Mark W. Martin Posted June 27, 2010 Share Posted June 27, 2010 I have a 97 Legacy GT wagon with 171,000 miles and I get a clunking sound when I go over small bumps like the road turtles or expansion joints in the road. It will not do it while braking however. I notice it when the windows are down and as far as i can tell mostly on the drivers side. I don't feel anything while turning or during acceleration. I have used a rubber mallet to hit tie-rod ends, sway bar end links taken the rims off and inspected brakes, checked for loose heatshieds on the exhaust but can't dplicate the sound while up on jack stands. I did replace the struts at 90,000 miles but this started about 6 months ago (within the last 3,000 miles). I did notice that if I grab the drive line at the inner CV joint there is some in and out play where it goes into the transmission and the sound that it makes could be what I am hearing. Is there suposed to be some play in that area? I've read the posts on front end clunking sound and read the suggestions but know one had mentioned not hearing the sound while braking. Any help would be appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markjw Posted June 27, 2010 Share Posted June 27, 2010 If your strut is not loose,then I'd suspect a ball joint first.Up and down clunks are usually ball joints where as clunks or popping noises while turning,are tie rods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster2 Posted June 28, 2010 Share Posted June 28, 2010 If your strut is not loose,then I'd suspect a ball joint first.Up and down clunks are usually ball joints where as clunks or popping noises while turning,are tie rods. If you figure out that it is a bad ball joint, I would get that fixed pronto. If it breaks, you are stranded at the least, or in an accident at worst. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted June 28, 2010 Share Posted June 28, 2010 Inner tierods are almost impossible to see wear on, and your tests are all wrong anyway You need to have someone turn the steering wheel while watching the tie rods. Balljoint jack up the car and use a leverage arm. Put it so that it pots upper force on the tire and watch the ball joints for play. You are due for struts. As struts age you get used to them so they feel fine. Mine did too untill i took a highspeed gentleish curve on a highway. In the right the car felt fine. In the left the car was scary. The car felt fine at low speeds (this was high speed, not er um 55). Sounds travel. The paly is normal depending upon how much there is. Inner CV;s make vibrations, outers make noise. What happens when you go from drive to reverse or visa versa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted June 28, 2010 Share Posted June 28, 2010 ball joint or spring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted June 28, 2010 Share Posted June 28, 2010 I'm gonna go the end link route. Did Subaru ever use the balljoint type end links? (I wanna say they do but only on the later models?) Those are almost impossible to find play in by hand unless they're completely shot. You pretty much have to remove them to find out if they're loose. Very hard to detect play in the rubber bushing type by hand if the bolts are just a bit loose. The car puts a lot more force on these than you will ever be able to. It may help to physically remove them and check the bushings and make sure the bolts are nice and tight. Beyond that... my next guess would be any ball type joint that looks like it has a split dust boot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnceggleston Posted June 28, 2010 Share Posted June 28, 2010 on my old avalon, the clunks went away when we replaced the struts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lone500 Posted June 28, 2010 Share Posted June 28, 2010 ya i got a left front end clunk when ever i hit any bumps and stuff. its been 30k miles since i replaced the struts so there in good shape. its the ball joint on mine. i know it is. i replaced the front right ball joint and it was slap wore out. so wore out the wheel had play in it. i just havent had time to replace that other balljoint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnceggleston Posted June 28, 2010 Share Posted June 28, 2010 its the ball joint on mine. i know it is. i replaced the front right ball joint and it was slap wore out. so wore out the wheel had play in it. i just havent had time to replace that other balljoint. start spraying it now, every day, fix it in a month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShawnW Posted June 28, 2010 Share Posted June 28, 2010 Another vote for End links. You can check ball joints rather easily with a prybar between knuckle and control arm and watch for movement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobsum Posted August 22, 2015 Share Posted August 22, 2015 For those searching, sway bar bushings are what I almost always find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lstevens76 Posted August 22, 2015 Share Posted August 22, 2015 I would go with ball joint. Get that side in the air and put a pry bar between the control arm and the knuckle and try and push the ball joint up. If you have play, your ball joint needs replaced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subaroo808 Posted August 22, 2015 Share Posted August 22, 2015 I had similiar sounds to what you are describing. Since replacing the ball joints that noise is gone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rverdoold Posted August 22, 2015 Share Posted August 22, 2015 If you apply the brake lightly does it go away? Would that also be the case with loose ball joints? I currently think the similar noise on my 2009 obw is from rattling brake pads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
William Colflesh Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 Front suspension of my '08 Outback has since brand new "clunked" going over bumps. I complained to the dealer each time I had it in during the first couple years. They ignored me. I removed some of the noise by adding additional hood bumpers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
William Colflesh Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 Front suspension of my '08 Outback has since brand new "clunked" going over bumps. I complained to the dealer each time I had it in during the first couple years. They ignored me. I removed some of the noise by adding additional hood bumpers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gravitate Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 I'll second the brake pad rattle. I had this happening a few weeks ago and couldn't figure out why it would stop or not happen when braking but after a bunch of inspection I finally noticed my brake pad would move up and down and side to side by hand. The anti rattle retaining clip just needed to be bent back against the pad and problem fixed. If not that I would say sway bar link or ball joint Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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