Akward noise from the front of the car

subru92svx · #1 09-11-2007, 02:46 AM

Hey I have a 1992 LS-L and I'm getting kind of a bobbling clunking noise that only happens when hitting bumps, potholes, and such. It is clearly comming from the front of the car. This issue is really starting to annoy me and has been going on for a little while now. I can hear it with windows up or even better while driving around with windows down. Its definitely not just me having a sensitive ear either my passengers notice it too. I have 18" rims on my car, but I don't believe they are the cause. I have been under my car many times and everything looks good. My local Subaru dealer and they thought it might be the front strut mounts. I am going to upgrade my front sway bar bushings with some polyurethane ones pretty soon and was hoping that might help a little. I know it will for cornering at least. Another member of the forum seems to be having the same issue. At least it sounded exactly the same. Has anyone else had this issue or something similar and learned how to fix it

. Any advice would be great. Thanks

svxistentialist · #2 09-11-2007, 03:21 AM

It could be a lot of things; worn ball joint, sway bar bushings, suspension bushings or suspension mount problem.

You should try to narrow it down if you could. If there is a bump [not a pothole!!

] near you that you can traverse with one wheel only, try checking if the noise on only on one side by putting each wheel over separately, and listening for the noise.

It's likely it is one side only. If you find which side it is, check your wheels on a laser alignment jig. While on the ramp, get the technician to look at your suspension.

My guess it could be your right side ball joint. If it is that it will need fixing, or your tires will wear unevenly.

Joe

LetItSnow · #3 09-11-2007, 03:47 AM

My front end clunk came from elongated mount points for the swaybar endlinks to the frame. My repair shop of choice welded a couple of washers in, and the rest is history.

SVX_MY_BABY · #4 09-11-2007, 06:31 AM

Have the dealer check to see if the front struts were replaced under a voluntary recall. The 92's had a strut which always gave a clunk when going over bumps. Subaru re-designed it and offered it to any owner who wanted it, but it wasn't a required recall. If you have the original I'd stick with it and live with the sound (assuming it's not a broken strut mount or something else) the original struts had less under steer and felt much more solid under heavy cornering.

dcarrb · #5 09-11-2007, 08:18 AM

When my left-front sway bar bushing failed the sway bar clunked around quite loudly in the mount when the car traversed the slightest bump, and I could feel the "thunk" in the steering wheel and pedals.

dcb

GreenMarine · #6 09-11-2007, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by subru92svx

Hey I have a 1992 LS-L and I'm getting kind of a bobbling clunking noise that only happens when hitting bumps, potholes, and such. It is clearly comming from the front of the car. This issue is really starting to annoy me and has been going on for a little while now. I can hear it with windows up or even better while driving around with windows down. Its definitely not just me having a sensitive ear either my passengers notice it too. I have 18" rims on my car, but I don't believe they are the cause. I have been under my car many times and everything looks good. My local Subaru dealer and they thought it might be the front strut mounts. I am going to upgrade my front sway bar bushings with some polyurethane ones pretty soon and was hoping that might help a little. I know it will for cornering at least. Another member of the forum seems to be having the same issue. At least it sounded exactly the same. Has anyone else had this issue or something similar and learned how to fix it

. Any advice would be great. Thanks

I've got the same thing going on and I can tell you that tie rod ends and ball joints aren't the answer... I had both of those done on the front earlier this summer and that didn't fix it... I am beginning to think that it has to be something with the sway bar end links or bushings... To me it sounds like it is coming from my passenger side more so than from the drivers side... And it is really loud too

... Makes the car sound like it is falling apart when I drive through town or campus. Almost just want to take the car up to VIR for a weekend and drive the piss outta it hoping that something will break and I'll finally find out what the cause of the noise is!!! The noise has been around for alittle over a year on my car. I've had it to the Subaru dealer and they didn't know what it was. They thought it was the balljoint or tierod, so I replaced them both on both sides... WRONG....

I an very interested to find out what this is... Please keep us informed!!

<SUBSCRIBE> (Holy ****!! That is the first time I have subscribed to a thread in over a year!! Man I really haven't been around much have I?

)

processengr · #7 09-11-2007, 11:05 AM

FWIW...
The front strut mount makes this sound, especially on a washboard surface. It is very hard to diagnose, no sound heard when doing typical checks, such as levering the wheel up and down when jacked up, etc. On both 92s we heard the clunking. After replacing sway bar bushings and a ball joint, we replaced the strut mounts (actually all four struts and mounts) on Ebony 92,the noise disappeared. We then did the Silver 92, the noise went away. The 97 has this same sound, but not as loud...it got noticeable when we switched to the 18" wheels. Front strut mounts are about $75 each from Subaruparts.com.

GreenMarine · #8 09-11-2007, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by processengr

FWIW...
The front strut mount makes this sound, especially on a washboard surface. It is very hard to diagnose, no sound heard when doing typical checks, such as levering the wheel up and down when jacked up, etc. On both 92s we heard the clunking. After replacing sway bar bushings and a ball joint, we replaced the strut mounts (actually all four struts and mounts) on Ebony 92,the noise disappeared. We then did the Silver 92, the noise went away. The 97 has this same sound, but not as loud...it got noticeable when we switched to the 18" wheels. Front strut mounts are about $75 each from Subaruparts.com.

I've got 18"ers on my SVX and it is LOUD

... So, when you say the "Strut Mounts", are you talking about the Top Hats or something else? Did anything happen when you replaced the Sway bar Bushings??

SVX92-97 · #9 09-11-2007, 11:20 AM

I have the same problem on my red 96 Lsi, and we just put in New OEM struts and the noise is still there. Dont know if its related, but when I get in the car and shut the door, there is a thud or thump sound coming from the right side dash area, and if you stand outside the car and shut the driver door you can hear it coming from the cowl area of the passenger side. Wonder who could be living in my svx.

SVX_MY_BABY · #10 09-11-2007, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SVX92-97

I have the same problem on my red 96 Lsi, and we just put in New OEM struts and the noise is still there. Dont know if its related, but when I get in the car and shut the door, there is a thud or thump sound coming from the right side dash area, and if you stand outside the car and shut the driver door you can hear it coming from the cowl area of the passenger side. Wonder who could be living in my svx.

processengr · #11 09-11-2007, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreenMarineSVX

I've got 18"ers on my SVX and it is LOUD

... So, when you say the "Strut Mounts", are you talking about the Top Hats or something else? Did anything happen when you replaced the Sway bar Bushings??

Hi,
The top hats, which have a bearing pressed in on the fronts- I imagine the noise is from lateral play in the bearings. You could try picking up the front shock tower covers, removing the cover over the strut mount bearing, try packing grease in there to see if it affects the sound.

GreenMarine · #12 09-11-2007, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by processengr

Hi,
The top hats, which have a bearing pressed in on the fronts- I imagine the noise is from lateral play in the bearings. You could try picking up the front shock tower covers, removing the cover over the strut mount bearing, try packing grease in there to see if it affects the sound.

Hmmm, I might try that to see if the noise changes at all... If it does then I guess I will have found it

Thanks for the idea

~ Chris

svxash · #13 03-06-2008, 01:21 PM

I'm assuming that there are strut mounts for both the front and rear, or just the front?

wantafastsvx · #14 03-08-2008, 05:18 PM

You are correct the rears are under the rear speaker deck cover. Such a joy to get to if remember correctly from the koni/gc swap.

subru92svx · #15 03-09-2008, 11:13 PM

I finally found out what was causing my noise that I posted about. About 2 months ago I had my car at a local strickly Subaru shop having my rear wheel bearings replaced and the owner of the shop made a comment about the noise. He then asked if I had remanufactured calipers on my car. I said yes and he said he had the same problem with his SVX after he put remanufactured calipers on his car. I guess when these companies remanufacture the calipers they annihilate the bushing inside the caliper where the slide pin goes in causeing excessive play. The noise I have been hearing is my calipers slapping around when I hit bumps.