What have you done to your car today?

@Red XS Just worth asking. Sometimes things just wear out. I also know how tricky it can be to diagnose squeaks and knocks ... :nod: .
 
Suggestions from a huge array of experienced people are the main reason I post, so well worth asking. The list of worn things that have squeaked and knocked at some point is ever growing... next mission is the squeaky rear end.
 
Red XS said:
Changed the steering rack today. There had been a knocking in the steering/suspension for a while that I couldn't pin point. Knocked with every direction change of the steering wheel. So wriggling the steering wheel made the knock continuous. Had recently replaced flogged out ball joint and control arm bushing, which needed doing but didn't stop the knock. Tie rods weren't that old, replaced from being bent offroad. The knocking turned out to be the steering rack itself. I tried adjusting the adjustment bolt, but this just stiffened the steering and didn't change the knock. Finally replaced it today and all is good again. Not sure what internal part can make the knocking sound...
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Do you look into the steering knuckle? I’ve had several where the little uni joint flogged out and would create a knocking like sound over slightly undulating surfaces and when braking.

Swapped for a good one and the noise through the steering wheel went away. Last one I swapped was on my sister’s Gen3 liberty with 430,000km on it.

Cheers

Bennie
 
430,000Km is a solid effort!

Steering uni joint is something I haven't done yet and I have another knock that matches that description, so it's now on the list, thanks! Must have been fun pinpointing that sound...

Also, the rear Eibach barrel springs in the Hotbits are slightly bent and were rubbing on the car body which appears to be what's causing the squeaking. Rotated the spring and another noise gone, so a productive weekend. Front springs don't look bent, just the rear.
 
replaced the boots on the steering rack.. one completely blown, other with a decent gash in it.

Both tie rods need to be removed and regreased.. I couldn't get a spanner on the retaining nuts, so I think I'm going to have to pull the rack when I do the upcoming 100k service.. another reason to pull the engine rather than doing the timing belt in the car.
 
iv changing those wheel bearings now i have about 280k km on it. one front and one rear one iv changed but i bought all 4 and i think king should i change all 4 or leave for later. they not clicking still and not making sound.
 
scalman said:
iv changing those wheel bearings now i have about 280k km on it. one front and one rear one iv changed but i bought all 4 and i think king should i change all 4 or leave for later. they not clicking still and not making sound.
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If they aren’t broken, don’t fix them!

The only reason to swap them out is for piece of mind so you know the car’s mechanical history from your point of ownership.
But if you’re no good at bearings, leave them alone!

Which reminds me, I need to get a press for future wheel bearings:

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^ That’s a mate’s press that I was able to use on short notice!

Cheers

Bennie
 
I mean they bolt on, nothing to press there.
 
scalman said:
I mean they bolt on, nothing to press there.
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It's good to know they are bolt-on! Older models have bolt-on fronts and press-in rears.

@El_Freddo, shop presses are getting cheaper every season. My garage is full at the moment but it's a good thing some of the shop presses are foldable. Cheers.
 
@ABFoz

I just use an 8t bottle jack between the leg frame of my work bench, 99% the same thing (given my bench is 50mmx5mm rhs).
 
so when I was crawling around under the car the other day replacing the steering rack boots, I also noticed the front swaybar rubbers were completely shot. Hardened and split.

Got new poly bushes and whacked them in on the weekend.

I'm not entirely confident that my recent pink slip inspection bloke actually looked at the car. A double-edged sword.
 
Got reversed into with a towbar today :mad:. Now to navigate the fun of the insurance claims, it's likely my Subaxtreme Bar probably won't be able to be repaired (I don't think you can repair them as they are a safety item on the car...) so will probably have to get a whole new bar fitted under insurance.
 
Yeah, the inconvenient part is my car has been parked up out the front of my house for the last month because of COVID. At least old mate left his details 😅 which will make the insurance claim a bit easier
 
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Oh.. Also put a can of upper engine cleaner through the forester. Not sure if it's made any difference.
Runs better now than when the upper engine cleaner was in it though!
 
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