patkennedy78 Posted September 30, 2005 Share Posted September 30, 2005 Driving home from work last night on the interstate I hit some stop and go traffic. After one of the stops, I went to go and heard a 'thump thump thump' that sounded like my wheel was coming off! The noise was horrible so I stayed at 15-20mph and pulled off to the side. I grabbed each of the front tires, pulled and pushed, and felt nothing I thought was unusual, just a little play. I looked at all the cv boots and joints and nothing was ripped or leaking. So I got back in, merged back into traffic and heard a few more thumps, then it went away. This morning on my way in (Oh, it's a 20 mile one way trip) everything was very quiet. I pulled into an empty lot and did some really tight turns and still nothing. After searching here I found that it may be the axel, specifically the DOJ. Does that sound right? Any other suggestions or advice? I guess my main concern/question is: Is my car safe to drive? I assume if it's not constantly making that noise it's ok. But I do have a 40mile round trip commute everyday, so that factors in. Thanks in advance! pat *scroll down please, I've added pics* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wesley willis Posted September 30, 2005 Share Posted September 30, 2005 i had a tire that the cords or belts inside the tire had separated, leaving me with a massive bulge on one part of the treads. the sound it made was a wham wham wham type sound not unlike the one you're describing. check the problem wheel and tire for bulges. if it's not that it's probably the axle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted September 30, 2005 Share Posted September 30, 2005 Check the tires. Get under the car and try to shake and move the front axles by hand, there should be no play. Jack up eacj front whell and try to shake it. Also get under the car (if awd/4wd) and grap the rear driveshaft and shake that and see if there is any ply in those joints. I have had that thumthumthump a few times, Once was a cv joint on its way out, once was a wheel bearing, and once was the driveshaft, thoug the last one gave a lot of small hints before it went. This is something that will NOT get better or go away on its on and needs to be diagnosed. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patkennedy78 Posted October 9, 2005 Author Share Posted October 9, 2005 So I got my sube up on jackstands to take a look around. Before I got under it I shook the tires, up and down and left and right. I did get some left to right play that made the steering wheel turn, but nothing on the individual wheel. The CV boots look good and feel good. I was able to twist the tie rods, you can see in the pic, so that may be an issue. The engine and trans mounts are still rubbery and in place. I shook the drive shaft, and it didn't move. I took off the wheels and think I found the problem. here is a link to the pics http://www.digitaltaffy.com/subaru.html Both of my rubber ball joint bushings are cracked, and one leaking. And one of my rubber tie rod bushings is cracked and leaking. Hopefully the pictures work and you can see what I'm talking about. Could this be whats making my 'thump thump thump' noise? It has reoccured but not consistantly. Is the repair just replacing the bushings by taking off the castle nuts and sliding the old one out and new one in? Any help is appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torxxx Posted October 9, 2005 Share Posted October 9, 2005 ummm you need to change the tierod. the balljoint boot looks ripped but depending on how long its been ripped you still might be able to drive on it. as for thump thump thump, that I dont know. when my balljoints go out, I notice side to side movement in the steering. Tierods I would notice when I hit a pothole. Do you have any ripped axle boots? If so, it could be an axle you could ahve had a ball bearing slip in its grooves and bind up fall out of the DOJ and then it would be quiet for a while. Had that happen last fall.. drove 100 miles home from a hunting trip after it stopped making noise, then it snapped on the way to work that monday. just some idears Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baccaruda Posted October 9, 2005 Share Posted October 9, 2005 have you checked that the axle nuts are properly tightened? Have you checked the axle washers as well? They are convex and should "bulge" away from the car. if those washers bulge inwards (a common mistake as many people assume they're flat) it can prevent your axle nut from staying tight, and then your bearings get to absorb all that extra stress. Check those first, then perhaps look into a loose DOJ ball. You should replace the ball joints and tie rods as well but they're not likely to cause this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patkennedy78 Posted October 10, 2005 Author Share Posted October 10, 2005 I have not checked the axel nuts or washers. Do the nuts need to be checked with a torque wrench? All my cv boots look good, and I don't get any clicking. I don't want to rule out an axel, but what would other symptoms be? Is there a way to check the DOJ? So far all I have is the thumping that I've heard, and it has only reoccured once while driving 20 or so on the street. I don't want to keep driving 40 miles a day if this is dangerous, but I don't have the $ for a mechanic. How hard is it to replace the tie rod and ball joints? Do I need any special tools? I'm pretty much a beginner, but I'll try it if I have some instruction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torxxx Posted October 10, 2005 Share Posted October 10, 2005 the only thing you need is a 17 mm, 19mm, 14mm, hammer, needle nose plyers for the cotter pins, and a pickle fork (used to unseat the balljoints. tierods are easy. take the top cotter pin and nut off, hit the threads with a hammer a few times, it should pop out of the spindle. just make sure you mark the threads and count the turns when you take off the old one so you get the new ones on even ball joints, take the tire off, take the 14 mm holder bolt out of the spindle (bottom right above the balljoint) now take a pry bar and pry the control arm and balljoint down from the spindle/axle assembly. once thats out, take the nut off the bottom of the control arm that goes on the balljoint shaft. now place the pickle fork under the head of the balljoint and hammer away. it'll pop out. put the new balljoint in the spindle first and make sure its seated and the bolt is put back in. Now pry down on the control arm and put the balljoint stud through the control arm. put the nut on the bottom and tighten. Some advice... buy napa premium tierod and balljoints. they are a lil more spendy, but they have a lifetime warranty on em. just save the reciepts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azsubaru Posted October 10, 2005 Share Posted October 10, 2005 I had that thumping sound last winter, and it turned out to be the CV joint. It was intermittant, but got more frequent as time went one. The cage that holds the bearings in had broken, and the bearings were falling out one by one. The boot was still good, so I didn't find out what it was until enough bearings fell out, and then there was nothing left to drive the wheels. Had to get a tow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patkennedy78 Posted October 13, 2005 Author Share Posted October 13, 2005 So it sounds like my thumping noise would be caused by a bad axel or something other than the ball joints / tie rod bushings that I found? Does this sound correct? The noise is progressing, I hear odd things more often from the front of the car. I just don't want to tear into it and replace an axel to find out the noise is still there. I think I'm going to try and get some tools to go to pull & save and see how things work and if this job is better suited more experienced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted October 13, 2005 Share Posted October 13, 2005 Tie rod end ..... jack up car grab tire in the middle and shake. Watch the tie rod end there should be no play. Ball joint... jack up car using a 2x4 or pipe under the tire, pry up on the tire, watch the ball joint. There should be no play. Also pull the tire out from the bottom, again no play. If you need to replace tie rod ends, by new. they are not that expensive and your life may depend upon it. Same thing with ball joints. Rule of thumb anything with a busted boot of unknown duration you replace the joint while its convient to you, not when the car dictates it. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azsubaru Posted October 13, 2005 Share Posted October 13, 2005 What nipper said. Do you actually feel anything, or just hear the thump? If you don't feel anything, then the odds are pretty good that you're still ok driving it (but nothing is 100% for sure). If you can feel symptoms, then you need to get it diagnosed as soon as you can. Intermitant problems are often hard to find, much less fix. It sounds like you may need some help to at least diagnose the problem, then decide whether you can do the work yourself. Find a mechanically inclined friend or take it to a mechanic who knows Subarus. The diagnosis shouldn't cost too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted October 13, 2005 Share Posted October 13, 2005 I am voting for a seized or frozen cv joint. If past expeirience dictates anything, the problem may show what it is before this thread gets cold (as the cv joint strips). nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FirstSubaruGLwagon Posted October 14, 2005 Share Posted October 14, 2005 hey Pat. Can you do a little test for me? could you go to the front wheels and push down really hard on the fender above the wheel, get it rocking good, and listen for that noise as it goes to the top of the bounce. I have a very simular sound in slow traffic. At higher speed the toe-in changes and there is greater pushing out force on the wheels. Truns out ,,after replacing the inner tie rods,,,it is my steering Rack. Years with decintagrated boots alowed water and sand to inter the rack really messing it up. This problem disquised itself as : 1. bad strut 2.bad outer tie rod end 3.bad cv joint 4.bad ball joints 5.bad inner tie rod kinda a sick feeling to spend all that money and still hear the sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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