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suspension noise help needed

Posted:
Thu Jul 23, 2009 6:17 pm
by Loose1
Ok ive been searching for a while now and cant seem to find anything similar. IM hearing a knocking noise coming from the left hand front i hear it mainly on light braking (pulling up at lights etc) louder on slight right hand decline and the strange thing isit only happens when it is hot i need to go on a long drive to hear/feel this.
It got serviced last week 50k and i told him to check it out but due to it not getting hot enough he didnt hear it

He said the brakes were in top order . He tightened up a slightly loose brake shield (cover)? and greased up the rear of pads(something about them moving around=noise)and said he took it for a long hard drive and couldnt hear the noise...so he said see how it goes .
I didnt hear the noise all week until today its back loud as ever.... Has anybody experienced this its driving me BoNkErS!!
PLEASE HELP
Thanks in advance
Dan
Re: suspension noise help needed

Posted:
Thu Jul 23, 2009 6:51 pm
by teK--
Check the control arm bushes, swaybar links, and swaybar bushes. How many Kms are on the car? It will give an indication of how worn these components may be. Also is your car lowered?
Re: suspension noise help needed

Posted:
Thu Jul 23, 2009 7:22 pm
by Loose1
teK-- wrote:Check the control arm bushes, swaybar links, and swaybar bushes. How many Kms are on the car? It will give an indication of how worn these components may be. Also is your car lowered?
It is stock 3.0rb(not lowered) with 46k on the clock
Re: suspension noise help needed

Posted:
Thu Jul 23, 2009 8:04 pm
by Sentinel
06 with 46k on the clock - damn - do you drive at all?? LOL.
I had a strut replaced for what sounds like the same symptoms you've mentioned. Mind you, the strut was only 5k old though and Subi Tech couldn't explain what was wrong with it, he just changed it over and it worked.
Re: suspension noise help needed

Posted:
Thu Jul 23, 2009 11:26 pm
by teK--
The links and bushes should still be pretty mint for that mileage... the only other thing I'm thinking is if it only happens on light braking it could even be something obscure like something stuck in the brake pad. So many possibilities you should perhaps take it to a suspension specialist instead of relying on your regular mechanic; they will be able to tell you if something is bent for example by checking the alignment.
Sentinel my MY04 which I bought 2 months ago only had 47KKms on it

Re: suspension noise help needed

Posted:
Fri Jul 24, 2009 9:56 am
by smythie
Also, check the top nut on the strut (top of the strut tower in the engine bay). Have heard a few cases of these being loose.
Re: suspension noise help needed

Posted:
Fri Jul 24, 2009 11:48 am
by Roddez
smythie wrote:Also, check the top nut on the strut (top of the strut tower in the engine bay). Have heard a few cases of these being loose.
Yep. The one under the dust cap. This was a problem for me. The service tech said that he normally only saw this on cars with less then 5000Ks. But mine had the problem with 55K on it.
Re: suspension noise help needed

Posted:
Fri Jul 24, 2009 7:59 pm
by Dave E
Sounds like a similar problem I had. My left front strut was replaced under warranty just recently. Knocking noise was driving me nuts as it would only happen now and then and not all the time. Especially on those frustrating occasions where the mechanics took it for a spin to try and locate it. In the end it was always doing it when I pulled into my drive way so thats where I took the service manager and a mechanic. Bingo ! they both heard it. The mechanic told me to pop the bonnet and he pushed down on the left strut assembly to bounce it a couple of times and it triggered the knock. Replaced, problem fixed good as gold.

Re: suspension noise help needed

Posted:
Fri Jul 24, 2009 8:23 pm
by Sentinel
Dave E wrote:Sounds like a similar problem I had. My left front strut was replaced under warranty just recently. Knocking noise was driving me nuts as it would only happen now and then and not all the time. Especially on those frustrating occasions where the mechanics took it for a spin to try and locate it. In the end it was always doing it when I pulled into my drive way so thats where I took the service manager and a mechanic. Bingo ! they both heard it. The mechanic told me to pop the bonnet and he pushed down on the left strut assembly to bounce it a couple of times and it triggered the knock. Replaced, problem fixed good as gold.

That's exactly what I had, including the driveway knock!! haha.
Re: suspension noise help needed

Posted:
Fri Jul 24, 2009 9:13 pm
by Loose1
*Is the standard bilstein the same across the range or do they differ??
*And i can only get this knock noise when the car is hot
*I will not hear it if i just run down to the servo and back only when its as hot as it gets?
I GOT NFI
Re: suspension noise help needed

Posted:
Fri Jul 24, 2009 10:32 pm
by Sentinel
Loose1 wrote:*Is the standard bilstein the same across the range or do they differ??
Dunno
Loose1 wrote:*And i can only get this knock noise when the car is hot
Ditto
Loose1 wrote:*I will not hear it if i just run down to the servo and back only when its as hot as it gets?
Ditto...
Re: suspension noise help needed

Posted:
Sat Jul 25, 2009 10:11 am
by XLR83N
I have a similar noise coming from the rear
As I go over most bumps (even very small bumps) somethign in the rear makes like a rattle noise. I have jumped up and down on the back of the car and not been able to make the noise so not too sure where it is coming from.
I have an 06 lib with lowered suspension and 50,000kms (5000 lowered)
Re: suspension noise help needed

Posted:
Sun Jul 26, 2009 8:32 pm
by Loose1
Checked top strut nut today and found it finger tight wohoo i thought problem solved ...
But its still happening .
Sentinel do you know how much subaru would have charged for the replacement had it not been under warranty?
And does anyone know of a reliable suspension specialist on the s/side of brissie??
Cheers
Dan
Re: suspension noise help needed

Posted:
Thu Aug 06, 2009 7:41 pm
by Sentinel
Loose1 wrote:Sentinel do you know how much subaru would have charged for the replacement had it not been under warranty?
Sorry mate - can't help you there. The paperwork just had 'warranty' written on it.
Re: suspension noise help needed

Posted:
Thu Aug 06, 2009 10:20 pm
by Sentinel
WTF?? I didn't post the above tonight..... I wasn't even home till 8.40pm!...............