I have a '99 Forester with a 155,000 miles on it. The struts are worn out and the tires are getting cupped. The car feels swirvy shifty and makes a roaring noise. Not good. I was saving for the struts but the head gaskets blew so now I am broke. :icon_frown: While I had my car in the shop getting the HGs replaced they mentioned that one of the wheel bearings in the back may be worn but since I was already spending a fortune I told them not to touch it. I guess they took it for a test drive after fixing the HGs and heard the noise. Now I am concerned that the noise is not just cupped tires but perhaps more. I teach at a high school and the auto teacher put my car on a lift. We grabbed the tires and could not feel any free play. He even put something up against the rear tires that spun them one at a time while in neutral. Thought that this would have detected the bearings. No noise. We then put it in gear and revved the motor to spin the tires. Noise, couldn't tell from where but noise. He checked the differential case oil which was fine. He grabbed the shaft and there felt to be some play. He said that essentially anything from the shaft coming from the transmission back to the tires could be making the noise. Ideally I should replace the struts which I know are worn out and go from there but I would like to rule out anything else that might be about to go. I think a worn bearing might be more important than a strut. I would much rather catch it first and fix it myself. If it is the bearing what other way can I go about detecting that I haven't already described? I think tomorrow we are going to take the tire off. If there are any other possible areas that I could be advised to inspect please share with me.
Noise from the rear
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Another thing it has done, which may or may not be related, is when l have lost traction over slippery stuff at low speed then try to accelerate the rear has made a sudden jolt and loud clank type sound. I assume it has to do with the rear engaging. Don't know if that would have anything to do with the rear making a roaring sound like a worn bearing.
Bearing noises will be direction dependent. If the bearing is on the inside of the turn, the noise will go away. If you turn in the opposite direction, the noise will increase as more load is put on the bad bearing. You may or may not feel play in the tire/rim with a bad bearing. Noise will be the biggest sign of failure.
A worn strut will have extra bounce in it when it is compressed or uncompressed. This will be evident as you push on that corner and the car does not spring back to the original position. You may see grease leaking from the strut, which will deposit itself all over the wheel well.
I'm not sure about the clunk noise. What transmission do you have? Manual or automatic? I'm not sure what that could be.
The cupped tires may be from over inflating them, causing the middle to wear quicker than the rest.
A worn strut will have extra bounce in it when it is compressed or uncompressed. This will be evident as you push on that corner and the car does not spring back to the original position. You may see grease leaking from the strut, which will deposit itself all over the wheel well.
I'm not sure about the clunk noise. What transmission do you have? Manual or automatic? I'm not sure what that could be.
The cupped tires may be from over inflating them, causing the middle to wear quicker than the rest.
I will have to listen the next time I am taking turns but I don't think it is changing, nothing distinct.
I have a automatic trans.
I am starting to feel something at my feet in terms of vibration. I am starting to wonder if it is in the universals. I had one go out in a 1980 Mazda RX-7 which seems similar.
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Does it sound like this (except louder, the recorder I used attenuated the noise, really couldn't even have a conversation in the car because of it)?
Inside the Zip are two WMA files, listen to the 65MPH one loud as you can...
http://www.subaruforester.org/vbull...ailure-subaru_forester_rear_bearing_noise.zip
Inside the Zip are two WMA files, listen to the 65MPH one loud as you can...
http://www.subaruforester.org/vbull...ailure-subaru_forester_rear_bearing_noise.zip
Its probably the wheel bearing. They suck and are a known failure area.
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