f4phantomii
03-31-2006, 12:49 PM
I too am afflicted with the notorious STi rear clunk, but I wonder if it might not be the strut.
It's been getting progressively worse and today I finally got a chance to start poking around to see what was going on.
I removed the rear seat and checked the nut torque on the upper strut attachments. They were all snugged down properly.
I removed the wheel and checked the rest of the strut. No signs of damage or oil leakage. I went ahead and lubed them as has been suggested but without any change in the sound.
I was just about to lower everything back down when I decided to crawl under the rear of the car to look around. Basically I just wanted to see if there was anything obviously rubbing or loose. All the suspension and ball joints seemed fine. No torn or leaking boots.
I reached up and grabbed the half-axle to shift myself further under the car and I heard the passenger side go clunk. The driver side half axle is solid as a rock with no freeplay.
But the passenger side half axle has about 1/16" to 1/8" of axial play. I can't rotate it by hand at all...it feels as solid as the driver's side that way. But I can move it in and out slightly and it makes a dull clunk.
I'm now wondering if this is the sound I'm hearing.
Anyone know what freeplay should be acceptable, or is there something wrong with that half-axle or the rear diff?
-Michael
It's been getting progressively worse and today I finally got a chance to start poking around to see what was going on.
I removed the rear seat and checked the nut torque on the upper strut attachments. They were all snugged down properly.
I removed the wheel and checked the rest of the strut. No signs of damage or oil leakage. I went ahead and lubed them as has been suggested but without any change in the sound.
I was just about to lower everything back down when I decided to crawl under the rear of the car to look around. Basically I just wanted to see if there was anything obviously rubbing or loose. All the suspension and ball joints seemed fine. No torn or leaking boots.
I reached up and grabbed the half-axle to shift myself further under the car and I heard the passenger side go clunk. The driver side half axle is solid as a rock with no freeplay.
But the passenger side half axle has about 1/16" to 1/8" of axial play. I can't rotate it by hand at all...it feels as solid as the driver's side that way. But I can move it in and out slightly and it makes a dull clunk.
I'm now wondering if this is the sound I'm hearing.
Anyone know what freeplay should be acceptable, or is there something wrong with that half-axle or the rear diff?
-Michael