thud thud thud noise

[lilrabbit129]

Recently been hearing a "thud thud thud" noise coming from the subie. It sounds as if I'm running over street reflectors, but maybe about half the intensity. It started a week or two ago. At first I would only hear it during accelerated turning ( like onto/off the freeway cloverleaf). Now I'm hearing it even when driving normally. Its most pronounced during highway speeds ( 65-75mph).

 

Any ideas?

 

Thanks so much.

[bluesuby]

I would check the front lower control arm bushings....do they look cracked with chunks of rubber missing? CV joints might make a banging noise but usually only when you are turning. Check for ripped axle boots. There will be grease everywhere if they are torn.

[heferly]

bad tires or bad bearing?

[Max Capacity]

bad tires or bad bearing?

 

 

Yea, I'm thinking belt seperation.

[korpsepatrol]

you could also try loosening then tightening all your lugs on your wheels to torque specs. Could be loose lugs.

[HarryN]

You might have run over a jogger or hobo and not realized it.

[lilrabbit129]

Thanks for all the replies.

 

Some of the easier ones ( loose lug nuts ) I can do on my own ( just need to rent a torque wrench somewhere). The harder stuff, such as looking at the lower control arm bushings and wheel berrings, I might have to just take the car into a shop to get looked at.

 

Originally I was thinking that it might have been alignment or one of the tires throwing a wheel weight and being unbalanced?

[Max Capacity]

If its alignment, you'll see uneven tire wear. I have 129,000 miles and have never needed to have mine aligned.

Tire balance, if it's fronts, you'll feel the steering wheel shake between 70-75mph. If it's the rears, you'll feel that in the your seat.

There should be a tire iron with your spare tire. Just take it and make sure all the lugs are tight first.

Wheel bearings you'll hear a continuous hum while driving.

Bushings will just give you sloppy handling.

 

My car was making a light thumping noise the other day to, but as soon as I got on different pavement, the noise stopped.

 

If yours is there all the time I'd look at the tire sidewall, looking for any indentations. May be rotate the tires, see if it changes.

[korpsepatrol]

You can just tighten them down right now to make sure. i am just saying to retorque them later when you have the chance. You will know right away if you tighten them and the noise stops. Do all of them just in case don't just do where you think the noise is coming from.

 

If a wheel weight comes off it can definitely make that noise too so might want to check that.

[lilrabbit129]

Thanks for everyone's suggestions. I did try using the tire iron to check if any of the lugs were loose. I couldn't move them without considerable effort. I don't have a torque wrench so I decided to take the car into Discount Tire to get a tire rebalancing. That should take care of loose lugs or a tire balance issue.

 

If that doesn't stop the noise I'll move to the more involved stuff, probably taking it into a shop. I'll keep everyone posted.

 

Thanks again.

[lilrabbit129]

Got back from Discount Tire. Had them rebalance all 4 tires. They said the front two were ok, but the back two weren't done well at all ( had them done at the dealer).

 

Unfortunately the noise is still there. Next up might be to take it to a shop and have them try to diagnose it.

[SATSFYD]

So you say it happens only when you "accelerate and turning".

 

Well that means that it has to be something that is getting stress during those two events. (weight shifting)

 

I would first check all the pieces that rotate or have to deal with weight shifting.

1- Start by looking at the tires/tyres.

2- Check you sway bar ends... (end links)they are made of plastic and do tend to break.

3- Look at the front and rear half shafts. Check to see if the CV boots are intact.

4- Check to see if there is something out of place... you just need to get under the car and look at everything. (If you don't know what "things" are supposed to look like get someone who does.)

 

I would rule out tranny and engine.

Due to the fact that: the engine would make the noise all the time and the tranny would make the noise when you would drive at any speed.

 

Hope this helps.

[apexjapan]

I had something similar a long time ago - turned out to be the front diff. Something that can really only be diagnosed at a dealer, though.

 

Regards,

 

Paul Hansen

http://www.avoturboworld.com

[lilrabbit129]

$900 later and its fixed. Turns out it was a wheel bearing, the right front in fact. The labor took 4+ hours. I also had them do an oil change and the 2 front brakes replaced. Was a bit pricey, but the noise is gone, and my Subie is back to its former glory.

 

It did hurt to have to pay to get my brakes done, specially since with a garage and some basic tools I could have done it myself.

[xt2005bonbon]

$900 later and its fixed

^Ouch. That's a tad high. I remember paying 400$ to change that exact same thing on a 99 OB. And I thought that was high.

[lilrabbit129]

It cost about 500 for the bearings. 250 for the front brakes and 40 for the oil change the rest was tax and misc.

[joeblow]

How many miles do you have on your car?

 

I'm pretty sure the front wheel bearings are warrantied until like 80k miles and rears until 100k because they had some issues.

[xt2005bonbon]

It cost about 500 for the bearings

^Ok. I guess it may be a fair price then. I recall the mechanics charged me 90$ for the actual left wheel bearing and the rest was....labor! But that was a 99 OB. Must be probably a bit more for a newer car.

[BruceBruce]

nope front wheel bearings are only warrantied to 60k. I know. I came in like 1000 miles after the 60k and they said i was SOL. It cost me 130 and 40mins of me and my friends time to change the bearing. the dealership wanted i think 400 to do it. screw them.

[lilrabbit129]

Yeah I was at 64k. I would have loved to have done it myself, but such is apartment living. Maybe one day when I get a house with a garage, I can do all these things I keep saying I want to do.

[joeblow]

Bummer. I busted one of mine sliding into a curb this past winter, but I was only at 40k miles so they took care of it under warranty.