Think I found the source of my rear clunk

[vtwinjunkie]

Someone had mentioned the sway bar end links. After examination I really don't think they are the culprit.

 

Today I found this bad boy:

Specifically here:

Other end doesn't look that great either.

 

 

Rear suspension, I think its called a lateral link....Anyone had issues with it before? 

 

This clunk has been driving me nuts for months....But I refuse to just throw parts at it. This is the best lead I have gotten for a cause of the clunk. 

Edited July 10, 2016 by vtwinjunkie

[Bushwick]

The bushing is definitely shot. If you unload the rear tires (lift rear off the ground) try grabbing the link with your hand and moving it. If it's loose replace. To be honest, you really can't go wrong with replacing that regardless. If the noise is still there after replacing, at least the rear will be tightened up a bit. 

 

Are your rear tires wearing unevenly at all? If off the ground, can you grab the entire tire and get movement? Try grabbing at 12 and 6, 3 and 9 o'clock, etc. and see if it moves at all. Might as well replace both left/right trailing arms (can get used for next to nothing, make sure rubber is solid; wouldn't hurt to lather some grease on it as protection and lube the tubes the bolts go through and anti-seize the the bolt threads, then take it in for an alignment after).

[bork]

What car ? year?

[vtwinjunkie]

What car ? year?

2005 outback 2.5i

[vtwinjunkie]

The bushing is definitely shot. If you unload the rear tires (lift rear off the ground) try grabbing the link with your hand and moving it. If it's loose replace. To be honest, you really can't go wrong with replacing that regardless. If the noise is still there after replacing, at least the rear will be tightened up a bit. 

 

Are your rear tires wearing unevenly at all? If off the ground, can you grab the entire tire and get movement? Try grabbing at 12 and 6, 3 and 9 o'clock, etc. and see if it moves at all. Might as well replace both left/right trailing arms (can get used for next to nothing, make sure rubber is solid; wouldn't hurt to lather some grease on it as protection and lube the tubes the bolts go through and anti-seize the the bolt threads, then take it in for an alignment after).

Thats just it, 

 

I have tried this and can't seem to find a definitive problem, But the noise persists (It is obviously recent though as it is faint).

 

Perhaps I will just keep driving until it gets worse, The true issue is bound to become annoyingly apparent at some point. 

Edited July 11, 2016 by vtwinjunkie

[Bushwick]

The rubber they use on almost all production cars (save for higher performance variants) for engine, trans, suspension, etc. mounts are almost always a soft durometer, as it provides less noise, vibration, and dampens road bumps better, etc. which is a main goal of engineers when they have market certain cars to everyone vs. say a niche variant, and make compromises so as to keep little old ladies from complaining about feeling every vibration while still offering safe performance. On the flip side though, soft durometer bushings can and will fail easier and can allow too much movement over time, which can allow metal on metal clunks, excessive trans/engine movement, etc. Once they rot and/or get oil on them, they can swell, blow out, become too soft, etc.

 

To be honest, a trailing arm can be converted to a solid bushing in many cases and still have very quiet ride with a great improvement in handling. This is the first area I tackle on Fox Mustangs (early 80's) for example as the OEM soft rubber on theirs can cause horrific wheel hop, extremely poor 0-60, bad overall handling, etc. (it doesn't help that they used a "U" channel arm design either). On one of my previous Mustangs, the OEM lower trailing arm bushings were so shot (the actual rubber on both lowers looked 10x better than what yours in the pic looks like) that I got smoked by a 99' V6 Accord getting onto the highway, meaning it was slower than 15 seconds 1/4 mile. After replacing JUST the lowers with Southside bars that ran a basically solid bushing, the car ran 13 flat and was always dead even with the 00-02' Trans Ams which were also 13 second cars. So in that case, it was slowing the car down, and it also caused excess body roll.

 

Point of the rant is don't underestimate a rotted out bushing. You can either get replacements from Subaru (I'm assuming they sell them) or try and find a better set from a newer boneyard car for a huge discount. Very easy to remove those and replace entire arm. I'd buy a 1/2" breaker bar, the correct socket size, and a wrench from a parts store and it should come right off. While you are at, buy a socket that fits your lugs on your wheels and leave the breaker bar with the spare, and you'll never have an issue getting your tires off

[traildogck]

Yes...the rear forward lateral links are very critical to rear alignment and handling. There are several aftermarket adjustable solutions. I have the Megan Racing set

[bork]

2005 outback 2.5i

The reason I asked, was on my kids 1999 impreza L, I was chasing a clunk that seemed to happen only when the car was traveling up off the bump/dip in road. I thought for sure it was the strut, but all looked ok. almost to the point of replacing both. Long story short, I had a guy working on the car on his lift, & I told him of clunk noise, & he said, sometimes a rock can get wedged up onto cross member up on frame.(back by the trunk over rear diff) He looked and took a big long screwdriver & pryed some 3/4" ished sized rocks out of the area. I didn't think that would be the actual cure, BUT the CLUNK IS GONE!!!