Just had CV axle replaced by local guy. Boot had been damaged and leaked a lot of grease, it wasn’t making noise yet, just a pre-emptive measure. On the drive home, just about half a mile, there was a chorus of tiny chirping noises in the front. Never heard that before. I have read people online mentioning this at low speeds but not usually AFTER replacement. Search function in this forum found someone who said the boot was bunched up too much and after straightening that out the chirping went away.
I was driving slow, 20mph because the alignment is pretty bad as well and it’s just around the corner. That’s next, car is going to a shop but trying to figure out what happened with this last project first since the mechanic needs to be responsible. Possibly it wasn’t greased enough after replacement?
CV axles come greased and ready to install. Was the "local guy"an actual mechanic?
Rubber axle boots don’t chirp. The brake dust sheild may have been bent so that it lightly rubs the brake disk. You might also need new brake pads…the pads have a small metal strip that chirps when the pads are worn out.
Well I didn’t think rubber would chirp, just repeating what was in this forum when I searched. Local guy is a shade tree mechanic, not certified if that is what you are asking. My former local mechanic (who was certified but mostly retired except for some local projects) was supposed to do this job and I already bought the parts, but due to numerous issues I stopped working with him. Mostly not showing up. It was then difficult to get a shop to do it because I had my own parts, and it was too late to send them back. That’s why I still went with a local guy for that job but it will go to a shop next for the other issuss.
Any reason you can think of why the brakes would suddenly start chirping only after this work was done? As in your mention of the pads being worn. I will look into the dust shield.
I need to take it for a spin today and try out different speeds, difference in sound on braking, accelerating, decelerating, turning etc. Just doing some reading to get an idea if it is a safety hazard to drive at all, and to have some info before I talk to the guy who installed it, which I will do.
This is the comment I found when I searched the forum:
“Speaking of CV joint boots, one time I had a squeak from the boot itself. Only heard in parking lot driving. Its accordion had scrunched up too much (probably from my faulty install) and the ribs were rubbing against each other. De-scrunching eliminated the squeak.”
That is exactly why I was asking. I cannot assume this person knows what they are doing. It is possible the wheel bearing was damaged because the “mechanic” hammered home the axle nut with an impact wrench rather than using a torque wrench to tighten the bolt.
A squeak is not a “chirp”
Which is why I responded as I did;
Why would the brake pads “suddenly” start chirping? As I posted, because they are worn out. Stuff doesn’t happen on a schedule; could be purely coincidence. The wear tab on the brakes may also have been bent during the job as well.
I also have concerns that the parts you purchased are the least expensive parts you could find - EBay maybe? - and they may be bad right out of the box.
Time to find a new qualified mechanic to find and fix what the shade-tree mechanic may have done wrong.
You’re gonna have to just take a good look. A couple areas though would be if the tin shield by the brakes got bent or if there is an issue with the brake pads or caliper. The other thing it look at is the actual bolts that hold the bearing in. If they were removed to get the axle out and lock tight wasn’t used in them, the could be coming loose and hitting as the wheel goes around. I don’t remember where exactly they are and if it was when I replaced th axle or bearing, but cost me a tow.
Does the sound change when turning vs going straight? Or turning left vs right? I’ve heard a squeak from the rubber boot pleats rubbing against each other, so that sort of a sound is possible, and more likely if the boot is new and clean. I’d be surprised if it was loud enough to hear sitting in the driver’s seat unless going very slow, windows down. Newly replaced CV joint(s) themselves shouldn’t be making any sounds.
BTW, don’t put any lubricants on the pleats to stop the sound. Lubricants may weaken the rubber.
Thanks that is helpful advice. Will make notes and look into these things. I was going to cruise around today and test these sounds but ended up working too late so still have to do that tomorrow. It definitely made the sound consistently while driving straight, and it is not rhythmic.
Yes I was driving slow with the windows down, my hearing is also really sharp. I wasn’t going to put anything on the boot. Edit: The other post I found that mentioned the boot said they just unscrunched it so no lubricating anything if it dies happen to be that issue. I haven’t had a chance to crawl under there due to work. It’s just parked.
I second checking the brake/rotor dust shield.
I recently did the driver side on my wife’s Sonata, had done the passenger side a while back.
Right after the work was done, had the chirping on the test drive. It was the dust shield. Somehow in the heat of the moment, I probably put some pressure on it-doesn’t take much to move it. Not fun jacking the car up and taking the wheel off when you thought you were done!
I am not questioning your “guy” but anyone doing work on a car, would test drive it him/herself before returning the car. In my case, the customer being my wife, I still did the test drive. Hate the phone calls about “noise” coming from somewhere.