nicholi2789 Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 Hey guys, I'm having a strange problem with my 95 Legacy L. I've posted about it before. It has 260K miles and has ran like a champ since I got it about five months ago. Over the last month or month and a half I have noticed a strange sound coming from the front driver side wheel. It only happens when braking and is speed dependant. It's kind of a strange popping/creaking sound that is Faster or slower depending on how fast im going. It is also intermittent. Doesn't seem to happen for the first 10 or 15 minutes of driving, then gets louder and louder til I really notice it. Like I said I noticed it about a month and a half ago and my first most obvious guess was that it was brake related, but my brakes work great. Taking the wheel off the rotors seem to be in good condition and at least 70% life in the pads. I took it to a local tire/brake shop for inspection two seperate times and they didn't have an explanation for me. They said as far as they could tell my brakes seemed to be in good shape. One of the techs went with a ride with me and of course it didn't make that sound while he was with me. Anyways, while looking at my car today I noticed something that really has me concerned. The tread on that tire (front driver side) is significantly more worn than the passenger side. I have all matching Toyo Eclipse tires and they all have like at least 65% tread left. Except for that one. It's a lot more worn. I don't think it has always been that way cause I have inspected my tires on numerous occasions, and rotated them twice. It could be that it has always been like this and I never noticed before, but i'm wondering if it's a result of the popping/creaking sound I'm hearing. Either way it's got me really concerned. Has anyone experienced anything like this or can hazard a guess at whats going on? What could cause a tire to wear so much more like that? My CV axles on both sides look great. No torn boots or anything like that. There is nothing obvious I can see that is wrong. Somebody please help me here, this car is my lifeblood and I don't want it to break. I am a person of limited means so going to a mechanic is a last resort. Thanks in advance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 lower tread or more on the outside or inside or scalloping? does the noise always happen if the same symptoms are repeated (speed, curve, hill, brake/decelerate, etc)? how often does it happen daily, weekly? i'd check the control arm bushings. check the front suspension with some heavy leverage for any play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartless Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 hazarding several guesses here, but like grossgary suggested - control arm bushings possibly ball joint, worn out tophat and/or strut, broken spring... if that one tire is wearing more than the others/in an odd pattern, it is more than likely suspension related, not brakes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicholi2789 Posted September 4, 2014 Author Share Posted September 4, 2014 lower tread or more on the outside or inside or scalloping? does the noise always happen if the same symptoms are repeated (speed, curve, hill, brake/decelerate, etc)? how often does it happen daily, weekly? i'd check the control arm bushings. check the front suspension with some heavy leverage for any play. It happenes daily. Like I said, every time I drive the car pretty much. That's great tho, suspension stuff is expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 suspension stuff doesn't have to be that bad, need to find out what it is first. replace one ball joint or control arm bushing and done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
14D Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 (edited) suspension stuff doesn't have to be that bad, need to find out what it is first. replace one ball joint or control arm bushing and done. Just do it sooner rather then later or the extra vibration will cause other suspension components to fail. DAMHIK Edited September 4, 2014 by 14D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicholi2789 Posted September 4, 2014 Author Share Posted September 4, 2014 (edited) Here is a recording I did with my phone of the sound. It was the best I could get. I was going about 25 mph slowing down to 0. I did it twice. I uploaded it to my Dropbox so you gotta download it to listen. Here is the link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/1njvrpo4lt2nrqh/Voice0002.aac?dl=0 Edited September 4, 2014 by nicholi2789 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicholi2789 Posted September 6, 2014 Author Share Posted September 6, 2014 (edited) Just wanted to post an update on this thread. I dropped the Scooby off at a mechanic friends shop today and he spent an hour or so looking at the front end. He couldn't find anything wrong at all with the front end. He did say that when he put it on the lift and got the wheels spinning then hit the brakes the front driver side tire would lock up. So the caliper was holding on a little too long. So I took the wheel off and caliper then doused the rotor and caliper in brake cleaner, applied a generous amount of antiseize to the pins and I no longer have a dragging brake or that God awful sound. Though I have only driven it one day it seems to have fixed the problem. As always, thanks everyone for your input. That's why I love these forums. Edited September 6, 2014 by nicholi2789 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.