Right, here goes..

When the first batch of snow took me by surprise, I managed to slide into a kerb (10 to 15 mph) and bend the front near side wishbone. I had it replaced and all was well, apart from a drone noise at higher speeds and a rumbling noise on one right-hand sweeping bend of dual carridgeway (at 70mph). I have run the car without the wheel that took the hit and it makes no difference.

Since the wishbone was replaced, the back tyres have been replaced, wheels balanced, tracking done and wheel bearings checked all round. The wheels have been spun up on the ramps and all run true and straight, but just can't figure out what this noise might be. Any ideas, no matter how weird they may seem, would be welcome.

The car is an 04/54 vRS and is totally standard on 40k miles.

Thanks for reading!

Edited 24 March, 200917 yr by recklesengineer
adding accident speed

Constant velocity joint damaged, noticable more on a sweeping bend because the cv joint is doing more work?

Just a suggestion

I would say have the CV joints inner and outer on the driveshafts checked. Any force capable of bending the wishbone, would have more than likely damaged a CV joint.

Posts like this worry me.. I'm still waiting on my car back from repair after a nearly identical knock in the snow.. bent my wish bone too! but also by tracking arm and the wheel clouted the bottom of the wing and bent it a little bit..

My Mechanic said that there was a very high chance I've rapidly aged the bearing too, but that it maybe ok in the short run.. so maybe get your bearing checked again if it's not the CV joint.

My Mechanic seems to think my CV joint has "gone to the limit of it's extremities, but no further" and says that's there's a good chance it's survived!.. but after your symptoms I'm guessing I'll prob have the same rumble once I'm back on the road as the guy fixing yours must have thought it looked ok too, to have left it on.

Post back when you get it diagnosed, thanks

Edited 24 March, 200917 yr by reflex88

I'll go for the wheel bearing damage, it's pretty simple and the cheapest to change.

Posts like this worry me.. I'm still waiting on my car back from repair after a nearly identical knock in the snow.. bent my wish bone too! but also by tracking arm and the wheel clouted the bottom of the wing and bent it a little bit..

My Mechanic said that there was a very high chance I've rapidly aged the bearing too, but that it maybe ok in the short run.. so maybe get your bearing checked again if it's not the CV joint.

My Mechanic seems to think my CV joint has "gone to the limit of it's extremities, but no further" and says that's there's a good chance it's survived!.. but after your symptoms I'm guessing I'll prob have the same rumble once I'm back on the road as the guy fixing yours must have thought it looked ok too, to have left it on.

Post back when you get it diagnosed, thanks

Right, the CV joint is first on the check list then! My mechanic said it may be very early stages of wheel bearings, but for now they look okay. He also mentioned a bent drive shaft, but is very unlikely due to collision speed, as is a bent sub frame. I'm going to monitor the noise for now, and see if it changes as it seems my Dad and girlfriend can't really hear it (paranoia??). reflex88 - I will PMyou as soon as I find out, let me know how you get on too/what needed doing or replacing.

This spirit is why I love this forum!

Will Do bud!

Edited 25 March, 200917 yr by reflex88