knocking noise in rear
 

Hi Gang,

Been a while since I posted.

I have noticed a knocking noise coming from the rear. I thought it was a loose strut but the mounting bolts under the package tray are tight. I even checked the main central bolt.
I have noticed that you can hear the noise from the outside of the car as well. It is noticable when I drive at an angle over speed bumps. The side to side motion causes this noise to appear.

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Paul

Re: knocking noise in rear
 

Paul, long time, no see. Glad you've "returned to the fold" so to speak. :D

Without hearing this noise, first hand, it's be hard to diagnose. Perhaps the strut bearing plate is worn -- perhaps a mount is outta whack (strut, tranny . . .). I know that when Harry Newman (NewSVX) was having some "noises" he had the car lifted and tightened all the bolts holding the body to the chassis -- noises solved. Like I said, hard to tell without actually hearing it. Also, have you checked your spare tire well and rear fenderwells to make sure a foreign object hasn't found its way there and is rolling around? Sorry, I'm thinking out loud again (yes, I know -- thinking at all for me is a stretch :) )

Again, good to "see" you.

Thanks
 

Hi Randy,

170K on your car now... Wow!

Yeah... My car is still doing great. I have noticed the "rumble strip noise" after the tranny has heated up, and just had to replace a driver's side wheel bearing, but other than that the car has done well to be 10 years old.

I checked the spare tire and fenderwells and the noise is still there. I thought that it could be my antena motor but that wasn't it either.

Thanks for the tips!

Re: Thanks
 

Hmmm, you've changed from "knocking noise" to "rumble strip." Those are different "animals." You've been around these boards long enough to know that "rumble strip" usually means transfer clutches. Do you feel a "binding" when you hear the noise? Again, tough to tell if someone can't actually hear it for themselves. You might try to post as accurate description as possible in "Chris's SVX Shop." Chris is a suby senior master tech and might better be able to diagnose the problem.

knocking noise
 

The "rumble strip" noise is separate from the knocking. The rumble strip occurs between 1st & 2nd then between 3rd & 4th. It's not bad.

The knocking noise is when I am driving over bumpy roads, especially the kind that have allot of small bumps. It's almost a hollow knocking, clunking noise like something is dangling loose. When the rear seat is folded down I can really hear the noise.

I'll post over in Chris's area. Maybe something wasn't buttoned up at the last bearing change.

Have a good one!

Paul

Me too!
 

I have the same problem. Is the reason I joined SVX net clubs. Have not seen the answer posted yet.....

subaru noise
 

We've owned a bunch of Subaru's over the years. All of them seem to develope a thunking noise over small bumps. Never have found out what was causing it. I think it sounds like the rubber spacers in the rear end having shrunk with age.

Have checked everything...
 

I have checked everything and all seems tight. The only thing I can figure is one of the struts is bad. Do struts knock & clunk when they go bad? My wife left in it the other day and as she drove over small bumps in the driveway I could hear it from the outside of the car.

I guess I'll have to crank the stereo up loud.

I'd be interested in any insight into cluncking noises. I get some over bumps, sounds like something is loose in the suspension. All the bolts have been checked, don't think it's bushings - might be strut mounts?? Doesn't seem serious, but is annoying.

I've noticed that too (the clunk over smallish bumps) ... my legacy did it too if i recall correctly. I didn't notice it until I had my passenger rear bearing replaced ... probably because the bearing was so darn loud I couldn't hear anything else. I'm also of the belief that the current temperature range of between 30 and 40 degrees here in minnesota is the point at which my car is the most unhappy. There are a bunch of noises I hear when the thermometer is in that range, that I don't here when it's colder or hotter. anyways... I don't have a solution, and I'm just wasting time before class. Sorry.

Sounds like several people are having the same problem. Something has to be loose. You are right about the annoying part.

Hey SVXJazz, a fellow North Carolinian here from Charlotte. Probably not the same problem, but lately I have been hearing a clunking too when I hit certain bumps, but I know what my noise is...it is the power antenna going down just for a split second then going back up, like it has a loose power cable that shakes loose over bumps. being under the car a few times, I have seen many places where it could be, but the first thing I would check if I were you is the rubber bushing on the anti-roll bar coming off the suspension. I had the same problem, a knocking, but it was on my front wheel, and it would rattle and knock over rough and bumpy roads. Hope you figure it out!

Problem solved!
 

Trent,

You were on the mark about the anti roll bar. The end-link on the drivers side was loose where it connected to the hub. The sound was being transmitted from the hub to the strut. That's why it was so loud in the cabin. I had to put the car up on ramps and shake the anti-roll bar pretty hard to notice the looseness. I then used two metric wrenches, one to hold the holt and the other to tighten the nut. It completely fixed it.

I hope this helps anyone else who has been dealing with the same type of noise.