Wally that didnt use loctite

Guys im hoping someone can diagnose whats happened to my car tonight.

Basically about 30secs before taking the slip road off a motorway I heard a knock under the car almost as if I'd flicked a stone up towards the floor of the car.

Halfway down the slip road and changing down the box it almost felt like abs kicking in  and then the front wheels starting skipping.
I managed to pull to one side and the front end just locked up completely.

The car moves backwards but will not move forward at all, almost feels like its stuck in gear but its definitely in neutral.

I can see gearbox oil sprayed under the car but what the hell has happened to it?
It was dark so I couldn't see very well and I wont be getting the car back until tomorrow morning as it has been dragged onto a recovery truck until tomorrow.

Where do I start . . .

Sounds like Self Machining Syndrome…Where the Differential grinds a hole in the bell housing because the rivets came loose, and it is very possible that your tranny after dropping the oil seized…

Only way to tell is to drop the tranny and look into your bell housing.

Self Machining syndrome...a good read | VW Vortex - Volkswagen Forum

Portland IT Support | SpireTech IT Services

Yay well sort of, its not gearbox.

See it on the truck this morning and found a wheel balancing weight on the rear tyre, looked at the front wheel and saw this . . . .



Missing caliper? ?

It has one missing bolt and one sheared, the part hitting the bottom of the car must of been the loose bolt running away.

The caliper has flipped to the bottom of the wheel and sheared the other bolt in the process and jammed against one of my many wheel spokes.

Had this happened in daylight (and I not had almost solid wheels) this would of been more obvious last night.

Going to take the wheel off later and see what damage we've got, new carrier bolts and possibly a new flexi, re balancing the wheel as a minimum but could of been worse

Oh this is an unusual failure

What monkey last played with the callipers? 

As i would go check the other one sharpish 😂

I have never ever heard of a caliper coming off before! I think you're lucky it didn't happen when you were bowling along the motorway!
Any damage to the wheel?

One seven one said

Oh this is an unusual failure

What monkey last played with the callipers? 

As i would go check the other one sharpish 😂

Lol erm I'm the monkey,

Yep front end up and check both sides, wheel looks like it just has light grazes inside and hardly visable from outside fortunately

😂 i kind of assumed this 

Tighten once check twice 😂😂

We have all done it! Usually on wheel bolts though! And an alternator once 😂

Relative lucky escape could have been a mess that! 
Hard brake would have fired that in some odd direction 😳

Well it was tightened to torque but not using loctite, not actually sure which colour you are meant to use but I'll be finding out for when I put it back together

2 x carrier bolts from VW - £6

Pad retaining clips (one got the end eaten) - £5

Wheel rebalance - £5

Loctite (of a colour?) £5

Touching up the caliper, wishbone and disc paint - already in the garage

Total of £16 repair + £40 for the recovery, far cheaper and easier than a gearbox

This is where the caliper ended up, was only stopped by the strength of the braided hose



Inside of the wheel



Sheared bolt fortunately drilled free very easily

I had a rear wheel come loose on a daily driver Mk1 back in the day. Fortunately investigated the funny sound from the back whilst all 4 bolts were still present……

Looking at yours the top fixing looks like half the threads are missing?
 

The loctite on genuine new bolts is usually blue 

Not being funny but i wouldnt be trusting that braided hose not to need replacement after that sort of yank on it 

Early-1800 said

Looking at yours the top fixing looks like half the threads are missing?
 

Hmm hadn't noticed that, might have something to do with it, best I run a tap through that

One seven one said

The loctite on genuine new bolts is usually blue 

Not being funny but i wouldnt be trusting that braided hose not to need replacement after that sort of yank on it 

Im not sure I wont be yet but on inspection it doesnt have any kinks or suspicious gaps in the braid or leaks

I use this stuff.

https://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/p/car-accessories/car-maintenance-accessories/car-adhesives-tapes-sealants/car-thread-lock/?NOR2896531&0&cc5_141

As mentioned new bolts may come with some thread lock on them already.

Torque to 70Nm /52 Ibf ft. (Haynes manual - M10 x 30)

I think you was just unlucky as the bolt usually rusts in place and is a pig to undo.


At least you was ok and the car is fine. Live and learn, you will check the bolts etc carefully from now on. 

You're not the only wally. I was out the other month and heard the dreaded ping on the underside of the car.
I pulled over after hearing a grinding noise coming from the front offside wheel and looking through my wheel i could see that the caliper was only held on with the bottom bolt.
Problem was that i was 6 miles from home and every time i came to break the caliper would pivot on the bottom bolt and had carved a groove in it from grinding on the disc.
To make it worse i had to get out the car everytime i stopped to pivot the caliper back up to let me pull off.
After a long hike back home on inspection everything was still in place apart from the missing bolt.
There was also a large deep gowge taken out of the inside of the wheel rim so thats one i think i got away with.
Looks like we both got away with a cheap fix.