Rear end clunks
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Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 60
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From: LA area
Car: 1991 Firebird TA, 1G2FW23F3ML202439
Engine: 5.0 TP injection
Transmission: 5 speed manual
Rear end clunks
I can hear this sound anytime I make a tight corner quickly.
I can duplicate it by pushing the rear end of the car from side to side forcefully. Just stand next to it and push it away from you, let it come back, push it away again, etc, until the movement builds up and the clunk is heard. The clunk sounds off at each end of the movement on each side. It sounds like it's coming from both sides, as the car reaches the maximum movement in each direction.
Occasionally I can hear a slight grinding type noise when in the moving turn to the right, but I can't duplicate it by pushing the car to the side at a stop. If I slightly apply the hand brake while in the turn, I don't hear anything.
Everything works ok, the car feels stable.
Help?!?
I can duplicate it by pushing the rear end of the car from side to side forcefully. Just stand next to it and push it away from you, let it come back, push it away again, etc, until the movement builds up and the clunk is heard. The clunk sounds off at each end of the movement on each side. It sounds like it's coming from both sides, as the car reaches the maximum movement in each direction.
Occasionally I can hear a slight grinding type noise when in the moving turn to the right, but I can't duplicate it by pushing the car to the side at a stop. If I slightly apply the hand brake while in the turn, I don't hear anything.
Everything works ok, the car feels stable.
Help?!?
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Posts: 2,403
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From: ms. gulf coast
Car: 91 R/S , 89 dodge p/u
Engine: L31 GM crate re-cammed , 318
Transmission: T-5 , 4 speed auto
Axle/Gears: 3.42 , ?
Re: Rear end clunks
you need to get it in the air and inspect rear suspension . most likely panhard/trac bar . it runs from the pass. side of rear axle to body on drivers side . there are 3 bolts that hold it in place , i had all of them fall out on one of my cars . inspect everything else while there . good luck .
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
From: LA area
Car: 1991 Firebird TA, 1G2FW23F3ML202439
Engine: 5.0 TP injection
Transmission: 5 speed manual
Re: Rear end clunks
UPDATE - I had someone push the back end to make the noise, reached around the rear wheel to the edge of the brake drum and the backing plate. I can feel the backing plate is stable, and the brake drum moves in and out to the tune of the "clunk". This happens on both sides of the car.
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From: Western WA
Car: 85 Camaro
Engine: No
Transmission: No
Axle/Gears: No
Re: Rear end clunks
Are your lug nuts loose? I believe some third gens originally had wheel spacers, maybe that is relevant in this situation...
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
From: LA area
Car: 1991 Firebird TA, 1G2FW23F3ML202439
Engine: 5.0 TP injection
Transmission: 5 speed manual
Re: Rear end clunks
The lug nuts are tight. The clearest way to describe it is given that the wheels are on the ground, the car slides back and forth on the rear axle.
The brake drum moves with the axle / wheel assembly, I can feel movement between the backing plate and the drum - about 1/8 ~ 3/16".
The brake drum moves with the axle / wheel assembly, I can feel movement between the backing plate and the drum - about 1/8 ~ 3/16".
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From: Fairhope, AL
Car: 89RS(other cars & pics in vBgarage)
Engine: LO3, 305 TBI Mildly Modified
Transmission: BakerBuilt 700R4 w/B&M Megashifter
Axle/Gears: 3.23 Auburn Pro Series LSD
Re: Rear end clunks
mine used to be able to rock on the chassis (for lack of better words)
to describe it, you could lean on the side of the back end and bumb your back into the car, the body would move left to right as the axle/srpings seemed to stay put
problem was solved with UMI LCA & panhard , also all new poly bushings on the suspention, now i dont know what of all of the part sloved the probem, but i always lean to the panhard bushings, before if i laid under the car and had a friend bump it i could see the panhard moving as the axle stayed still
to describe it, you could lean on the side of the back end and bumb your back into the car, the body would move left to right as the axle/srpings seemed to stay put
problem was solved with UMI LCA & panhard , also all new poly bushings on the suspention, now i dont know what of all of the part sloved the probem, but i always lean to the panhard bushings, before if i laid under the car and had a friend bump it i could see the panhard moving as the axle stayed still
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
From: LA area
Car: 1991 Firebird TA, 1G2FW23F3ML202439
Engine: 5.0 TP injection
Transmission: 5 speed manual
Re: Rear end clunks
More info...
I visited Don Lorentzen today, we put the car on a lift and found 2 things:
- Main problem source is rear end axles loose, "C" clip play -> OK as is, just a bit annoying when cornering sharply.
- Sway bar bushings disintegrated, front and rear, probably allowing noise to be worse -> replace with improvement kits from Top Down Solutions.
- Maybe add a front end steering brace, forgot the name of it, cheap frame insurance.
- All other bushings, etc. are OK.
I visited Don Lorentzen today, we put the car on a lift and found 2 things:
- Main problem source is rear end axles loose, "C" clip play -> OK as is, just a bit annoying when cornering sharply.
- Sway bar bushings disintegrated, front and rear, probably allowing noise to be worse -> replace with improvement kits from Top Down Solutions.
- Maybe add a front end steering brace, forgot the name of it, cheap frame insurance.
- All other bushings, etc. are OK.
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iTrader: (2)
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 2,529
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From: Fairhope, AL
Car: 89RS(other cars & pics in vBgarage)
Engine: LO3, 305 TBI Mildly Modified
Transmission: BakerBuilt 700R4 w/B&M Megashifter
Axle/Gears: 3.23 Auburn Pro Series LSD
Supreme Member
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 8,113
Likes: 6
From: NWOhioToledoArea
Car: 86-FireBird
Engine: -MPFI
Transmission: T5
Axle/Gears: 3:42
Re: Rear end clunks
UPDATE - I had someone push the back end to make the noise, reached around the rear wheel to the edge of the brake drum and the backing plate. I can feel the backing plate is stable, and the brake drum moves in and out to the tune of the "clunk". This happens on both sides of the car.
But if the brake drum can move but everything else stays still something is way wrong.
The drums should be sandwiched in there tight.
Even with some new parts, make sure the drums aren't moving.
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