Need help ....Please 

98 Subaru legacy automatic.  105,000 

Car runs great ..... live in cold climate  snow and salt . Last summer  had ball joint  failure  ..... front  passenger side repaired ball joint  and control arm. Ran perfectly.  Last month noticed slight  sweak going  over speed bumps.  Noise went away.   A week  later  ....went to make turn hear clicking  noise .....assumed cv joint.   Called  tow truck and the noise disappeared for the driver. Had mechanic  put  a new cv axle and  wheel  bearing  ......I do trust  my mechanic  the boot was not open but grease was dry and bearing  was worn. 

The car ran perfectly.  Went on highway  for  five  miles  ...... for the  first  time since repaired.  No issue..... going  down  main road  and  a few bumps and small potholes.    Always drive slow. 

I noticed a sweak again  .....then the same creaking  sound  .....it is like walking  on  a  old  floor board in a old home.  Drove  straight  to  mechanic  ...put on lift with car running the sound is coming  from  transfercase....... I did notice  a week  before  diff oil  .....light beige in my blacktop  driveway.  Check the differential oil it was not low.....but change  it. The oil was dirty but no metal shavings.  No creaking  but still sweaky  at low speeds.  A few days later noise went away.  It seems to be activated  by  bumps and driving  over 20 miles.  

Drove car 10 miles yesterday  cold weather  started to hear sweaky noise plus a small thumping  sound  ...from passenger right  front.  Like a flat tire. 

I did notice  tire wear on outer edge of both front tires ......especially the front passenger.  Aliment  issues  .

This is my second Subaru  ....my first gave me ovet 200 thousand with no issues  .....I do baby my cars. 

Paranoid  to drive this car ....in fear of front  end falling  off ..... the creaking  sound.  Would  like  to  repair  the  car....but 4 mechanics  can't  figure  it  out.  Went on line  and read about  removing  a fuse to stop the AWD.

Not into band aid fixes..... Hope to get a little more  time out of  the car. Any suggestions on how  to repair car. I appreciate  the help

 

 

squeaking and creaking over bumps are not typical differential noises - that is almost always suspension related.. bad struts, cracked springs, worn bushings, etc. seeing tire wear like you are seeing can also be indicative of suspension problems, as well as alignment.

you dont remove a fuse to kill the AWD, you put one in.. which will do nothing for the front diff. in 2 wheel drive mode it is the front that is active, not the rear.

real simple test to check suspension - push down on each corner of the car.. when you push down and let go, the car should come up, and settle into normal position - no bouncing.. if it bounces the struts are shot.

at 105K you are due for a timing job - asap if it has not been done yet. and that means more than just replacing a belt.. highly recommended to do the idler pulleys and water pump at the same time.

if those struts are original, only a miracle would mean they aren't in need of changing.

and likely many bushings need refreshing as well.

one small test, spray the sway bar mount bushings with silicone lube, that is one spot for some squeaking.....