subaru binding in turn
i think dad and i may have similar symptoms but it may be different problems based on the age of our cars. my subaru is from 96. i think it was from feburary.
check out for an overview: http://www.legacycentral.org/library/torquebind.htm
http://www.legacycentral.org/library/turbo_faq.htm
Q: I get a rumbling noise when I accelerate at low speeds with the wheels turned, what is that?
A: That is most likely what is called "Torque Bind". It happens when the solenoids in the rear section of the transmission fail or are failing, causing the AWD system to not work properly. This is usually an expensive repair, between $500-1000. It's hit and miss on the problem up until 1997, when the problem was fixed. Newer revisions also had problems with wear in that same area of the case, necessitating replacement of that section of the case.
http://www.parttrackers.com/library/1/93/106/
There are, however, some trans and differential situations that you should know about. To begin with, on any 4WD Subaru, regardless of the type of system, tire diameter consistency is crucial. If all four don't have exactly the same rolling distance per revolution, you can have difficulty engaging/disengaging 4WD and torque bind. With AWD, typical results are severe torque steer (this can damage the differentials), momentary lock-up, and permanent fusion of the viscous coupling (with reference to the last paragraph, this must be extremely rare), which will cause torque bind at all times. Even underinflation or uneven amounts of wear can cause this situation. Recommend regular rotation.
kevin read that the center differential is in the tail section of the tranny
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX?14@910.sQ1Md8HmwaN.0@.ef05e94/4906
The binding created a noise that sounded as if it was coming from the back of the car but there was no real problem with the rear end. The binding and noise was coming from the center differential. This last time in, the service manager really didn't know what to do since she felt that they had done everything possible the last time. She explained to me that they started at the rear wheels and traced through to the center differential looking for anything out of spec. She said that something as small as uneven tire pressure could stress the clutch pack and cause it to fail. That was the reason for the axle bearings replaced. There was some wear and they didn't want to ignore anything. The rear end was fine. The housing I referred to is in the center differential. She described the clutch pack as operating within a casing which can be damaged when the pack fails. Keep in mind that the clutch pack hadn't failed the last two times but they replaced the pack and the casing just in case. They also replaced the electronic control module as well as a valve assembly. ... The center diff comes into play on turns as well, so clutch pack binding could cause some wheel hop and smoke
check out for an overview: http://www.legacycentral.org/library/torquebind.htm
http://www.legacycentral.org/library/turbo_faq.htm
Q: I get a rumbling noise when I accelerate at low speeds with the wheels turned, what is that?
A: That is most likely what is called "Torque Bind". It happens when the solenoids in the rear section of the transmission fail or are failing, causing the AWD system to not work properly. This is usually an expensive repair, between $500-1000. It's hit and miss on the problem up until 1997, when the problem was fixed. Newer revisions also had problems with wear in that same area of the case, necessitating replacement of that section of the case.
http://www.parttrackers.com/library/1/93/106/
There are, however, some trans and differential situations that you should know about. To begin with, on any 4WD Subaru, regardless of the type of system, tire diameter consistency is crucial. If all four don't have exactly the same rolling distance per revolution, you can have difficulty engaging/disengaging 4WD and torque bind. With AWD, typical results are severe torque steer (this can damage the differentials), momentary lock-up, and permanent fusion of the viscous coupling (with reference to the last paragraph, this must be extremely rare), which will cause torque bind at all times. Even underinflation or uneven amounts of wear can cause this situation. Recommend regular rotation.
kevin read that the center differential is in the tail section of the tranny
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX?14@910.sQ1Md8HmwaN.0@.ef05e94/4906
The binding created a noise that sounded as if it was coming from the back of the car but there was no real problem with the rear end. The binding and noise was coming from the center differential. This last time in, the service manager really didn't know what to do since she felt that they had done everything possible the last time. She explained to me that they started at the rear wheels and traced through to the center differential looking for anything out of spec. She said that something as small as uneven tire pressure could stress the clutch pack and cause it to fail. That was the reason for the axle bearings replaced. There was some wear and they didn't want to ignore anything. The rear end was fine. The housing I referred to is in the center differential. She described the clutch pack as operating within a casing which can be damaged when the pack fails. Keep in mind that the clutch pack hadn't failed the last two times but they replaced the pack and the casing just in case. They also replaced the electronic control module as well as a valve assembly. ... The center diff comes into play on turns as well, so clutch pack binding could cause some wheel hop and smoke
posted by forkev at 7/10/2005 08:28:00 PM
3 Comments:
that sucks! dads car is pretty bad, but hey, when you forget to put water in it, what do you expect? =)
that reminds me, i should check the transmission fluid
The previous explanations are unlikely and contrary to my experience. I've had 2 of these cars since I bought them new, and some GL's before the Legacy came out. The front and differentials bind up when the gear oil ages. By the time its been 2 years or 30,000 miles since the last change binding is inevitable. Use a gear oil appropriate for a limited slip differential.
Small differences in tire pressure or tread wear aren't the cause of the problem. If they were then the car would bind up whenever you drove it without a passenger of equal weight in the other front seat. (...because the side you sit on compresses those tires more and they have a slightly smaller diameter and make more revolutions per mile.) If you aren't convinced yet, conside what happens when you have to use the the T-type spare tire... (if you haven't had to use it, don't worry, the differentials don't lock up, burn out, etc.)
Post a Comment
<< Home