Front axle blues

[jonnyboy]

Still having issues with my front axle.

Problems are:

Rattle from drivers side end of the axle that stops when braking
Steering wheel wobble when hitting bumps.

Rattle

Seems to be caused by a slight warp in the disk that moves the pads up slightly (The pads seem to be loose by design and the antirattle sprrings do nothing to help) every revolution. Also I think one side of the caliper is sticking so not holding the pads in place properly when not braking

Wobble

I have fitted a new steering damper. I have replaced the upper swivel pins (Couldnt remove the bearing without pulling the whole housing off) which seems to have helped a little. Whilst doing it I have had a lever at the various suspension bushes and there seems to be a lot of movement in them.

I have just priced up replacing both swivels, bearings, brake calipers, disks, track rod ends and a polybush kit and it comes in at £425. Cant really afford all that at the moment so wanted people opinions.

Firstly, am I on the right track or have I missed something obvious?

Which would be the best to do first if I decided to do things a bit at a time?

Any recomendations for removing a caliper mountig bolt that has been rounded and chewed to bits in the past?

Cheers

Jon

[Les Henson]

The wheel shaking after going over a bump is usually the swivel preload being too loose. A warped disc would cause the brake pedal to pulse when you apply the brakes.
If the caliper bolt is truly beyond removal in situ, then consider splitting the caliper halves and drilling it out from the 'inside' after removing the brake disc.
If you have a MIG or stick welder you may be able to puddle weld a nut onto the head of the bolt. The heat will also help to undo it.

[jonnyboy]

The wheel shaking after going over a bump is usually the swivel preload being too loose. A warped disc would cause the brake pedal to pulse when you apply the brakes.

Thats what I thought. Looking at the disk as it turns it appears to catch the outside pad every revolution and drag it enough to make the pad move and rattle.

If the caliper bolt is truly beyond removal in situ, then consider splitting the caliper halves and drilling it out from the 'inside' after removing the brake disc.

Hadnt thought of that.

If you have a MIG or stick welder you may be able to puddle weld a nut onto the head of the bolt. The heat will also help to undo it.

Unfortunatley I am welderless at the moment as I am in the middle of moving house and all my big tools are 200 miles away.

Thanks

Jon

[shanno_2k]

Jon you up in Edinburgh yet,is it drivable Alex lindsay in broxburn may be able to help you

shanno

[floyd fan]

Any recomendations for removing a caliper mountig bolt that has been rounded and chewed to bits in the past?

Cheers

Jon

Are you sure it is rounded, them two bolts are round. You need a 13mm ring spanner. Just check before doing anything drastic.

[Les Henson]

They are 13mm spline bolts - in other words you really need a 12-point socket to undo them. I don't know that you can get a ring spanner on the top bolt - it's pretty recessed. If you have imperial sockets, try knocking a 1/2" one on - they are slightly smaller than 13mm and that may be enough to get the bolt undone.