Ok I am stuck and need some extra brain power on this one. My car has found a way to start making this strange clunk when a bump is hit. Not every bump causes it only when several come close together. The sound is coming from the passenger side rear and sounds a like something being slammed into the floor boards. I have checked the track bars and the panhard bar and both them and the bushing look good. I did find my exhaust broke through the hanger so that was fixed though it did not fix the sound. My next thought was the shock but the top bolt is tight and the lower looks good as well. Nothing is inside the rear of the car and what I can see of the spring looks ok. The ride height is the same on both sides. Anyone have a thought that might help?

 

from a stand still take off, if you hear a clunk, it's your transmission mount... if you are at a go and you step on it, I think you will have some vibration, you'll need to replace the torque arm bushing...

 

It only does it while driving and hitting several bumps right after each other.

 

Did you check for a loose spare tire & jack in the hatch compartment on the passenger side?????

 

Jack has been missing since I got the car but the spare is tight.

 

at this point might as well check everything back there... including your gas tank straps, make sure they're nice and tight.... check your shocks, that there aren't any leaks...

 

Ive experienced something similar to what you are describing. I have found out the LCA bushing on my drivers side got a bit sloppy in the arm. Maybe try looking into that also.

 

Well the mystery has been solved, kind of. The clunk seems to have solved itself. I have no explanation for it.

 

you know if I were you, I would pull the carpet from the back and make sure everything is solid... I had an incident ,I don't remember if it was with my Firebird or my moms 3rd gen Camaro, the part where the shock mounts to the body actually broke off... so I would hear a clunk every time I hit rough patch on the road or a speed bump... I was like WTF was that.. well I used oversized washers as a temp, and well it's still there... like I said I have no idea which car it was... I'll find out soon enough...

 

I already had the carpet out of the back, what a pain in the butt. Both upper shock mounts are nice and rust free. I guess I was lucky.

 

where the spare tire is at, did you check that the factory jack is secured?

 

Like I said the jack has been missing since I got the car.

 

old thread..hmm did you ever solve this i have the same problem and have checked everything you did. I noticed a bit of play in the panhard bushing.

 

Pan hard bar is good and the issue still continues but it only happens every once in awhile.

 

i found my panhard bushing has tons of play so im replacing it tomorrow. have you looked into your C clips maybe being the problem?if you push on the back of the quarter panel while parked does it clunk. If you jack the car up and push/pull on the wheel/brake does it have excessive play? Just an idea..

 

It will only clunk while driving and only if you go over a long series of bumps where the suspension really has to work.

 

Another suggestion: Are the end links at the sway bars in place and good condition same for any other rubber bushings??? You do need to look under that car on a lift.

 

I am on my way out, don't have time to catch up on the latest, but have you guys replaced the shocks? Since you say that it starts happening after a few bumps, which would lead me to believe that a seal in the shocks is faulty, is allowing gas to escape slowly over every bump, I don't know where I'm getting at, but if you haven't replaced them in say 3-5 years, well might as well... BTW, I have Monroe shocks and struts with lifetime warranty... so if you have replaced them already, might as well replace them as well, as most likely you should have a lifetime warranty as well...

 

Well, i had the exact same symptoms that you had, replaced my panhard and end links last night. And its fixed. Found my rear shocks are crap and wearing out my bushings quicker than they should.