GolfGTIforum.co.uk
Model specific boards => Golf mk5 => Topic started by: smithian on 19 December 2009, 12:22
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Hi All.
Managed to drive my MK 5 GTI into a curb in the snow yesterday at about 5 mph. There was a really loud bang and physical damage only seems to be a 8" scrape on the rim of the front right Monza (I have the 18"s). I've just discovered however that when i accelerate hard it pulls to the left pretty badly (it didn't do this before) The steering wheel also seems to shake a little at around 60. Question is could this simply be tracking (it doesn't seem to pull to the left driving normally), or could I have bent something? Not really sure what to do. Do I put it in my local garage and ask them to check the tracking, or do I go through the insurance? I have protected no claims and a fairly low excess.
Ian.
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Hi Ian.I did the very same a couple of winters ago in my last car. Big scrape on the alloy & steering wheel spokes pointing to 25 past the hour.Took it to my local garage & they put it up on the ramps had a good look on the under side & re-tracked it & everything was fine again.Hade the alloy re-furbed & everything was as good as before.Mine was only a slow speed impact with the kerb so you should be fine mate. :wink:
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Hi all.
Bit of an update. Took the car to Protyre in Enfield for a 4 wheel alignment and it's bad news. The camber and toe are all out on the right hand front wheel but so is the caster (determines if the wheel is to forward or back from the correct position). They said they couldn't see any bending so I've booked it into the stealer on the 30th to get a diagnose. Measuring the gap between the wheel and the body panels on the left and right side of the wheel compared to the left wheel, it looks like it's moved backwards into the car around 1.5cm's (gap to the left is 1.5 cm's less that the elft wheel). I'm getting some vibration at around 40mph and whirring around 70mph, plus serious pulling to the left on hard acceleration, so have decided not to drive it until the 30th just in case I cause any more damage. I'm hoping I've just bent the wishbone... Stealer are quoting me £225 for a wishbone replacement and getting the alloy refurbished will cost around £75, so fingers crossed total layout is only around £300. Anyone else had any similar experience? What was the outcome?
Ian.
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Cannot see a wishbone bending at that slow a speed to be honest.
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Hi all.
Bit of an update. Took the car to Protyre in Enfield for a 4 wheel alignment and it's bad news. The camber and toe are all out on the right hand front wheel but so is the caster (determines if the wheel is to forward or back from the correct position). They said they couldn't see any bending so I've booked it into the stealer on the 30th to get a diagnose. Measuring the gap between the wheel and the body panels on the left and right side of the wheel compared to the left wheel, it looks like it's moved backwards into the car around 1.5cm's (gap to the left is 1.5 cm's less that the elft wheel). I'm getting some vibration at around 40mph and whirring around 70mph, plus serious pulling to the left on hard acceleration, so have decided not to drive it until the 30th just in case I cause any more damage. I'm hoping I've just bent the wishbone... Stealer are quoting me £225 for a wishbone replacement and getting the alloy refurbished will cost around £75, so fingers crossed total layout is only around £300. Anyone else had any similar experience? What was the outcome?
Ian.
Have you brought this car 2nd hand?? perhaps its hit the kerb badly prior to you purchasing possibly?
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I did the exact same thing with my car last December in the snow. I'd even say my impact wasn't even 5mph, but the car just stopped dead against the curb.
The damage - visually, just a scuffed alloy and the top of the wheel was leaning in too much (like too much camber). But when I took it in, VW dealer said I had damaged the hub, track rod, track rod ends and bearing. With labour, the total was over £700. Then I got the wheel re-furbed and ended up taking it twice to another garage to get the tracking checked and re-checked because I wasn't happy. Overall damage closer to £1000!
So, I don't mean to be the bearer of bad news, but this was just my experience. I was told that if it was a lesser car like a polo, the damage may well have just been the tracking - but the GTi has much more expensive and intricate parts.
I think you're doing the right thing not driving it until fixed - there obviously is something seriously bent in the suspension!
Good luck
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Hi All.
Thought I'd provide an update. Put the car in to the stealer for a check and turned out I'd bent the front right wish bone. Had both wishbones changed (apparently you have to change both together) and a 4 whell alignment. According to the 4 wheel report the Caster was out of spec on both wheels by around a degree (the right one was out by a degree after the crash and before the change, the left was within spec) so each wheel is set back in the car. Stealer told me this is OK providing both readings are similar which they are. I'm getting what I can only describe as a vibration/wheel baring noise at 70mph when I turn left (chaning lanes for example). I've had all 4 wheels balanced today as directed by the stealer but the issue is still there. THe car's going back in Wednesday and I just wondered if the noise I'm getting cold be due to the out of spec caster or could I have damaged something else not picked up at the first repair?
Thanks in advance
Ian.
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^^^
What Make of tyres do you have fitted?
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Hi All.
Thought I'd provide an update. Put the car in to the stealer for a check and turned out I'd bent the front right wish bone. Had both wishbones changed (apparently you have to change both together) and a 4 whell alignment. According to the 4 wheel report the Caster was out of spec on both wheels by around a degree (the right one was out by a degree after the crash and before the change, the left was within spec) so each wheel is set back in the car. Stealer told me this is OK providing both readings are similar which they are. I'm getting what I can only describe as a vibration/wheel baring noise at 70mph when I turn left (chaning lanes for example). I've had all 4 wheels balanced today as directed by the stealer but the issue is still there. THe car's going back in Wednesday and I just wondered if the noise I'm getting cold be due to the out of spec caster or could I have damaged something else not picked up at the first repair?
Thanks in advance
Ian.
Interestin read, cause I did the same thing in my Mk6, dont get any vibrating/wheel baring noise but the tracking is defenatly out will have to get it checked out.
How much did the work and parts cost?
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Hi All.
Thanks for the replies... I have Goodyear F1's fitted (they've done about 5K) and to date everythings cost £410 (£382 for the 2 wishbones and 4 wheel alignment and £25 for the wheel balance). The vibration I get at 40 mph, then at 50-70 mph (I don't get it around 60mph). I get the vibration when I turn the wheel left like changing lane, the more I turn the harder the vibration. I get a very subtle vibration when driving in a straight line at these speeds which Interestingly seems to disapear when I turn right (could be the placebo effect). The stealer said once again there was nothing wrong this week but couldn't test drive because of the weather. They also wanted £150 to take the breaks off to investiagte the CV joint and bearing. So I declined.b The vibration is the same as going over raised painted lines on the road like when you pull of a motorway and cross lanes (hope that makes sense). Stealer wanted £211 to change the bearing. Local garage wants around £150. Question is do people think it could be the bearing or do I need to pay for further investigation?
Ian.
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Vibration of what - the steering wheel, the whole car, just a droning noise? The wheel bearing could be damaged, the CV joint, the drive shaft, stub axle, steering rack. You can't diagnose things like this on an internet forum, a mechanic needs to drive it to help diagnose the problem and take it apart to inspect, but all the parts mentioned can be damaged by sliding sideways into a kerb.
I'd also be concerned that the castor is out of spec - and the fact there was no explanation? Also why did changing a wishbone move it out of spec on the undamaged side? Altering castor angle alone will not cause vibration of any kind, however.
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Hi.
Thanks for the reply... Vibration is through the steering wheel and I feel it through the accelorator and rest pedal. There's also a drowning noise.... VW have looked at the car for the last 3 days and said there's no problem with the steering, wishbones, drive shaft etc. They wouldn't check the CV joint or bearing without me paying for an hour and a halfs labour to take the wheel apart.
I'm also concerned about the caster, but have been told by the service maanger and dealership manager that as long as the 2 sides are similar values (which they are) that everthings OK. Before the wishbone change the left side was within caster spec and the right side was 1 degree out. Now both are .7 of a degree out....
Do you know if VW have a technical group that I can ring to ask if this is OK as backup to go back to the dealer?
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Have you tried changing the wheels over (back to front) ?
That would rule out stepped tyre tread / balancing problems / buckled wheels.
There have been threads about weird stepped tyre wear on GTi's on the inside edge.