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#1
02-06-2003, 04:44 PM
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*S*O*L*V*E*D* -- the mysterious front end noise!!!
SYMPTOMS
At 10-15mph, and with brakes off, rolling over a 1/2" bump generated loud banging. ANALYSIS Roll repeatedly over a bump to check which corner is generating the noise. Get the car in the air and compare the noisy side with the quiet side, item by item. Check all bushings (crowbar) for visible wear and excessive play. Check top strut mounts. POSSIBLE CAUSES AND SOLUTIONS Upper strut mounts - a modified lo-noise version was issued by Subaru. $200. Sway bar bushings. $100 Subframe bushings. $250 Steering rack. $1,345,088.72 (after core charge) Struts. $450 Missing brake shims. $25 plus labor ACTUAL CAUSE One of the bolts holding the brake assembly together was loose. Cost = $0.00 RESULT Quiet - amazingly so. What a pleasure!! 
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#2
02-06-2003, 04:47 PM
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Awesome! Congratulations.
Were the shims in place? If the noise comes back in about 300 miles, then the shims were not present and need to be added. Doug
__________________
1992 LS Touring (6/91) - Currently undergoing a five speed swap Black over Claret with spoiler; 235,000 miles; Mods: 2002 Legacy 5 speed, ACT Pressure Plate, Excedy Clutch, Short Throw Shifter, Aussie Powerchip 1992 LS Touring (6/91) Black over Claret with 2.5" setback spoiler; 202,000 miles; Mods: B&M Cooler 1994 LSi (4/93) Bordeaux Pearl; 198,000 miles; Mods: Weight reduction. 1969 Mustang GT Convertible 1970 Mustang Convertible 2000 Ford Excursion Sola lingua bona est lingua mortua. My Locker
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#3
02-06-2003, 04:52 PM
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Congrats! Isn't it a wonderful feeling?
__________________
Pearl '92 LS-L 179K (Historic 1st 5-speed SVX) Mods: 5-speed, 4.11's, Group-N motor mounts, dual Magnaflows, cone air filter, Kenwood MP-228 CD/Receiver, white-faced gauges, '97 grill, custom window tinting. Ebony Mica '92 LS 80K Oct 2002 - Dec 2004: Victim of theft. She served me well. You can tell the lack of craftsmanship by the wrinkles in the duct tape.
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#5
02-06-2003, 06:11 PM
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Re: *S*O*L*V*E*D* -- the mysterious front end noise!!!
You mean one of the caliper bolts? I wish it were that simple for my SVX. I did the brake job myself, so I know that they aren't loose. Still get the infamous "clunk" when going over bumps at low speeds.
KuoH Quote:
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#6
02-06-2003, 08:17 PM
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NOT A CALIPER BOLT
(confession time) My son and I spent a few hours on it, changing the sway bar bushings and checking/tightening everything in sight, and it still clunked. It went to a local shop where the tech gave it back in no minutes - charged nothing (though I slipped him a ten) and off I went -- absolutely positive it would clunk again going over familiar bumps on my street. But the noise was gone!!! I called to find out what the tech had done, but he had already left for a long weekend. The guy in the bay next to his said "A bolt in the brake assembly was loose."
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#7
02-06-2003, 09:28 PM
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That's good to know, but which one and where?
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#9
02-06-2003, 09:39 PM
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I'm in suspense too!
__________________
. Earl .... ... .... ><SVX(*> Subaru Ambassador [COLOR=”silver”]1992 Tri Color L[/COLOR] ~45K (06/91) #2430 1992 Dark Teal LS-L ~184K (05/91) #0739 1992 Claret LS-L ~196K (05/91) #0831 1992 Pearl LS-L ~103K (06/91) #1680 1992 Pearl LS-L ~151K (06/91) #2229 1992 Dark Teal LS ~150K (07/91) #3098 (parts car) 1992 White LS-L ~139K (08/92) #6913 1993 25th AE ~98K (02/93) #164 1993 25th AE ~58K (02/93) #176 1993 25th AE ~107K (02/93) #215 1993 25th AE ~162K (02/93) #223 1994 Laguna Blue Pearl LSi ~124K (1/94) #2408 1994 Laguna Blue Pearl LSi ~144K (10/93) #1484 1994 Laguna Blue Pearl LSi ~68K (10/93) #1525 1994 Barcelona Red LSi ~46K (02/94) #2624 1994 Pearl LSi ~41K (12/93) #1961 1995 Bordeaux Pearl LSi ~70K (02/95) #855 1996 Polo Green LSi ~95K (03/96) #872 1997 Bordeaux Pearl LSi ~55K (08/96) #097 2003 Brilliant Red LS1 Convertible ~29K (04/03) #8951 1999 Magnetic Red LS1 Coupe ~33K (04/99) #6420 My Email | Old Locker | New Locker | Picture of 15 of the 19
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#10
02-07-2003, 07:56 AM
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I'll talk to the mech when he returns to the shop.
Meanwhile - we just put pads up front, and I'm positive that the two caliper through-bolts were tight. It was something else.
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#11
02-07-2003, 08:35 AM
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Quote:
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Randy Johnson 3rd Registered Member 02-21-2001 First Member to Reach 10,000 Posts First to arrive at the very first Reading Meet Subaru Ambassador 1992 SVX PPG Pace Car Replica 110+k 1993 White Impreza L 240+K miles 2001 Legacy Outback Limited Sedan 250+K miles 2013 Deep Indigo Pearl Legacy 3.6R 49+K miles "Reading is my favorite Holiday" Mike Davis -- at Reading VI
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#12
02-07-2003, 03:32 PM
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Oh, let me check!!!!
Yep, you're right Randy - I am in Washington State. Now how does that work. Both in Washington State and in suspense at the same time!!!  Go figure!  
__________________
. Earl .... ... .... ><SVX(*> Subaru Ambassador [COLOR=”silver”]1992 Tri Color L[/COLOR] ~45K (06/91) #2430 1992 Dark Teal LS-L ~184K (05/91) #0739 1992 Claret LS-L ~196K (05/91) #0831 1992 Pearl LS-L ~103K (06/91) #1680 1992 Pearl LS-L ~151K (06/91) #2229 1992 Dark Teal LS ~150K (07/91) #3098 (parts car) 1992 White LS-L ~139K (08/92) #6913 1993 25th AE ~98K (02/93) #164 1993 25th AE ~58K (02/93) #176 1993 25th AE ~107K (02/93) #215 1993 25th AE ~162K (02/93) #223 1994 Laguna Blue Pearl LSi ~124K (1/94) #2408 1994 Laguna Blue Pearl LSi ~144K (10/93) #1484 1994 Laguna Blue Pearl LSi ~68K (10/93) #1525 1994 Barcelona Red LSi ~46K (02/94) #2624 1994 Pearl LSi ~41K (12/93) #1961 1995 Bordeaux Pearl LSi ~70K (02/95) #855 1996 Polo Green LSi ~95K (03/96) #872 1997 Bordeaux Pearl LSi ~55K (08/96) #097 2003 Brilliant Red LS1 Convertible ~29K (04/03) #8951 1999 Magnetic Red LS1 Coupe ~33K (04/99) #6420 My Email | Old Locker | New Locker | Picture of 15 of the 19
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#13
02-07-2003, 03:35 PM
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Quote:
__________________
Randy Johnson 3rd Registered Member 02-21-2001 First Member to Reach 10,000 Posts First to arrive at the very first Reading Meet Subaru Ambassador 1992 SVX PPG Pace Car Replica 110+k 1993 White Impreza L 240+K miles 2001 Legacy Outback Limited Sedan 250+K miles 2013 Deep Indigo Pearl Legacy 3.6R 49+K miles "Reading is my favorite Holiday" Mike Davis -- at Reading VI
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#14
02-11-2003, 05:47 PM
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The straight scoop....
Today I visited the mech who did the 1-minute fix.
There are two bolts through the caliper assembly. To change pads, the threaded one (smaller) is removed, and the entire assembly pivots around the other one. Perhaps the easiest pad change in the industry. The PIVOT bolt is the noisemaker. Evidently it can look tight, feel tight, but not be tight. I would have SWORN it was tight after we put pads in the car, and even checked it once or twice while searching for the noise. The (non-Subaru) mech insists that he's had that front end noise on other SVXs, and even after other mechs have thrown up their hands he walks in and tightens what appears to be a tight bolt. Voila! Noise is gone. He says an important diagnostic clue is that the noise DISAPPEARS when the brake is very lightly applied. When he hears that he just reaches for the right tool and goes for it. It's 500 miles later on my car, and rolling over a bump is still a silent experience. Last edited by Henry; 02-11-2003 at 05:50 PM.
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#15
02-11-2003, 06:33 PM
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Henry,
Give us a long term update in a couple of weeks, will ya? I'm fighting the same noise, and it's WAY too cold for me to work on it in the garage to try it, until Toronto thaws out in March...  VK Eh!
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