the world is that everyone is a few drinks behind."
    -Humphrey Bogart

    "Sir, if you were my husband, I would poison your drink."
    -Lady Astor to Winston Churchill
    "Madam, if you were my wife, I would drink it."
    -His reply

    "If God had intended us to drink beer, He would have given us stomachs."
    -David Daye

  23. #23
    Banned Melonie's Avatar
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    Default Re:Mechanical people? Help!

    but Pam, there's absolutely no feeling in the world like hitting that Nitrous button and having all 4 tires burn rubber while blasting past some passhole! (still smiling after replacing yet another burned up head gasket on my Eclipse). I can't imagine what your 3000GT must be like when you give it a shot of nitrous, since your engine had 50% more horsepower than my Eclipse to start with !!!

    I am going to leave my WRX 100% stock though - at least until I totally melt down the Eclipse and start having nitrous withdrawl symptoms.

  24. #24
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    Default Re:Mechanical people? Help!

    Quote Originally Posted by Melonie link=board=1;threadid=11486;start=msg146862#msg146 862 date=1091240097
    but Pam, there's absolutely no feeling in the world like hitting that Nitrous button and having all 4 tires burn rubber while blasting past some passhole! (still smiling after replacing yet another burned up head gasket on my Eclipse). I can't imagine what your 3000GT must be like when you give it a shot of nitrous, since your engine had 50% more horsepower than my Eclipse to start with !!!

    I am going to leave my WRX 100% stock though - at least until I totally melt down the Eclipse and start having nitrous withdrawl symptoms.
    Wow...you're really into cars huh?

    I've replaced the headgasket on my car twice already :'(

    Thats awesome....so when do you watnt o race?

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    Banned Melonie's Avatar
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    Default Re:Mechanical people? Help!

    Actually, my SON is the one who is into cars now that he's college age. Of course "mama" likes sporty looking cars too, but my son is the one that makes things like custom mag wheels and nitrous oxide tanks and funny looking exhaust pipes magically appear. Of course, from his standpoint, it's a lot easier for him to borrow "mama's" car than buying his own, and borrowing a Mitsu Eclipse or Subaru WRX is a lot less embarrassing from his standpoint than his friends borrowing their parents' minivan.

    I did let my son know in no uncertain terms though to keep his wrenches away from my WRX - because any of his "modifications" would void the factory warrantee. I pretty much let him do what he wants to do with my Eclipse, though. Besides, the WRX is quick enough already without any aftermarket magic.

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