[Madhavok]

Good morning, everyone!

My 2000 outback has been making an interesting noise from the front driver's side for a bit now. It sounds like metal on metal and also a bit of clunking. It hardly does it in cold (below 20 F) weather and all the time when warm. It speeds up and slows down with speed, doesn't do it in park or stationary, and almost always when turning.

I had my mechanic friend at work take a peek at it and he couldn't find anything wrong - said the bearings, joints, and everything in that area was fine. The only thing he thought would be the strut mount rubber deteriorating or something between the brake guard and rotor.

I'm leaving in a week on a road trip and he said he'd feel fine driving it - ( he is a subie owner as well and does all of his own work).

However, since I'm paranoid, I'm debating taking the car to the local shop to see what the damage is or at least take another look at the rotor/brakes and see if I can find anything.

Thoughts on what it could be?

 

[1 Lucky Texan]

seems like an axle or bearing.

I doubt anyone here could tell you nothing bad could happen on your trip.

Is renting a car an option for you?

 

[Madhavok]

I too thought maybe the axle, which would be ironic since my gf just had her's replaced on her '02 outback. Cost for that was just over $300 with labor.

Renting a car would be about $450-500 - two week trip to Oregon from Colorado. Maybe I'll set up an appointment and see what they find.

 

[1 Lucky Texan]

yeah, if the car needs to be repaired anyway - wouldn't hurt to have another set of eyes on it.

sometimes, if a person posts their city, a member here can suggest a shop.

You understand that, even if the general consensus is, "it takes months for a noisy axle to self destruct", no one can encourage you to drive a car with a problem that you have concerns over.

 

[Madhavok]

Totally agree. Dropping it off to the local Subaru guy. Will report with what it was later today.

 

[Madhavok]

So I have my wheel bearing about to go and my power steering rack is slowly on its way out. Not ideal at all.

 

[keninn]

So I have my wheel bearing about to go and my power steering rack is slowly on its way out. Not ideal at all.

wow. i am about to start changing the front wheel bearings on my 02. i just got a set of used knuckles, and cleaned them up. i have new hubs, bearings, seals, and i am waiting for a special puller to remove the ball joints from the knuckles. there are several really good you tube articles on the front wheel bearings.

 

[Madhavok]

Crazy. I'm having him do it all since it's still winter where I live and and I leave in a few days on this trip. Thinking optimistically, it'll help with the resell value hopefully!

Good luck with your bearing

 

[keninn]

Crazy. I'm having him do it all since it's still winter where I live and and I leave in a few days on this trip. Thinking optimistically, it'll help with the resell value hopefully!

Good luck with your bearing

did you get an estimate? i did. 287.65 per side, not including aligment, which you will also need. that's for the bearing, parts and labor. dunno about the rack.

 

[cardoc]

So I have my wheel bearing about to go and my power steering rack is slowly on its way out. Not ideal at all.

So now I am curious as to what condition your mechanic friend's car is in since he works on cars and repairs his own and he missed the bearing. The bearing was the first thing I thought of. Did he check the wheel with it off the ground?

And the rack? Is it leaking or does it have loose tie rods?

 

[Madhavok]

So now I am curious as to what condition your mechanic friend's car is in since he works on cars and repairs his own and he missed the bearing. The bearing was the first thing I thought of. Did he check the wheel with it off the ground?

And the rack? Is it leaking or does it have loose tie rods?

It's in great condition, practically new sti. Not sure how he missed it, maybe he didn't take it for more of a 'harder' drive to notice the bearing or clunk with the steering.

Regardless, it's being fixed as of now: alignment, bearing, power steering rack, rotors, labor - enough $$ to bum me out.

 

[Madhavok]

Update: it appears the previous owner of my car certainly got into some sort of accident or hit hard on the driver's side front. New power steering rack, hub, bearing, knuckle. Got it aligned but the tires are worn that it pulls to the right due to the all of the damage. So now I'm looking for new tires at some point (they're on their last lives regardless).