Front wheel knocking on bumpy roads

FixitFelix

Im having this problem that the drivers side front wheel knocks when I go over bumpy roads. It sounds like metal on metal, I left it into my mechanic of changed the drop link but the knocking is still there:mad:
So just wondering if anyone here knows of any things I can test or look for to try and determine where it's coming from??
The car is a 2004 Subaru legacy 2.0L GL

Thanks in advance

visual

FixitFelix wrote: »

Im having this problem that the drivers side front wheel knocks when I go over bumpy roads. It sounds like metal on metal, I left it into my mechanic of changed the drop link but the knocking is still there:mad:
So just wondering if anyone here knows of any things I can test or look for to try and determine where it's coming from??
The car is a 2004 Subaru legacy 2.0L GL

Thanks in advance

Front roll bar bushes might be worn. Be a lot cheaper for you to fit yourself than continue to pay a mechanic to blindly replace parts.

Special Circumstances

visual wrote: »

Front roll bar bushes might be worn. Be a lot cheaper for you to fit yourself than continue to pay a mechanic to blindly replace parts.

Most likely roll bar bushes, mechanic should have spotted that though. Considering that he didn't mention it, might be a pain in hole to do, dropping subframe, some of those bolts dont like to be disturbed from what I've heard of subaru foresters.

FixitFelix

visual wrote: »

Front roll bar bushes might be worn. Be a lot cheaper for you to fit yourself than continue to pay a mechanic to blindly replace parts.

Cheers for getting back mate is there anything I can do to determines if that's it or will there be a lot of movement in it??
Will have to google where that is and how to replace it

FixitFelix

Special Circumstances wrote: »

Most likely roll bar bushes, mechanic should have spotted that though. Considering that he didn't mention it, might be a pain in hole to do, dropping subframe, some of those bolts dont like to be disturbed from what I've heard of subaru foresters.

Won't be using him again if it was easy to spot but he wasnt arsed doing it, I don't mind taking it on myself if it's nothing too drastic wanna start doing as much of my own repair work as possible

visual

Wd40 or other penetrative oil a couple of days before you tackle the job will help.
Also a little heat can be good if they are rusty and stuck solid. . You can buy a cheap gas blow torch for about 20 euro in hardware or Halfords.

The rubber bushes should be cheap enough ebay micksgarage or local motor factors.

If you really didn't want to tackel the job most mechanics will fit them in 30 mins once its on the ramps.

greasepalm

antiroll bar is what the links go on at the end bushes are rubber doughnuts with a slit to wrap around centre of anti roll bar
i would get the car jacked up and check side to side movement for worn track rod end or movement in inner steering arm.

FixitFelix

Cheers lads ill jack it up tomorrow and have a poke around and see if if I can notice anything and take pics of anything I suspect is the culprit

Thanks again lads will let yez know how I get on

greasepalm

be safe no crawling under car held up on a jack only.

Special Circumstances

FixitFelix wrote: »

Won't be using him again if it was easy to spot but he wasnt arsed doing it, I don't mind taking it on myself if it's nothing too drastic wanna start doing as much of my own repair work as possible

There are usually good online guides for subaru stuff, unfortunately the set ups that some of those guys have at home would be the envy of your local mechanic sometimes.

Slide under there with a torch, grab the droplink and wiggle, you'll see the roll bar move up and down a little. Probably. Look in along it and you'll see the black rubber bushings.

A small amount of movement there sounds a lot worse in the cabin.

If that's all sound then it's some other bushing mentioned above.

FixitFelix

Special Circumstances wrote: »

There are usually good online guides for subaru stuff, unfortunately the set ups that some of those guys have at home would be the envy of your local mechanic sometimes.

Slide under there with a torch, grab the droplink and wiggle, you'll see the roll bar move up and down a little. Probably. Look in along it and you'll see the black rubber bushings.

A small amount of movement there sounds a lot worse in the cabin.

If that's all sound then it's some other bushing mentioned above.

Cheers will give it a go tomorrow mate

Special Circumstances

FixitFelix wrote: »

Cheers will give it a go tomorrow mate

You might have to grab the roll bar itself to rattle things a bit. I'm not a mechanic, just a driveway amateur, but it seems like any play at all down there sounds like serious clunking in the cabin. To me a droplink sounds similar but a little "sharper" more metal on metal, the clunking from bushings is a little duller. ?

Esel

FixitFelix wrote: »

Cheers lads ill jack it up tomorrow and have a poke around and see if if I can notice anything and take pics of anything I suspect is the culprit

Thanks again lads will let yez know how I get on

greasepalm wrote: »

be safe no crawling under car held up on a jack only.

This.

FixitFelix

Esel wrote: »

This.

Cheers lads will be picking up axle stands tomorrow,so will post back here

obezyana

I had the same problem in my car i had four different mechanics check to see if they could find it and none of them could. Thye checked all suspension components, engine mounts, gearbox mounts, top mounts, you name it they checked it but none could find. So by luck one day i was with a mate and i was telling him the knocking was back and i rocked the car to ge the noise going and we found out then that it was the drop links they would only knock when the car was on the ground as in when it had a load on the links. I changed the links and the noise was gone........happy out.

Moral of the story before you go spending cash on a load of different things make sure that everything is checked with a logical hat on at first i would of never really thought of checking the links for the knocking when the weight of the car is on it instead i would of used a pry bar when its on a lift as that can usually find the problem.

Special Circumstances

FixitFelix wrote: »

Cheers lads will be picking up axle stands tomorrow,so will post back here

With a forester or an outback you'd have enough room to inspect them without lifting the car. Might just be do-able with a legacy. But the stands are worth getting if you're getting into doing jobs.

cena

Anti roll bar I would go fot . mother had the same problem with her 07 Astra noise gone when new anti roll bar was replaced

Esel

cena wrote: »

Anti roll bar I would go fot . mother had the same problem with her 07 Astra noise gone when new anti roll bar was replaced

New bar or new bushes?

cena

Esel wrote: »

New bar or new bushes?

New bar

FixitFelix

See below post

FixitFelix

Right lads finally got this jacked up and had a look at the anti roll bushes the drivers side(where knocking is coming from)seems alot worse than the passenger side, well I thinkbit does I have posted pics of both, there didn't feel like any movement in the bar when I tried to live it.
Pics posted below let me know what you think
Cheers

greasepalm

maybe only way to check knocking is if car is on ground less stress on the bar then recheck.

FixitFelix

greasepalm wrote: »

maybe only way to check knocking is if car is on ground less stress on the bar then recheck.

Cheers will try it in the morning but surely the drivers bushing doesn't look right ??

CJhaughey

Both bushings look well worn.
Cheap fix, get a piece of timing belt, cut to the length of the flat side of the bush.
Remove bushing, cut a 1/4" piece out of the slot that allows the bushing to go over the ARB.
Put the bushing back on with the piece of timing belt under the bushing and retighten the clamp.
This will last for as long as a replacement bush in my experience.
Check your droplinks as well.

visual

Replace both anti roll bar bushes and check drop links if in doubt replace as they are cheap enough

FixitFelix

visual wrote: »

Replace both anti roll bar bushes and check drop links if in doubt replace as they are cheap enough

Will change them tomorrow hopefully:-) mechanic changed the passenger side drop link even though I told him the knocking was on the drivers side

visual

FixitFelix wrote: »

Will change them tomorrow hopefully:-) mechanic changed the passenger side drop link even though I told him the knocking was on the drivers side

You roll bar bushes are probably all that needs to be replaced. And most likely all your car needed in first place.

Check out ebay micksgarage.com or local motor factors you should be able to pick them up cheap

FixitFelix

visual wrote: »

You roll bar bushes are probably all that needs to be replaced. And most likely all your car needed in first place.

Check out ebay micksgarage.com or local motor factors you should be able to pick them up cheap

Cheers mate will do

Special Circumstances

visual wrote: »

Replace both anti roll bar bushes and check drop links if in doubt replace as they are cheap enough

Droplinks for some cars seem cheap as chips, but some (most? All?) Subaru droplinks dont seem to be available cheap at all unfortunately.

visual

Special Circumstances wrote: »

Droplinks for some cars seem cheap as chips, but some (most? All?) Subaru droplinks dont seem to be available cheap at all unfortunately.

Try ebay and widen the search you might get better deal.

I needed calipers for a jeep after searching hi and low found genuine calipers with pads and retaining bolts in US cheaper than trying to get them refurbished here.

But when looking for alternator for same jeep best place was UK

local prices was ridiculous example radiator 1750 UK including postage 625

Drive anything remotely different and its special order with special price..

Hal1

Do I need to say it? buy cheap, buy twice. I would make sure the parts are oem quality. Try a local motor factors telling them you want oem parts.

CJhaughey

The same link is used for several different Subaru models, Impreza, Forester and Legacy Outback as well.
Try Meyle HD, I have had good reliability from their HD range of Droplinks.

Special Circumstances

CJhaughey wrote: »

The same link is used for several different Subaru models, Impreza, Forester and Legacy Outback as well.
Try Meyle HD, I have had good reliability from their HD range of Droplinks.

Indeed, the meyle HD were the best I could would find, eBay seller up the north had excellent prices. So far so good!

CJhaughey

Special Circumstances wrote: »

Indeed, the meyle HD were the best I could would find, eBay seller up the north had excellent prices. So far so good!

Micks have 20% off Meyle atm.
If you deal with them.

Mycroft H

Check your ball joints too. They can knock a bit when worn out.

Special Circumstances

Hal1 wrote: »

Do I need to say it? buy cheap, buy twice. I would make sure the parts are oem quality. Try a local motor factors telling them you want oem parts.

50yoyos (per side?) from local factors, they might even tell you the brand if you pushed them. They might even manage it without making it seem like a big deal.

Willing to give the meyle hd a shot, I could indeed afford to buy twice or more compared to local factor price.

Special Circumstances

CJhaughey wrote: »

Micks have 20% off Meyle atm.
If you deal with them.

Were outta stock when I needed them.

FixitFelix

Anyone have a link to where I can buy a set of this roll bar bushes?? Went to 2 motorfactors neither had them and micks garage only have the rear ones in Stock

Special Circumstances

FixitFelix wrote: »

Anyone have a link to where I can buy a set of this roll bar bushes?? Went to 2 motorfactors neither had them and micks garage only have the rear ones in Stock

You could try the diy fix suggested earlier. Ebay or dealer for new ones? I didn't find any "off the shelf" when I looked a while back.

Have a look at opposedforces.com site for part numbers. Handy site in general even just looking at drawings of bits.

CJhaughey

I have done the fix I suggested on many cars, it lasts longer in many cases than new bushings.
The old ones have hardened where they contact the bar and don't wear as fast as new soft ones.
Whats the fix going to cost you in time?

FixitFelix

Ok will try the timing belt fix,now all I need is a timing belt haha

Thanks lads

greasepalm

http://www.superflex.co.uk/

handy place to get all types of bushes for many makes,we got steering rack bushings from them,hell of a lot cheaper than buying a new steering rack from toyota which was not available:eek::D

FixitFelix

greasepalm wrote: »

http://www.superflex.co.uk/

handy place to get all types of bushes for many makes,we got steering rack bushings from them,hell of a lot cheaper than buying a new steering rack from toyota which was not available:eek::D

Just ordered this make off eBay on Saturday:-)
Just waiting on them to be delivered so I can attempt fitting

FixitFelix

Well these finally came today!!!! Won't have enough time to fit them today so will go at it after work tomorrow:-)
hopefully it sorts the knocking

visual

Nip out tonight and spray a bit of penetrating oil on bolts tonight. Make job easier tomorrow.

FixitFelix

visual wrote: »

Nip out tonight and spray a bit of penetrating oil on bolts tonight. Make job easier tomorrow.

Didn't have a minute to do it today,will spray them tomorrow and fit them Sunday, do I grease both surfaces of the bushings or just the inside??
Cheers

visual

The outer side gets grease where its covered by bracket. Just clean the roll bar.

The only thing the grease does is stop squeaks.

FixitFelix

visual wrote: »

The outer side gets grease where its covered by bracket. Just clean the roll bar.

The only thing the grease does is stop squeaks.

Cheers bud

greasepalm

we use a rubber grease/silicon to smear on the inside to allow it rotate with less friction.

Esel

greasepalm wrote: »

we use a rubber grease/silicon to smear on the inside to allow it rotate with less friction.

How long does that last? Would it still be necessary with polyurethane bushes?

Beer Assistant

Everything you need here.

importcarparts.co.uk

I use to get all subaru parts here