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Ooh dear, daily commuter problem
norfolkluego - 9/2/10 at 12:16 AM

We use a Civic for the daily grind into work, got a problem this morning. Heard two 'bangs' from under the car, a bit like a stone being kicked up, bang, bang, about half a second apart. Definite vibration (but from the back I think as nothing to feel through the steering wheel). Decided to take the car home (only about a mile) and go in the Pajero. The front didn't seem to be connected to the back any more, very wobbly and it was oversteering a lot around corners.
Broken spring at the back do you think?

[Edited on 9/2/10 by norfolkluego]

Steve G - 9/2/10 at 03:13 AM

Check the control arms on the rear suspension initially too.

I'd imagine you'd soon know if you have a broken spring just by looking at the stance of the car and the gap around the wheels to the arch

RK - 9/2/10 at 03:20 AM

We've had a few Civics, and it was always down to some suspension bit = it always cost at least $300 every time we took it in. I'm not much help, but misery loves company and all that.

T66 - 9/2/10 at 07:37 AM

Sounds lilke the back of the car is steering itself

Rear suspension bushes collapsed/ancient.

hughpinder - 9/2/10 at 09:07 AM

I had the upper ball joint sheer off on a Rover once with similar result.

Hugh

dan8400 - 9/2/10 at 09:12 AM

Had the same happen on a mark 3 escort. Was a trailing arm or similar such thing.

twybrow - 9/2/10 at 10:13 AM

What age civic?

Our civic had similar when the rear suspension bushes were broken. The back end was very loose, and a feeling of disconnect between front to rear. fixed by removing the zorst and rear beam, and replacing all of the bushes. Not a huge job, but enough to send it to the garage!

norfolkluego - 9/2/10 at 11:14 AM

It's a Y reg 1.4

norfolkluego - 22/2/10 at 01:35 PM

Well who'd have thought it.
I went over it carefully, cleaned off mud, checked shocks, springs, trailing arms, bushes, everything, couldn't find a damn thing wrong. Gave up and took it around to our local garage this morning, they phoned up about two hours later and said 'we can't find anything wrong with it either'. Asked them to check the balance on the back wheels and they came back with 'miles out of balance', presumably the two thumps I heard were the balance weights coming off and hitting the wheel arch. Never knew unbalanced wheels could make a car feel THAT bad.

Danozeman - 22/2/10 at 04:36 PM

quote:

presumably the two thumps I heard were the balance weights coming off and hitting the wheel arch. Never knew unbalanced wheels could make a car feel THAT bad.


If theyr that far out they can be scary. But youd never guess it. Have you got cheapy tyres on there??

norfolkluego - 22/2/10 at 09:00 PM

Vredestein Hi Trac (I didn't put them on, don't know if their cheapy), lots of tread