New noise for a new member

funbuffalo24 · Post by **funbuffalo24** » 24 Jun 2009, 17:36

Hi all! I bought a 2000 xc70 a few months back and love the car so far, and as soon as I could I signed up for this and a few other volvo forums, and I must say the threads here are great!

I've got a bit of an odd grating/grinding noise I wanted to get an opinion on. Now normally I do the majority of upkeep items on my vehicle, but about two weeks ago I decided to go to a repair shop owned by my family to get the oil changed, and change the front brake pads & rotors, as they would do it cheaper than I could. No prob there.

However I go in the bay to check things out, and the shop mgr. shows me my drivers front lower control arm and end link are a bit loose. Again, no prob, I order both sides and two end links. So now Ive got new brake pads, rotors, a caliper on one side (I didnt like the look of the one seal on the passenger side), control arms, and end links. I leave out of the shop and tell them I'll pick it up the following monday (this was a friday).

I come to pick up my car, and was told I had a problem - the parts supplier had delivered one incorrect control arm, which was installed, and they couldn't finish the alignment on it. well duh is my thought, but it gets worse... so the tech not only installs it, but drives around for about 50-60 miles in the car over the weekend and with a ton of pos. camber on the front end! they ordered the new part and would put it in asap. great. the replacement part comes, my alignment is done, and my tires up front have a ton of wear on the sidewall.

For the last week or so now though, it seems like the cupping on the edge of the tires is worsening, even though the alignment seems true, and the air pressure is at 36psi in both front tires. Im also now hearing a constant grind (like a rotor noise, but not coming from the rotors) during acceleration(noise speeds up in volume and pitch) and braking(quiets down), but not while at idle or when in neutral. I'm thinking that the cupping combined with driving with the crappy install by the idiot tech couldve cause my bevel gear to be now making the noise, but I am confused, thinking that would grind even in a no motion or neutral tranny setting.

Would anyone have a suggestion as to what I should be looking at? Much thanks to any suggestions!

Post by **vegasjetskier** » 24 Jun 2009, 17:56

My guess is that the shorter-than-normal control arm caused compression on the axle and you now have either a bad CV joint(s) or a bad hub or both.

Why would the tech drive your car for 60 miles? Just curious.

funbuffalo24 · Post by **funbuffalo24** » 24 Jun 2009, 23:27

Vegas, thanks for the reply. I honestly don't know why he put that many miles on the car, which def. was brought up. Maybe he didnt want to drive his car for the weekend?

I've pulled bad cv's before in audi's and a few domestics but never hear this particular grind noise I'm experiencing now. I'll look into it though, thank you. I did go underneath a few days ago and noticed that the boots were good, which I guess wouldn't tear due too odd compression, but your suggestion is a good start, and I'll suggest that they look into looking at my hub or cv tomorrow.

funbuffalo24 · Post by **funbuffalo24** » 29 Jun 2009, 18:35

update. I had two concurrent issues. The first one was a blown passenger side front wheel bearing. The other was a driveshaft that went fubar. Im not going to have to pay for the part but it still sucks it happened to begin with. Oh, and the tech got fired. It seemed a few days after messing up my car he put a chevy 2500 hd on a lift with a 7k lb. rating. It fell off and went boom.

So theres going to be a replacement part but the parts suppliers here in buffalo are saying $1200? does that sound right? any suggestions as to where I might purchase a used one?