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Wheel bearing, suspension issue, tire issue, what?


KartRacerBoy

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My wagon is getting unbearably loud. It has swift springs on worn stock struts (need to be replaced), Cobb sways f/r, and I just got new Kumho ASXs and had it aligned. The problem is at about 40 mph, the car produces a noise that sounds like tire patter but the faster you go, the louder it gets until about 70 mph then it changes pitch/tone so it's not so bad. Between 40-70 mph, it's a headache producing noise.

 

Orginally i thought it was badly feathered tires caused by a suspension badly out of alignment. I replaced the tires just last week and got it aligned to stock specs. Zero toe all around and about -0.9 camber all around. Still loud as hell.

 

The odd thing is that when I turn right at 50+ mph, the sound disappears, ENTIRELY (not just a little), but when I'm turning to the left, the noise gets louder. Even a lane change will have this effect but to a lesser extent than a fast turn. And on a two lane highway (each way), in the left lane (crown in the road to right side), the sound is quieter than in the right lane. I attribute it to the loading of the suspension on the left side in these circumstances.

 

I don't know if it's coming from the front or the rear suspension (since the open inside of the wagon just amplifies every noise). It could be a bearing but it really sounds like tire patter. Axle? Don't know. But I wouldn't think that suspension loading would make bearing noise better or worse. Errr, unless it's a RIGHT wheel bearing getting UNLOADED (so quieter) when turning right? Hmmmmmm.

 

Any ideas?

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Thinking about it some more, I bet it's the right front wheel bearing. Driving for 3 hrs on Xmas day, in the last hour there was an intermittent smell of hot metal coming through the vent. Stopped to check but couldn't find anything. Probably the bearing.
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Was thinking the front wheel bearing when you mentioned turning. If it's that bad, jackup the front wheel on that side and jockey the wheel around (like you would do trying to get it on the studs) except you're just pushing/pulling to see if there's any play. Might not be that far gone yet, but the smell could possibly be an indicator.

 

That said, I've not known the sound from a wheel bearing to disappear completely at a certain speed, just get more or less loud. What you have described sounds like a bad alignment - but given that you had it aligned... :iam:

- Pro amore Dei et patriam et populum -
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I really would have thought the noise of a bearing would sound more screechy. It really does sound like tire tread noise, but the alignment did zero to reduce the noise. I'll see next week. It goes to the dealer since there are no competent indenpedent subaru mechanics around my area that I've found.
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Bearings are more of a humming sound...I hear you on the Dealer...I ahve not found any decent Subaru Mechaincs here....

 

BTW, Swifts and Stockers are an ugly combo...did that for 10 months...bad.

Rehab is for quitters.
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BTW, Swifts and Stockers are an ugly combo...did that for 10 months...bad.

 

Having raced karts, it seems smooth in comparison. :lol:

 

And the lack of body movement when autocrossing (Swifts and Cobb sways) is just soooo sweet. Power on understeer exiting turns just disappeared.

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