HELP!! Promising Legacy owner - Clunk noise?

[TurboMonkey]

I'm looking at a 93 legacy, very, very clean... 170k... great car except for this odd noise on the front passanger side.

It almost sounds like rubber/plastic rubbing... it only happens when the brakes are applied and is speed dependent almost like a clunk.

The owner said that it's always kind of been there, they've replaced the strutts and the brakes thinking it was that (at different times) with no real success. Sometimes the noise is there, sometimes it's not (ie. he balanced the tires, noise went away, weeks later he had the tires rotated, noise is back).

The guys mechanics can't seem to figure out what it is. Doesn't seem to effect performance much though but we are worried about it being something of importance that could effect the car later.

There is nothing obviously rubbing when you look under/inside the wheel well, (and you'd think that it would be at any movement not just braking if there were interference)...

I am really into this car and want to make a purchase or at least an offer... but my bf is worried that this noise might be more trouble than we think.

Can someone please, please help me with insight on this... I've fallen hard for this car (it is a Legacy after all... =) and would really like to make an educated decision (hopefully without paying some dude in coveralls to stare at it and make some guess and charge me 50-100 bucks).

[mTk]

it could be a wheel bearing, or possibly the cv joint

MK

[TurboMonkey]

My bf looked at the car and said the CV joints were 'in need of replacement soon'... but not really bad.... I emailed him this post and this is his reply...

"They aren't bad enough to cause that I don't think. I'd be more willing to believe the bearings. But that would require putting it up on a lift, or at least jacking up that side of the car. But perhaps I'm just not that familiar with bad CV's...but typically they click when the wheel is turned all the way...well before they make any other type of noise. The noise on this car is more like a rubbing sound than a clunking noise IMO."

Thoughts?

[magicmike]

Could also be the lower ball joint.

Mike

[TurboMonkey]

Could also be the lower ball joint.

Mike

So, we can't really check these without lifting it and taking a good look can we?

Any thoughts on how much repair might be?

[scottzg]

the CVs are "in need of replacement soon" ?????? Ummm.... either the boot is cracked or it isnt. If its not, the CVs are fine.

[ciper]

You describe it as a clunk, but then as rubbing. Its hard for us to help

[evolutionmovement]

Around here CV joints run about $160 installed (rebuilt, but no problems - four years and counting) and a ball joint cost me $70 w/labor. Of course, that is if that's the issue. I would guess a wheel bearing at about $100 (that's what I paid to have one replaced in Detroit for my old GL). I really can't imagine this would be something major, it's just finding out what it is. Then again, you never know.

Steve

[Tleg93]

I actually have a similar problem on my '93 legacy. It started after a friend and I replaced the rotors and brakes on the front. The noise comes from the driver side on my car and usually from the hub assembly. When we put the brakes on the shims that go on the back of the pads were so badly rusted I decided not to put them on. Since that time I have had two local garages look at it and both could not find the problem. I replaced the front struts to no avail. My next thing is going to be to get new shims. I am convinced that is the problem simply because the noise began the same day. One other thing, I had one mechanic check the ball joint on the control arm and that was when I really noticed it. My control arm is rusted up pretty good so maybe that has something to do with. I am not sure.

[evolutionmovement]

Another thought: they usually clunk when turning, but may be bad antiroll bar bushings.