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Dreadful thumping rear wheel

Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2005 5:11 am
by jfaatz
91 Legacy sedan, non turbo has loud thumping in right, rear, wheel well when car reaches 65 mph. Sounds exactly like piece of loose tire hitting the well. But no, brand new tires made no difference. I have removed and examined brakes and all parts in area but can not find a clue to noise. Thump! Appreciate any ideas...thump.

Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2005 7:27 am
by BAC5.2
Awkward handling, bump associated (uncomfortable ride, or changed ride), ONLY at 65mph?

Inspect everything on the rear of the car. If it makes noise, usually something is rubbing something else. Check for wear on anything related to the suspension.

Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2005 12:57 pm
by jfaatz
There's no bump, no rough ride or bad handling. It's been a while since I pushed it over 70, but if I remember the thump clears over 70. As one might guess, that is not a comforting feeling.

Posted: Tue Aug 09, 2005 4:11 am
by greg donovan
have you checked the torque on the lugnuts?

Posted: Tue Aug 09, 2005 8:13 pm
by jfaatz
:) Very good suggestion there Greg, and yes I did and that is not it. The sound is exactly like a single piece of tire swinging out and hitting the wheel well, and at 60+ mph it is, of coarse, fast thumping and loud. Might it be the strut top connection loose, and anyone know of a 'non-specialized' tool for holding the strut shaft while tightening the nut?

Posted: Tue Aug 09, 2005 8:39 pm
by professor
use a 1/2" drive socket for the nut, clenched in a large pair of vise-grips. You then sneak a small socket through the hole on the big socket, to hold the shaft. If it is allen head (I forget, the AGX are allen), you can fit the allen right through square drive hole in the 1/2" socket

it makes more of a thunm over bumps, but if you also have a bent wheel or out of balance wheel, especially with a worn strut, that could get the wheel hopping and make the sound regular

Posted: Tue Aug 09, 2005 8:41 pm
by professor
check the three bolts on the strut top as well, maybe the whole shebang is loose, not just the rod

Posted: Tue Aug 09, 2005 10:42 pm
by greg donovan
could be a totally blown strut.