So my car feels like my wheels are about to fall off when I drive ever since I installed new rotors and pads a few days ago. I figured it was just the brakes wearing in but it started getting worse. I brought it up to Acura this afternoon and they said my font inner axles were broke (most likely from having aftermarket suspension) and it had nothing to do with my brakes. Is this true? I hear a loud clunking noise when I accelerate, but it stops when I apply pressure to the brakes. They also told me they wouldn't be under warranty since I modified my car and it would cost about $600 an axle. Can anybody shed some light on this issue and help me out here?


Thanks~

 

put stock suspension on and bring it to another dealership.

but your problems sound like the axles

 

can a lower suspension really cause such a bad problem?

 

it puts alot of stress on the cv joins.

 

yea well if i causes stuff like axels to fail then it doesnt seems to be worth it to lower it.

 

Sounds like axles and yes, lowering can have an effect unfortunately. However, you should be able to get it replaced much cheaper than $600.

 

Can someone with great knowledge shed light on why dropping a car puts stress on axles, they are designed to bend intitially so if they have less of a bend why would it hurt anything? FOR OP check your dust shield behind the rotor, for some reason when I started accelarating at first my left front rotor made a scrape scrape scrape sound as I drove away, when I hit the brakes it went away. My fix was a screwdriver and a hammer at the dust shield near the caliper.

 

well i know that lowering your car puts added strain on the suspension but i didnt know risks included messing up your axels.

lowering your car is like riding around with an extra 1000 pounds. all your joints, shocks and other suspension components are strained and strained 24/7. i dont have any technical details or anything but it should be pretty easy to figure out.

imagine walking around with your knees bent all the time. it was made to flex like your suspenstion but you can see how it would add stress to your hip, knees, ankles and feet. it wouldnt feel very good real soon.

 

when i had my hatch w/b18 on spray i snapped an axle about every month (hooked up w/ stock rebuilt axles for $17). and when an axle goes, it goes. when 1 goes, it makes a grind noise like a mother and the car can only go 5-10mph, IF that. when both go (rare unless your sticky or making serious serious honda power) the car doesnt move. i know the axles are a little more beefy on the CL, but its the same design...I doubt you have broken axles cause you wouldnt be driving.

 

When you lower suspension inner axle goes in significantly deeper. Work stroke is about 1 inch but angle changes are minimal - within few degrees. The only way these could go broke after lowering is when the joint chamber has different hardening or clearance for various depths - joint bearings have contact at different points for lowered cars. Its a possibility that lowering caused that but personally I have never, ever seen these go bad.... Anyways replacing them is not so difficult and you can get remans for about 100-150 bucks each. Does the clunking increase when you accelerate while turning? Does it change with speed?

 

you can always screw up the internals of the axle so when it turns it's grinding loud.

COULD be ripped axle boots or no grease in there anymore but that's morso noise related. Then its metal on metal baby! you cannot miss it. sounds like a freight train slamming on their emergency brakes.
everytime the wheel turns.

My guess is one of the pivot points inside the axle boot is about to break loose. might want to fix it b4 you can only go 20mph at full out cause only one axle is intact.

axle replacement is easy also, (since you've removed rotors and brakes) b4 it's nothing too crazy. just need to remove a couple other things and it will pop right out.

1/2 day of elbow grease and $300 should get you 2 new refurbished front axles. I'd replace both since your suspension may have taken a toll on both side unbenonce to yourself or the car.

better than paying someone else to possibly screw up ur car. I TRUST NO ONE with my wheels

 

True! Trust no one. Pop the lower ball joint out, move the strut out of the way, and a little prying on the axle and it will come right out!