'97 Lgy GT Wgn Rear noise? Bearing? Tire Cupping? HELP!?

[SubeeTed]

Hi all!

Well my '97 GT Legacy Wgn is up to new noises AGAIN! I've got this sort of high pitched noise from the rear! I've brought it to my mechanic, we had it on the lift. We spun the tires around listening for some tell tale bearing noise...nothing! OK, I said, it sounds like tire cupping, my Good Year Assurance's are only a year old. WE looked....NOTHING! ANY IDEAS???

 

I searched threads awhile ago, I found the one that someone had a step-by-step procedure on installling REAR Bearings, including PICS! I didn't bookmark it! I beleive it's at another Legacy Forum. ?

 

I was talking to my mechanic about the rear bearings, and what a pain they are to do. He said something about it's because you can't remove this long bolt, that he had to do it a different way, longer of course, more $! I'm in MAss, I suspect this long bolt is rusted in, anyone really know what he's refering to?

 

Many thanks!!!!!! SubeTed

[idosubaru]

can you describe the noise more? is it always there while you're moving? does it change with speed? how long has it been doing it and has it gotten any worse over time?

 

rotating your tires - back to front and front to back will tell you if it's tire related. the noise would then be up front.

 

if it was brakes, the noise should go away when you apply the brakes. start rolling and when you hear the noise gently press the brakes just enough to engage them, but not enough to stop the car anytime soon. if the noise goes away, then it's your brake pads or caliper slides needing regreased.

 

rear diff should be more a a grinding than high pitched, but maybe it has a bad bearing?

 

rear driveshaft should have associated vibrations with it, so that shouldn't be it.

[SubeeTed]

I've had the noise for about 2 weeks. It's high pitched. It doesn't change when braking. No grinding noises. I have no vibrations.

 

THX! Subeeted

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

can you describe the noise more? is it always there while you're moving? does it change with speed? how long has it been doing it and has it gotten any worse over time?

 

rotating your tires - back to front and front to back will tell you if it's tire related. the noise would then be up front.

 

if it was brakes, the noise should go away when you apply the brakes. start rolling and when you hear the noise gently press the brakes just enough to engage them, but not enough to stop the car anytime soon. if the noise goes away, then it's your brake pads or caliper slides needing regreased.

 

rear diff should be more a a grinding than high pitched, but maybe it has a bad bearing?

 

rear driveshaft should have associated vibrations with it, so that shouldn't be it.

[idosubaru]

is it at all speeds? 5mph in a parking lot or cruising?

[SubeeTed]

One thing that I have just tried fooling with is that...if a steer the car, when I'm going straight...I can make the noise quiter. When I pull the wheel to the drivers side it does get quiter.

Any ideas? SubeeTed

 

 

 

 

 

is it at all speeds? 5mph in a parking lot or cruising?

[ShakotanBoogie]

Don't count out the differential. My old Supra did exactly what you're talking about, before it vomited up its LSD.

[nipper]

Very first thing to do is rotate the tires and see if the sounds move. Cupping of a tire would be more of a strut thing.

 

Sometimes you have to wait a noise out to see if it gets worse before you can say what it is.

 

Differentials will roar if its the gear set, if its the viscous coupling it will have a lot of tire scrubbing on turns and maybe squeeling of tires.

 

nipper

[JPX]

Hi all!

I was talking to my mechanic about the rear bearings, and what a pain they are to do. He said something about it's because you can't remove this long bolt, that he had to do it a different way, longer of course, more $! I'm in MAss, I suspect this long bolt is rusted in, anyone really know what he's refering to?

Many thanks!!!!!! SubeTed

 

Well, I tore down one of my rear wheels to take the hub off. I wouldn't call it a walk in the park, but it can be done in an evening.

 

I personally hate working on brakes - and the rear brakes are a double whammy since even though they are discs, they have a tiny drum brake assembly inside for the parking brake. This is what took the most time for me to deal with.

 

Once you get the brake hardware off, you take off the axle nut (a beast) and pull the CV out. You'll have to remove the "long bolt" to disconnect the suspension control arm off the knuckle. Here is what everything looks like disassembled - except for the two strut bolts holding it on the car.

 

For reference, here is a clean fully assembled photo. Notice that the shiny bolt head on the right is the one your mechanic appears to be worried about.

 

It's true it is rusty back there. But an impact wrench or a good breaker bar should be able to take care of it. The real issue is if it is overtightened at assembly. Over-torqueing will distort the knuckle and eventually damage the bearings.

 

On the bearings themselves, you'd have to get a machine shop to press them out and press new seals and bearings back in. Many chain shops will farm this out to a machine shop as well due to the big press needed to change them out along with all the adapters they use to push out the bearings and hubs from the knuckles.