2017 Outback 2.5i Premium, Getting loud road noise (thumping?) increases with speed

[Cauff]

2017 Outback 2.5i Premium, Getting loud road noise (thumping?), increases with speed. Costo took tire(s) off and put in their dynamic tester; said they were unable to get any noise. Suggested there must be a mechanical issue. I am trying to get an appointment at Subaru shop, any one know of similar issues? Thanks.

 

[keith3267]

When driving down a road with little to no traffic, in a safe place gently rock the steering wheel back and forth, just a little and slowly. Do this at a speed when the sound is loud and clear, a freshly repaved road is best. As the car changes direction, listen for the sound to increase or decrease. If the sound changes, then you have bad wheel bearings and the hubs at that end of the car need to be changed.

The hard part may be determining which end of the car the sound is coming from. You can also do this in an empty section of a parking lot, church parking lots are good for this. Just go in a circle in each direction to see which direction the sound gets louder in. That determines which bearing is bad but they should be changed in pairs.

I have a 2014 Legacy, both rears went out at around 100k miles, I am in the process of changing both fronts at 130k, one is done, doing the other this Friday.

BTW, before a bearing gets to the thumping stage, it usually has a high pitch whine. If you are partly hearing impared at the high frequencies like I am, you can miss this.