95 Legacy (Rear Axle Thumping Noise)

95 Legacy Wagon with 140K miles.

Recently, from a stop, when I depress the accelerator, occasionally there is
a thumping noise...one or two thumps, and then it ceases. Sounds like it
is coming from the rear axle, but, not sure.

Other than that, car runs like new. Any ideas on what might be causing
the strange noises??

Thanks, John

Loose exhaust? Check the obvious first. Crawl under and take a look.

DS

"John-USN" <mcgriffjt (AT) verizon (DOT) net.nospam> wrote

95 Legacy Wagon with 140K miles.

Recently, from a stop, when I depress the accelerator, occasionally there
is a thumping noise...one or two thumps, and then it ceases. Sounds
like it is coming from the rear axle, but, not sure.

Other than that, car runs like new. Any ideas on what might be causing
the strange noises??

Thanks, John

I did....I forgot to mention that I was under there today, fixing the heat
shield/flex coupling by the rear catalatic convertor.

Other than rust, the rear is together solid....nothing loose. And the
sound only occurs, occasionally, from the stopped position...not while I am
driving, and not everytime.

John

"DS" <davidscott (AT) shaw (DOT) ca> wrote

Loose exhaust? Check the obvious first. Crawl under and take a look.

DS

"John-USN" <mcgriffjt (AT) verizon (DOT) net.nospam> wrote in message
news:nEG%h.1839$vX4.848 (AT) trnddc05 (DOT) ..
95 Legacy Wagon with 140K miles.

Recently, from a stop, when I depress the accelerator, occasionally there
is a thumping noise...one or two thumps, and then it ceases. Sounds
like it is coming from the rear axle, but, not sure.

Other than that, car runs like new. Any ideas on what might be causing
the strange noises??

Thanks, John

Did you have a flat tired fixed?

John-USN wrote:

I did....I forgot to mention that I was under there today, fixing the heat
shield/flex coupling by the rear catalatic convertor.

Other than rust, the rear is together solid....nothing loose. And the
sound only occurs, occasionally, from the stopped position...not while I am
driving, and not everytime.

John

"DS" <davidscott (AT) shaw (DOT) ca> wrote in message
news:t_J%h.166280$aG1.42081 (AT) pd7urf3no (DOT) ..

Loose exhaust? Check the obvious first. Crawl under and take a look.

DS

"John-USN" <mcgriffjt (AT) verizon (DOT) net.nospam> wrote in message
news:nEG%h.1839$vX4.848 (AT) trnddc05 (DOT) ..

95 Legacy Wagon with 140K miles.

Recently, from a stop, when I depress the accelerator, occasionally there
is a thumping noise...one or two thumps, and then it ceases. Sounds
like it is coming from the rear axle, but, not sure.

Other than that, car runs like new. Any ideas on what might be causing
the strange noises??

Thanks, John

No, I didn't....and, it's not the tire. I can feel it....more of a
thrusting or maybe like a "slipping".....but, it's not the xmission....it
shifts and runs fine. The noise is definately rear axle area.

John

"AS" <donot (AT) spame (DOT) com> wrote

Did you have a flat tired fixed?

John-USN wrote:

I did....I forgot to mention that I was under there today, fixing the
heat shield/flex coupling by the rear catalatic convertor.

Other than rust, the rear is together solid....nothing loose. And the
sound only occurs, occasionally, from the stopped position...not while I
am driving, and not everytime.

John

"DS" <davidscott (AT) shaw (DOT) ca> wrote in message
news:t_J%h.166280$aG1.42081 (AT) pd7urf3no (DOT) ..

Loose exhaust? Check the obvious first. Crawl under and take a look.

DS

"John-USN" <mcgriffjt (AT) verizon (DOT) net.nospam> wrote in message
news:nEG%h.1839$vX4.848 (AT) trnddc05 (DOT) ..

95 Legacy Wagon with 140K miles.

Recently, from a stop, when I depress the accelerator, occasionally
there is a thumping noise...one or two thumps, and then it ceases.
Sounds like it is coming from the rear axle, but, not sure.

Other than that, car runs like new. Any ideas on what might be
causing the strange noises??

Thanks, John

"John-USN" <mcgriffjt (AT) verizon (DOT) net.nospam> wrote

95 Legacy Wagon with 140K miles.

Recently, from a stop, when I depress the accelerator, occasionally there
is
a thumping noise...one or two thumps, and then it ceases. Sounds like
it
is coming from the rear axle, but, not sure.

Other than that, car runs like new. Any ideas on what might be causing
the strange noises??

Thanks, John

I can tell you from experience (see post: 90 LegacySW Front Drive Shaft) it
sounds like it could be worn universal joints on your drive shaft, likely
the rear one if the sound is coming from there, or it could be from the
front one, or both.

Go back under and wiggle the drive shaft around to see if there is any play
at all on either end -- even the tiniest play means it is going bad, and it
will make sounds because of the tremendous torque. If you have dual (front
and back shafts like mine) you may only need to replace one. Unlike on
reasonably designed cars, I cannot simply replace the U-joints, but have to
replace the shaft on mine-- I don't know what yours is like. If there is
play, it will likely be near the rear transaxle or the front by the
extension housing.

One of the signs mine were bad was thumping when starting out from dead
stop. If you feel some play but they look OK you still have quite a bit of
time ( I drove mine out of necessity for hundreds of high-speed miles until
it is now barely hanging on and disabled). It doesn't sound to me like yours
would be too bad yet. If that is it it will eventually start to rumble
whenever you accelerate, and stop when you coast, and will squeek that
sounds like a bad wheel bearing. But if it is wearing a little you should
start looking for a replacement asap because it may take some hunting to
find a replacement, I can tell you that.

Hope this helps.

Pflu

Thank you.....great info, and I'm certain you are correct.

John

"Phluge" <phluge1 (AT) yafarthoo (DOT) com> wrote

"John-USN" <mcgriffjt (AT) verizon (DOT) net.nospam> wrote in message
news:nEG%h.1839$vX4.848 (AT) trnddc05 (DOT) ..
95 Legacy Wagon with 140K miles.

Recently, from a stop, when I depress the accelerator, occasionally there
is
a thumping noise...one or two thumps, and then it ceases. Sounds like
it
is coming from the rear axle, but, not sure.

Other than that, car runs like new. Any ideas on what might be causing
the strange noises??

Thanks, John

I can tell you from experience (see post: 90 LegacySW Front Drive Shaft)
it
sounds like it could be worn universal joints on your drive shaft, likely
the rear one if the sound is coming from there, or it could be from the
front one, or both.

Go back under and wiggle the drive shaft around to see if there is any
play
at all on either end -- even the tiniest play means it is going bad, and
it
will make sounds because of the tremendous torque. If you have dual (front
and back shafts like mine) you may only need to replace one. Unlike on
reasonably designed cars, I cannot simply replace the U-joints, but have
to
replace the shaft on mine-- I don't know what yours is like. If there is
play, it will likely be near the rear transaxle or the front by the
extension housing.

One of the signs mine were bad was thumping when starting out from dead
stop. If you feel some play but they look OK you still have quite a bit of
time ( I drove mine out of necessity for hundreds of high-speed miles
until
it is now barely hanging on and disabled). It doesn't sound to me like
yours
would be too bad yet. If that is it it will eventually start to rumble
whenever you accelerate, and stop when you coast, and will squeek that
sounds like a bad wheel bearing. But if it is wearing a little you should
start looking for a replacement asap because it may take some hunting to
find a replacement, I can tell you that.

Hope this helps.

Pflu

John-USN wrote:

Thank you.....great info, and I'm certain you are correct.

John

"Phluge" <phluge1 (AT) yafarthoo (DOT) com> wrote in message
news:6vq0i.8187$B25.308 (AT) news01 (DOT) roc.ny...

"John-USN" <mcgriffjt (AT) verizon (DOT) net.nospam> wrote in message
news:nEG%h.1839$vX4.848 (AT) trnddc05 (DOT) ..

95 Legacy Wagon with 140K miles.

Recently, from a stop, when I depress the accelerator, occasionally there

is

a thumping noise...one or two thumps, and then it ceases. Sounds like

it

is coming from the rear axle, but, not sure.

Other than that, car runs like new. Any ideas on what might be causing
the strange noises??

Thanks, John

I can tell you from experience (see post: 90 LegacySW Front Drive Shaft)
it
sounds like it could be worn universal joints on your drive shaft, likely
the rear one if the sound is coming from there, or it could be from the
front one, or both.

Go back under and wiggle the drive shaft around to see if there is any
play
at all on either end -- even the tiniest play means it is going bad, and
it
will make sounds because of the tremendous torque. If you have dual (front
and back shafts like mine) you may only need to replace one. Unlike on
reasonably designed cars, I cannot simply replace the U-joints, but have
to
replace the shaft on mine-- I don't know what yours is like. If there is
play, it will likely be near the rear transaxle or the front by the
extension housing.

One of the signs mine were bad was thumping when starting out from dead
stop. If you feel some play but they look OK you still have quite a bit of
time ( I drove mine out of necessity for hundreds of high-speed miles
until
it is now barely hanging on and disabled). It doesn't sound to me like
yours
would be too bad yet. If that is it it will eventually start to rumble
whenever you accelerate, and stop when you coast, and will squeek that
sounds like a bad wheel bearing. But if it is wearing a little you should
start looking for a replacement asap because it may take some hunting to
find a replacement, I can tell you that.

Hope this helps.

Pflu

I read somewhere that a common Ford U-joint can be welded on by a good
driveshaft shop - maybe someone here or at www.ultimatesubaru.org will
have details.

Carl


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