Air chisel to remove Wheel Lock, damage to bearing possible?

JXW

Joined
Apr 11, 2010
Messages
286
Location
Milford, MI (USA)
Had tie rod fixed drivers side 2 weeks ago. The tire shop over torqued the wheel lock and the indie shop had to air chisel to remove for this repair.

Fast fwd 2 weeks. Very loud noise from same side, front drivers side. Shaking steering wheel wheel when braking, low speed, thud, thud noise.

Could damage to hub or bearing be related to the air chisel project?
 
TL;DR: Inspect EVERYTHING.

What do you think led to the tie rod failure? Was it slow, progressive wear to it, or possibly instead some impact that might have damaged more than just it?

When you wrote that the tire shop over torqued the wheel lock, do you mean when they did the tie rod repair, or they did this long ago and now it's the indie shop doing the tie rod repair that air chiseled it? I wonder if there might have been a gentler way to remove it, project farm recently did a video about wheel locks and showed a few methods of removal that gives good hints at what to try based on the wheel lock design.

Regardless, what does the very loud noise, sound like? Shaking steering wheel does seem more like a warped rotor than anything else, given the details we have, but not as much the low speed thud noise. Might help to hear a recording of it but a low speed thud does not seem like a bearing noise.

Without more info, I would start with a normal examination of the hub, checking flatness, and play. Is this an integrated hub where the whole thing is replaced instead of the bearing or other parts alone? Is this for a 2016 BMW 528i or some other vehicle?

Ignoring all the above, damage to the hub bearing from using an air chisel does not seem as likely as other possibilities but this assumes sane use of an air hammer, I'd imagine if someone tried hard enough that they could use an air hammer to damage a bearing. Sometimes shops do obvious damage but hope that if they just bolt it all up and get the customer down the road, then it's no longer their problem.
 
TL;DR: Inspect EVERYTHING.

What do you think led to the tie rod failure? Was it slow, progressive wear to it, or possibly instead some impact that might have damaged more than just it?

When you wrote that the tire shop over torqued the wheel lock, do you mean when they did the tie rod repair, or they did this long ago and now it's the indie shop doing the tie rod repair that air chiseled it? I wonder if there might have been a gentler way to remove it, project farm recently did a video about wheel locks and showed a few methods of removal that gives good hints at what to try based on the wheel lock design.

Regardless, what does the very loud noise, sound like? Shaking steering wheel does seem more like a warped rotor than anything else, given the details we have, but not as much the low speed thud noise. Might help to hear a recording of it but a low speed thud does not seem like a bearing noise.

Without more info, I would start with a normal examination of the hub, checking flatness, and play. Is this an integrated hub where the whole thing is replaced instead of the bearing or other parts alone? Is this for a 2016 BMW 528i or some other vehicle?

Ignoring all the above, damage to the hub bearing from using an air chisel does not seem as likely as other possibilities but this assumes sane use of an air hammer, I'd imagine if someone tried hard enough that they could use an air hammer to damage a bearing. Sometimes shops do obvious damage but hope that if they just bolt it all up and get the customer down the road, then it's no longer their problem.
Tire shop over torqued the wheel lock 11k miles prior to Tie rod repair. Indie shop had to air chisel the wheel lock to remove the wheel for tie rod repair.

I have 156K miles on the BMW now and all was good on recent 1000 mile trip out of state. Returning from that trip is when the noise started, all highway driving.
The car is in the Indie shop now and waiting to learn what the issues may be. Strong vibration at 50mph, shake rear view mirror, feel in seat of pants.

I have had all svc completed, front diff, tsfr case, rear diff etc. Last time I had a similar noise it was 2007 Tundra with bad front diff. They replaced all under warranty/recall.

Fingers CROSSED!
 
Make sure the wheel isn’t falling off.
That was my first thought too, that is what happens when the lug nuts are loose. But that will almost always result in the wheel actually falling off within a few miles.
 
Had a dealer break a wheel stud while getting new tires- they didn't say chit, waste of time coming back and demanding a repair (whicch they did) as they should have fixed it without even telling me.
 
Checking drive shaft bearing now, removing all the under shields first.

Also reported metal flakes in rear diff fluid. I had this changed at 90k or so with BG fluids, only did one svc on the rear.

Should I drain and fill rear diff and not worry???

The drive shaft bearing I am good with repairing.
 
Had tie rod fixed drivers side 2 weeks ago. The tire shop over torqued the wheel lock and the indie shop had to air chisel to remove for this repair.

Fast fwd 2 weeks. Very loud noise from same side, front drivers side. Shaking steering wheel wheel when braking, low speed, thud, thud noise.

Could damage to hub or bearing be related to the air chisel project?
JXW, it is highly unlikely bearing failed because someone had to use an air chisel on a lug nut... how about factoring in age of automobile and idea you paid for a different suspension steering repair 2 weeks ago as evidence the automobile in question may be in need of more repairs and the wheel nut has nothing to do with it. as a side note I used to live in Milford Mi, graduated from Hi School there in 78.. haven't been back in a long time...
 
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