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Suspension Rattle/Clunking


rubbercow

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Not too sure if this is the same problem.... However, I cannot reproduce it, which is why I cannot report it to the dealer.... When it happens, it feels as if the front right wheel disc is jarring/hitting something and I can feel it through the brake pedal.
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I have seen this in my legacy and others as well, I think its very common. Not really sure what the cause is, maybe the soft mounts/bushings that are used. I noticed it went away a little though when I upgraded to the JDM Bilstein suspension.
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This has been an issue with Legacys and Outbacks since 1995 (2nd Gen). There have been several fixes, some which worked and some which did not. Subaru is aware of it and I believe they made a concerted effort to keep this issue out of the BL/BP product line. I'm not sure they've been entirely successful and will require some more R&D to really get it right.

 

Just make sure you demo it for your dealer and get it noted on your repair order. It's just a minor nuisance to me and certainly no where near as bad as I've noted on other generations of Leggys and OBs

 

SBT

- Pro amore Dei et patriam et populum -
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Hi Subietonic - The problem I have is very intermittent, as per sod's law, I cannot get it to reproduce in the presence of the dealer/mechanic. It seems like something gets out of joint, then the jarring/hitting/clunking/rattling occurs, which seems to put back right for a while until it next happens....

 

Would you know what the exact problem/description of the parts concerned, so I can explain this to them.

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For all,

 

These two links will give you an idea what is involved.

 

http://endwrench.com/images/pdfs/SteerInsidEWFall05.pdf

 

http://endwrench.com/images/pdfs/SteerKnockSummer03.pdf

 

Both of these articles detail the causal reasons and Subaru's engineering attempts to fix the problem. As I mentioned, it's a design issue and not something that I concern myself with as the system is stable, just clunky. Not what you'd expect on a $30K car, but I can live with it as it is so intermittent.

 

SBT

- Pro amore Dei et patriam et populum -
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Nope, since I have the same thing and have a 5MT. Was searching for another thread and came across this! To me, it sounds like tie rod clunk. Only happens at parking lot speed with the wheels turned and then hitting a bump, like a driveway ramp, gas station metal cover for tanker trucks, frost heaves. I'll mention it to the dealer when I go in for my final dealer oil change in a month or so.

 

-B

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A previous car I drove was an '00 Legacy wagon, so I'm very used to the clunking noise everyone's talking about. I figured it was natural for the Subie to do it. And I guess I wasn't wrong.

 

I do get a different clunking noise though. Sounds like a floating rotor problem, because I can feel it through the brake pedal. Its started recently and only when I drive the car first thing in the day. *shrug*

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i had that problem with my 04 f-xt and have it with my 05 l-gt (both manuals). the dealer first heard it and looked into swaybar bushings, endlinks, strut mounts etc, but apart from lubing all rubber components found nothing. when i brought that up again later, they did not hear anything...

 

i guess we just have to get used to living with it :mad:

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  • 2 months later...

I have had this same clunking problem for a while now and yesterday while rotating the tires I found the problem. My steering rod is hitting on my front swaybar. The sway has visible rubbing marks on the drivers side. I only have this problem when making right turns that are up hill. Boxer this is the sound I was talking about :(

 

Review of the mods: JDM GT struts with Pinks, AVO endlinks, urethane bushings, Cusco front brace and STOCK front sway.

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I get clunking, apparently from both wheels, whenever I'm on a bad road and turning at a sharp angle, i.e. If I try to pull into my driveway with traffic in the other lane so I can't make a wide radius turn, over the curb to get onto my driveway. Nothing while going straight.
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check out the warranty and problems threads

 

the noise is coming from loose bolts on a bracket under the steering rack!! Just had mine tightened and the noise is gone.:)

 

I have it and checked my h-brace bolts yesterday...all were tight. Since all the suspension was just changed out last weekend as well, it's got to be in the other parts.

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I have had this same clunking problem for a while now and yesterday while rotating the tires I found the problem. My steering rod is hitting on my front swaybar. The sway has visible rubbing marks on the drivers side. I only have this problem when making right turns that are up hill. Boxer this is the sound I was talking about :(

 

Review of the mods: JDM GT struts with Pinks, AVO endlinks, urethane bushings, Cusco front brace and STOCK front sway.

 

I had a very similar issue with Perrin's sway bars. The rear will only work in middle position or highest and lowest settings tap on the rear links and the front if geometry is slightly altered or if you pull a me, forget which way the stocker came out and the instructions look like it goes in opposite way, and it's upside down, it will most definitely rub and tab the steering linkage rods on both side and wear slightly. Good thing I was suspect to it and only allowed it to happen a short time. I now get very little of that tap sound. :) Running stock endlinks BTW. Going to be going to Bilsteins w/ Pinks & planning AVO endlinks while keeping the Perrin bars on. We'll try and see how it goes at least. If I need to change bars, I will.

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I had a very similar issue with Perrin's sway bars. The rear will only work in middle position or highest and lowest settings tap on the rear links and the front if geometry is slightly altered or if you pull a me, forget which way the stocker came out and the instructions look like it goes in opposite way, and it's upside down, it will most definitely rub and tab the steering linkage rods on both side and wear slightly. Good thing I was suspect to it and only allowed it to happen a short time. I now get very little of that tap sound. :) Running stock endlinks BTW. Going to be going to Bilsteins w/ Pinks & planning AVO endlinks while keeping the Perrin bars on. We'll try and see how it goes at least. If I need to change bars, I will.

 

Hear are some bad pics let me know what you think...

 

http://img294.echo.cx/img294/4831/sway14xn.th.jpg

http://img294.echo.cx/img294/1562/sway20nq.th.jpg

http://img109.echo.cx/img109/23/sway39gb.th.jpg

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  • 1 month later...

I found a piece of road and could reproduce this problem quite consistent to the mechanic. Here in HK they are still puzzled with what is producing the sound. They took out their demo car, and it was the same, thus their conclusion is that this is normal.

 

Had the H Brace checked and no problem.

 

I still think this does not sound right, and feel that that there is something wrong, and hate to find the real problem after the warranty period.

 

Has anyone found a fix for this issue.

 

Thanks

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I too have the same problem. Had it to the dealer everything was fine including the H bracket. I notice it the most when turning on gravel especially in some parking lots at work. I talked to the mechanic that looked at it and he said it was normal for the suspension. He also said he could reproduce it by hitting the coil spring with a rubber mallet. Final conclusion is that is the coil spring echoing through the cabin. However the sway bar hitting the steering rod sounds more likely. I will have to check this out. As stated, not what you would expect from a 30K car.
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Question guys...I have some rattling in my rear as well. How do i get to the rear strut mounts to tighten the nuts on the top hats? From the trunk or the back seat?
"Gimme mines Balboa...Gimme mines".....Clubber Lang - Mr. T
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Do you have stock suspension struts/springs? If so, take it to the dealer. If not, you have to pull the whole assembly to get access to the tophat nut. A real PITA.
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