Almost killed by negligent garage work

endorfin

Right, I haven't been back on here recently as I had clicked to subscribe to the thread for email notifications each time a reply was posted, this has stopped working for some reason!

I wasn't aware of the thanks button or but now that I am I will click on it to those who have provided some useful information although this thread seems to have turned into a bit of a flame war.

There also seems to be a bit of confusion as to what garage has done what. Firstly, the Citroen specialist garage who changed the spheres a few months ago and gave the car (including steering) an overhaul is based in Cambridgeshire. That garage isn't involved here at all, it was only mentioned to give you an idea of how I maintain the car. My brother's garage is the one who services the car on a regular basis (that one that doesn't have tracking equipment that everyone keeps going on about!) was only doing an oil change on this occasion, NO work involving the steering was carried out. I mentioned the slight uneven tyre wear and he inspected the car on the lift, checked the track rod ends, bushes, steering etc and found nothing out of the ordinary. His recommendation was to get the tracking done as a precaution (tracking can be put out easily by kerbing the car which I have been known to do - nothing more sinister than this - this is the number 1 reason for needing the tracking done, or worn bearings) Now, not that its even relevant but the reason he doesn't have tracking equipment is that the garage next door has & they work together but unfortunately on this day the garage next door was chocka so I took it to a chain tyre place in town. And here we are.

To tigerspain, what happened exactly you ask. Well I was driving along on the dual carriageway at some speed and I felt what seemed like being blown across the carriageway by a strong gust of wind although it wasn't windy that day. I then tested the steering and although it would turn in the direction I turned the steering wheel it was like it had a great deal of play, it was very unresponsive whereas it used to be sharp. No stiffness to speak of. I got it off the carriageway and tested it when stationary, rotating the steering wheel would turn the wheels but it feels it needs more rotations than it used to. Its very difficult to explain without testing it yourself. With hindsight the problem was there when I left the alignment centre but I couldn't quite put my finger on it until the problem became almost blatantly obvious.

I'm deaf but according to the RAC there is a knocking noise when turning the steering. I could also 'feel' a knocking/flapping noise when I was driving along.

photome

endorfin wrote: »

Right, I wasn't aware of the thanks button or but now that I am I will click on it to those who have provided some useful information although this thread seems to have turned into a bit of a flame war.

.

All threads in the motoring section end up the same and usually by the same few posters :eek:

s_b

Hammyman a track car is slightly different to a citroen road car that travels up and down the queens highway
i see you arent in the trade anymore,i see a lot of people who get the shiney tools and the big boxes on wheels but havent got a clue and jack it or more importantly get SACKED

pitkin2020

endorfin wrote: »

Right, I haven't been back on here recently as I had clicked to subscribe to the thread for email notifications each time a reply was posted, this has stopped working for some reason!

I wasn't aware of the thanks button or but now that I am I will click on it to those who have provided some useful information although this thread seems to have turned into a bit of a flame war.

I still haven't been thanked lol

s_b

hammy man

---

---definition someone who plays up the fact they are master of nothing:D

PS, I used to do it for a living. Difference is I didn't work on 10yr old wrecks because I worked in a decent garage, not a back street one

the OP owns a 10 year old car
maybe its time you went for your injection?

Hammyman

s_b wrote: »

Hammyman a track car is slightly different to a citroen road car that travels up and down the queens highway
i see you arent in the trade anymore,i see a lot of people who get the shiney tools and the big boxes on wheels but havent got a clue and jack it or more importantly get SACKED

Wheelbearings are wheel bearings. Notice you say nothing about the lorry I mentioned.

I didn't get sacked. Two shafted discs and a spinal operation ended my time as a mechanic.

Hammyman

s_b wrote: »

hammy man

---

---definition someone who plays up the fact they are master of nothing:D

the OP owns a 10 year old car
maybe its time you went for your injection?

I'm just fine. As you know me so well, you'll recall that for most of the last decade I owned Ford Capris. None of their steering racks fell to bits and a couple of them had to have heat on to wind off the trackrod ends.

Dippypud

asbokid

Hammyman wrote: »

I didn't get sacked. Two shafted discs and a spinal operation ended my time as a mechanic.

Hats off to you for staying so cheerful, Hammyman!

The OP should take some snapshots of the damage that caused this near fatal accident, so others can suggest the cause..

At a guess, the balljoint in the track rod end has failed.

If the TRE had enough excessive play to cause uneven tyre wear, then that could explain the spectacular failure of the joint.

The ball may simply have burst from its sack. It does happen.. And not just with the balljoint on the TRE.....

paddedjohn

If the locking nut hasnt been tightned up then this could cause a knocking noise when turning, or possibly the fitter who did the tracking has backed just one track rod end off instead of sharing the adjustment between both sides leaving the track rod end hanging on literally by a thread.
(JUST TO ADD, IVE NEVER SEEN A RACK DAMAGED BY HEATING THE LOCK NUT BEFORE)