Wie Gehts. I bought an 09 Fit sport from a buddy for a grand. Rough shape, but still a good deal. He told me everything he knew was wrong with it, but the darned thing keeps on surprising me.

Both CV shafts, ball joints, right steering knuckle, front strut mounts as the struts were semi new, shocks on the rear, wheel bearing and hub on passenger front, sway bar links, and new tires. Still can't get it driving right.

From research, I've resigned myself to driving a car not meant to ride on the wind, but I didn't expect it to be a gravel road either.

Started out with tire noise, a slight wobble in the steering wheel, and a can do attitude. Went to a shaking floorboard and seat after the tires, CV shafts, hub and bearing.

Replacing strut mounts helped for two days. I swear it sounds like the sway bar is banging around under me, but it's unbent, unbroken, and has no play.

I drive 200 miles a day for work, the whole reason I bought this car. It's grown in me, but damn it's stressful driving it so far.

Last thing is it seems to me, and nobody else that drives it, like I'm dipped in the front. Not very often, but once a month or so, during which time I would swear the car is dragging, or rather, like friction is making it work harder to go forward.

Any ideas? Or am I just having unreasonable expectations.

EDIT: Forgot to mention, at City speeds, it's pretty much ok. But at the end of the day, after driving 94 miles each way to work, there's a distinct metal on metal sound from the rear right. Like pads on rotor.

 

Did you pull the drum to check the brake shoe? I replaced mine when it started giving me grinding noise. Half of one shoe (there are two per side) had completely worn away, leaving metal on metal contact.

As for your other noise... I had a sway bar end link wear out that made noise. Much later on, I had my strut top nut attempt to un-thread itself, which made the whole thing rattle.

Have you taken it in for an alignment check? Maybe they'll find out what's making the noise (whether they fix it is another story).

 

Thanks for the reply. I did have an alignment after I replaced the bearing, hub, and cvs. Was great, for a day. I'll admit I obsess about things, but that's just nuts.

I have looked at the drums. Admittedly, I don't know what the pads should look like, but they do have meat on them. I also trade work with a few mechanics who are computer stupid as I am just a slight notch above car stupid from necessity of doing the work my self.

They all gave their opinions, I've listened, or not, and here we are. Point was, trained eyes have looked it over, but none of them are Honda mechanics, all are old enough to be biased, and all but one are great at what they do, from my untrained eye at least.

 

So, update. I ride to work with a friend now. I replaced the struts and mounts, got 4 new tires and took it for an alignment. Was called 20 minutes after they opened and told they wouldn't do it as something was loose when they wiggled the tire.

He said it in a manner to make me think duplicity, but I couldn't put my finger on it. Next day I took it to Honda. They called me 3 hours later and said I needed rear brakes badly. I told them to go ahead. Called me again an hour later, said a lug was just spinning and they'd have to remove it. Having only 350 to spend, I told them to hold off, and I'd take care of it myself.

Replaced brake shoes myself. Car was great for a day and a half. Now it's worse than ever, but it's not always the same. Car vibrates badly, especially from 40 - 70 mph. Slower speeds I can hardly notice.

At my wit's end with this. Any ideas where my next step is?

Also, I can feel thumping pretty much all the time on my side, under my feet but towards the motor more. It's not a consistent thump like tire rotation, but all the time.

Lastly, car parked, when I push the brakes the rear brakes creak.

 

If the car vibrates more at higher speeds, then I would think the wheel/tire is an issue. This happens to me if I leave packed snow in any of the wheels and go on the highway.

That said, I also get creaking/thumping noise if the wheel is entirely secure, as in, the lugs aren't tightened down enough or they backed out slightly. This is usually noticeable while driving slow as it gives it time to shift the wheel across the hub.

It seems to me, both of these could very easily be caused by what the dealership told you... a bad lug that won't properly torque down.

You don't want to do it because you only have 350? Well, yes, it could be expensive to repair, but the longer you put it off, the more it's going to cost as other things will wear down faster (the vibrating will affect shock/struts even more), unless you plan on permanently ride sharing with your friend.

Your best bet is to start with that loose lug and work your way from there. Each "little" issue you solve is both one less to contend with later on and possibly the one that fixes "everything" too.

 

I appreciate the reply. I wasn't entirely clear, but we knocked the old lug out and replaced the stem as well as the lug. Then the drum brakes after, and she struts a few days prior. I didn't have enough to pay the 115$ an hour shop rate, but I did have enough to buy the parts and do the work myself with the aide of a friend.

Also, the banging and vibration got way worse the day and a half after this work. Also had to replace a coil, if that's relavent.

 

Okay.

Assuming the tire/wheel is properly balanced, I wonder if the axle/CV joint or something in the knuckle got damaged and thrown off balance.

 

More than likely, yes. The driver's side CV popped out of the transmission at one point a month or two ago, but it went back in without issue. However, when I replaced the struts, that side had an issue, namely, the steering knuckle didn't want to go up enough to bolt the strut on. Eventually I got it, but it wasn't easy.

Friend that assisted said he thinks the CV must have come out a bit and went in again when we got the knuckle in. Not sure. I expected issues to happen pretty quickly if so as I drive so far everyday. But nothing for a day and a half.

While I'm thinking about it, how badly could the car shake with a balance issue? Or alignment? It's enough I won't drive it over 40 unless it's less Shakey like it is at times.

 

did you use new or used parts for repairs?

 

All new. Not top of the line, but usually in the middle of my budget. Doesn't mean good still I suppose. Struts are u[font]nity® 2-11311-11312-001 - Front Complete Strut Assemblies. Rear pads I couldn't say. I needed them that day and only O'Reilly's had them locally that day.[/font]

 

hmm..ok.
personally id prefer to go generic and brand new vs junkyard honda pulls. but of course brand new honda is the best way to go.

its not the safest idea...but to hopefully confirm if the vibration is coming from the front or back of the car.....if you have a couple of jackstands maybe you can lift the front 2 wheels up, and put it in gear and gently accelerate with the front end suspended. obviously dont hog wild on the gas and probably point the car to an open road or parking lot in the unlikely event you happen to fall off the jackstands, you dont go blazing through your house. also this idea might not be totally accurate as there is no load on the suspension...but it just might help point u in the right direction.

another idea is go around the car and lift each wheel of the ground with the jack on the frame, not on any suspension components, and grab each wheel and try to wiggle in every direction (up/down, left/right, and especially in/out horizontally), and listen/feel for play or noises.

something tells me its in the axle area...but i see u replaced both. im wondering if at least one isnt perfectly straight? there is a price to pay with generic parts. some are hit or miss on tolerances. if your axle is not near perfect...it can send vibrations through the car. i had a brand new generic bearing for my Fit recently that didnt allow my axle to pass through...so it is possible to have a defective new part.

ps..i doubt the pads or shocks/struts are culprits

 

Doing so right now. Things drive me nuts, I'm obsessive, but I dunno. There are things not perfect but not enough to account for the amount of vibration. One rim I'm sure is not round. Car was murdered before I got it but I can only do so much at one time. I doubt it will help any but I'll post pics of what I see.

Rotor on driver's side needs replaced probably, CV boot on same side looks pushed in, but I swear the knuckles in place just fine, both sides the CV has a tiny bit of in and out. Not sure how much, maybe 1/8 an inch?

 

driver's side front. More as I do it.

 

a not round rim will cause plenty of vibration and frustration. i have one thats just a teeny tiny bit tweaked ,from barely kissing a curb...and it vibrates in the 60-80mph range. super minor...but its there when i look for it. i dont remember if my axles exclusively had play ...im sure its fine..ut there should be zero play when grabbing wheels and wiggling (except for left/right steering movement of course).

 

Quick note. Driver's rear, turns easy for about a quarter turn, then stiffens up. Cannot get drum off easily as well.

 

Got it off and the hub? I guess, spins freely. But alot if black crap in there.

 

You mentioned the rotor... you can definitely get bad vibrations from those if a pad is stuck or caliper seized. The pad will contact the rotor the entire time you drive, overheat, and warp it. When the warping gets bad enough it will vibrate the wheel similar to being off balance etc.

if if there’s lots of scoring or gazing in the rotors that’s a possibility. You can pull off the caliper and compress the pistons with a c clamp. It should go in easy if it’s in good shape.

Check for dirt and crap where the ears of the pads sit in the grooves of the caliper. Pull out the metal clips and clean out behind those too. All that stuff can stop the pads from moving freely.

if the rotor is indeed warped you’ll need to replace it. You could have it turned, but fit rotors are cheap so I’ve always just replaced. Always put new pads with new rotors.

 

Thanks for the reply. My roommates a mechanic, albeit a poor one. He's advised me poorly enough times to not trust his word. For example, use compression fittings on a brake line leak 6 inches from the master cylinder in a 99 s10. Regardless he says my rear drums are out of round. I tend to believe him as I can see it kinda.

Big thing I noticed now though us a gap between the top, white plastic at the top of my struts and the place they mount to the car. Both sides, big enough I can get my fingers in there easy. Mounts are tourqed down well, so is that normal? Sorry for the plethora if questions, but I'm a computer tech, who's forced to do my own mechanics mist of the time.

 

There should be a gap between the white(ish) plastic and the car, as that needs to rotate with the springs without coming into contact with the car. On the top side, the threaded part of the strut should stick out something like 1/2 to 3/4 an inch past the retaining nut (which itself is pretty long).

What I find a little strange is seeing your bump stops. That's usually hidden under that black accordion like plastic cover. In fact, that cover should extend from the black housing of the strut to the spring cap, as its job is to minimize getting any dirt/debris on the inner shaft.

 

The OEM retaining nut, which I assume is the one on top of the black, castle top looking rubber thing not in my pictures, was rather tall. The one that came with my struts is not. Basically half the size, so I assume it's correct as there is well over an inch showing through.

And I sure wish I'd have read your response before I tore into lol. Now I'm sitting here looking at my knuckle zip tied to the body so my CV doesn't pop out, both sway bar links still attached because I can't find a set of vice grips in my mechanic roommates garage, and thinking, dang, now I've gotta put this back together again.

As for the bump stops, I don't know. First time dealing with it. The way it sits in the picture is the way it was out of the box, but when the car is lowered, it sits directly inside of the top section of the strut, with the accordion plastic beneath it. Not sure if it matters or not, but the whole things slides up and down freely.