I'm getting a creak from ly Left Rear strut (or therabouts) and a bit of bad behaviour when I hit bumps on the left side in corners. Case in point: Tonight I was coming home from some work i was doing, and I was doing 60 down a road that is posted at 50. Curves, hills, nothing major. . . I was going around one corner (to the left), and hit a shallow pothole with the left wheels. The car tried to spin, but did not break traction, and ended up doing a bit of fishtailing before it settled down. I know this is not normal for this car. There are a couple of things that may be contributing to this, and I'm looking for advice as which to fix first. Car corners well when there are no big bumps in the middle of the turn. . .

 

1) I replaced the balljoints, but have not found a place that does alignment for a rate I can afford at this time (the old ones were really bad. . .)

2) the creak I hear from the area of the left rear suspension (creaking is like bad springs in a bed, only a lot deeper. . .)

3) all of the struts are on the "floaty" side of things (I plan on replacing them when I get the cash to do so)

4) add your own ideas here

 

Any and all help is greatly appreciated. . .

do any of those Subes you have been working on have decent struts? It is very esy to change them if you do the whole assembly and don't have to mess with the spring.

By the way I may be in the East Bay tomorrow, if I am I'll call you and see if we can meet up.

do any of those Subes you have been working on have decent struts? It is very esy to change them if you do the whole assembly and don't have to mess with the spring.

By the way I may be in the East Bay tomorrow, if I am I'll call you and see if we can meet up.

 

Nah, the struts are all as old and worn as mine. . . I'll be in Richmond all day tomorrow, and I can give you directions to the place if you call. New struts are $65 and up each, and I can replace the things myself once I get them. . . May go in pairs. . .that may actually be doable, if I get a few more jobs coming in. . .

 

I'm pretty sure the left rear is gone, so I'll do the rears first. . . May even go with something stiffer in the rear, to reinforce it. . . Ideas anyone? Would this help with, for example, towing (the car has a hitch already)?

 

One other note: Does anyone know where I can get a Subaru logo hitch reciever cover? I see them for a lot of the other brands out there, but not for Subies. . . it needs to fit a 1-1/4" reciever opening. . .

Dead shocks/struts will do things like you described. I'll bet that LR one has no damping effect anymore.

 

For the hitch cover, get one with some other logo/graphic on it. Grab a Subaru grill emblem from a junkyard. With a bit of epoxy, you'll be all set.