J.E.D
Gold Member
- Jul 28, 2011
- 14,159
- 2,229
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- Banned
- #1
Look at the small stuff first.
There had been a rattling noise in the rear end of my car (2001 Subaru Outback wagon) for months. I figured it might be a rear strut mount. I knew that the rear struts should be done because they were soft; so I ordered new struts and mounts, then picked up some used struts from a junk yard so that I could build my own pre-loaded struts before even touching my car. As I pulled my struts out I immediately realized that the mounts were fine.
fuuuuucK
Oh well. I already had the new struts ready to go; so, I installed them. They needed to be done soon anyway.
Then I started looking at the stabilizer bar link rods as the likely culprit. One was bad anyway; so, I bought new ones and slapped them in.
Still rattled.
WTF?
After driving it around for a couple more days - the rattling mocking me - it suddenly came to me. The brakes. Go over a rough spot in the road while applying the brakes - does it rattle? Nope.
As soon as I had the time, I popped off the two rear tires and inspected the brakes. I soon realized that the calipers were missing the anti-rattle clips that keep the pads from rattling around. $7.00 and a trip to the auto parts store, and the rattling is gone.
Like I said, I'm happy to have done the struts anyway, but still, they could have waited a little while. And I could have saved $350 for vacation cash.
Oh well.
There had been a rattling noise in the rear end of my car (2001 Subaru Outback wagon) for months. I figured it might be a rear strut mount. I knew that the rear struts should be done because they were soft; so I ordered new struts and mounts, then picked up some used struts from a junk yard so that I could build my own pre-loaded struts before even touching my car. As I pulled my struts out I immediately realized that the mounts were fine.
fuuuuucK
Oh well. I already had the new struts ready to go; so, I installed them. They needed to be done soon anyway.
Then I started looking at the stabilizer bar link rods as the likely culprit. One was bad anyway; so, I bought new ones and slapped them in.
Still rattled.
WTF?
After driving it around for a couple more days - the rattling mocking me - it suddenly came to me. The brakes. Go over a rough spot in the road while applying the brakes - does it rattle? Nope.
As soon as I had the time, I popped off the two rear tires and inspected the brakes. I soon realized that the calipers were missing the anti-rattle clips that keep the pads from rattling around. $7.00 and a trip to the auto parts store, and the rattling is gone.
Like I said, I'm happy to have done the struts anyway, but still, they could have waited a little while. And I could have saved $350 for vacation cash.
Oh well.