ShadeTree Mechanicisms 

Kinja'd!!! by "StoneCold" (StoneCold)
Published 05/31/2017 at 17:25

Tags: ShadeTree
STARS: 0


So driving back to the ‘burbs from Lincoln Park, Chicago. My boring-as-sin 2007 Honda Accord started making a noise...a metal-on-metal noise from the passenger front wheel well.

First thought: “I haven’t touched the brakes on this car in 30,000 miles, it has to be the brakes.”

Everything stopped fine, no noises or pulling when the brakes were applied gently or sharply.

Second thought “Maybe something caught in the wheel or caliper?”

Got out and checked the wheel: still has pad left, rotors look okay (ridge is staaaarting to form, but NBD), nothing in the wheel.

Keep driving and test the noise. Very soft at idle; loud at 5-30mph, nothing at 30mph+; doesn’t vary with what gear it’s in (automatic); varies with RPM, but not wheel speed. Any guesses yet?

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Get home and what do I find?

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I don’t think that goes there. The heat shield had corroded in a perfect circle around the bolts on each side.

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Removing the bolts that look suspiciously stock AND broken at the same time is an emotional rollercoaster.

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So the eventual official ShadeTree fix is to get a fat washer, but we get the ShadeTree Racing Edition repair! Any takers on how far they’ll make it until they melt?


Replies (4)

Kinja'd!!! "Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell." (oppisitelock)
05/31/2017 at 17:30, STARS: 1

They probably wont melt. The gfs old Micra had a heat shield attached directly to the pipe with a ziptie (not my doing I promise) and it never melted.

Kinja'd!!! "bwp240" (bwp240)
05/31/2017 at 17:51, STARS: 1

That has happened to all of the heat shields on my car. Most of them have fallen off never to be put on again.

I also zip tied a plastic shield by my right front control arm and the engine block that was hanging low and would get caught on curbs and stuff. No issues with melting.

Kinja'd!!! "Jay, the practical enthusiast" (jay-m)
05/31/2017 at 18:20, STARS: 0

That lead in picture really had me excited. I’ve never seen magnums on a newer car before and was about to ask for more pics.

Kinja'd!!! "Takuro Spirit" (takurospirit)
05/31/2017 at 18:42, STARS: 0

Could be worse. The front shield over my converter looks like this:

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No amount of zip ties will re-adhere the thin aluminum foil like covering to the insulating foam beneath it.