Suspension clunking...

[Soda Popinski]

I get clunking sometimes when I'm parked in a parking lot on a slope. The cars park perpendicular to the slope. When I back out, if I have my foot on the brakes and turn hard right or left and hit the steering lock. It clunks while backing up. the whole front end jumps. Never when I'm going foward though. It's hard to duplicate unless you are on that slope backing up with your foot on the brakes.

[TPLGT]

The clunking turned out to be the strut. It was loose. When the struts were orginally installed the threaded part of the shaft (the issue was with the fronts) was not centered through the spring perch or top hat. When the nut was tightened it moved and off center and elongated the hole in the perch.

 

The perch had to be drilled and repaired and the strut had to set properly.

 

4 hours of labor...the Tech who did the job is very thorough and now everything is now tip top! Kinda odd.

[N.sane]

4 hours?!?! holy. Do you think this is a DIY-able job? If I leave it alone, will it have any ill effects in the future?

[TPLGT]

I would have it checked out. I asked the Tech if I could drive it and he said I risked damage so I left it at the dealer and kept the loaner. I think it was 4 hours for me because of the damage it had caused to the perch/tophat. get it checked out though. I bet you don't have thr same issue I had...this was rather unique.

[bobo69]

I had a very similar problem within 2 days of installing my pinks on USDM bilsteins. I checked a few things out and the nut holding the whole assembly together was very loose on the passenger side. Obviously this was a very easy fix. The progressively worsening clunk was gone after I tightened it up.

 

NOW.... I have a squeak or some kind of "compress" or "decompress" sound from the rear over some bumps, or when turning with some speed. Noise is coming from driver side rear (not drivers rear ) I checked everything to make sure all is tight: it is. Any ideas?

 

sound like rubber on metal? grease the swaybar bushings but its probably the top hats for the rear struts.

[MauiJim]

I would have it checked out. I asked the Tech if I could drive it and he said I risked damage so I left it at the dealer and kept the loaner. I think it was 4 hours for me because of the damage it had caused to the perch/tophat. get it checked out though. I bet you don't have thr same issue I had...this was rather unique.

 

Wow, glad it got fixed-- I hope they didn't charge you for it, sound like it was an error when they installed it. **edit- reread the post, sounds like maybe it wasn't the dealership that did the initial install

[RaceComp Engineering]

I just had them installed last week by a Subie Master Tech...I figured everything is tip top.

 

After being a service writer and manager for Subaru for 16 years I can tell you, most master techs and techs in general think they know everything yet on after market parts DONT know much. So it wont hurt to get a second opinion on the installation.

 

Case in point all the guys who installed HD struts with spec-n top hats.....on LGT( non Spec-B) and didnt realize they DONT need the conical washer because its built in to the Spec-B top hats. I have seen this small detail hang up master techs and in the end their attitude isnt " wow I missed that"..instead its..." friggin aftermarket parts !!".

 

So find a aftermarket parts Subaru specialist in your area and get a second opinion.

 

Myles

[jaxscuby]

todd,

odd that the strut came loose. should have advised you

to have the strut re-tightened while you had your alignment done.

wish i had my air tools when we did this install.

my apologies, I did reply to your pm about the clunk.

 

and we did not use the conical washers..they would not have

fit properly with the tops he had.

 

WJM, he evens wrenches on my car when I have to take

my car for "service".

 

the torque generated by the electrical impact was

probably not enough to "torque" the nut in place.

 

Ben

[JoeFromPA]

Started getting a very minor clunk myself. I can't duplicate it, it just happens at random times. Seems to happen on weight transfer though....i.e. sometimes I'll turn the wheel and get it, sometimes I'll brake and get it, sometimes I'll go over a minor undulation and get it.

 

Big bumps, potholes, and other stuff don't necessarily elicit the sound.

 

It's damn cold out, so this is bad timing. I need to get my rear reinforcements installed on my Cobb sways; I'll guess I'll have the mechanic check around while that is getting done.

 

Joe

[SIA]

My 2 cents: I have been chasing the same problem for 60,000 miles. The rear was a combination of the destroyed rear wheel bearings and the sway bar. The sway bar wore to a smaller OD and was sloppy in the mount bushings.

The front is the same sway problem but I am too lazy to fix it now. At least I know what it is.

 

This was mostly due to the dirty conditions that I drive in.

 

Matt

[TPLGT]

todd,

odd that the strut came loose. should have advised you

to have the strut re-tightened while you had your alignment done.

wish i had my air tools when we did this install.

my apologies, I did reply to your pm about the clunk.

 

and we did not use the conical washers..they would not have

fit properly with the tops he had.

 

WJM, he evens wrenches on my car when I have to take

my car for "service".

 

the torque generated by the electrical impact was

probably not enough to "torque" the nut in place.

 

Ben

 

It's all good, Ben. Will got me all set up...the thing is straight. We'll talk soon...brakes are next.