my car is making a strange noise whenever i go over bumps, big ones, small ones etc. I thought it was my exhaust hitting the axle or whatnot so i raised it up and yet its still making the noise, almost like a grinding noise, its really annoying. I dunno what elseit could be, any ideas? It sounds like its coming from the rear right side only

 

Check your stabilizer links, l.c.a. and rear u-joint.

 

update

I brought the car in to have the brakes checked{ usually do it myself but didnt feel like workin on it} they said everything looked ok as far as the operation of the brakes. I figured it as a brake issue as i can get the same noise hapening when i pull the emergency brake slightly while driving. They persisted that the brakes were fine and couldnt help me.

They did tell me however that my rear axle seals were shot on both sides and i took a look and my left rear drum was covered in gear oil. Which i replaced the seals myself and saved $433.

I took a good look at the axles and they look good and the bearings looked good. So after all this, i still have the noise. I can still get it to come on when i pull the ebrake and the noise seems to happen constantly if i drive with someone in the passanger seat and on and off if im alone.. So i am at a loss as to what it is. My dad insists the brakes are playing a role in this but i am not sure. Why would this get worse when i have a pasenger if it were the brakes?

So i am still yet to figure this out. Ive checked the suspension, still nothing arghh

 

Since the noise is almost constant when there's a passenger in the car, I suspect your problem is on the passenger side. Try this, take the car to a parking lot, preferrably a deserted one, and make some really tight left turns and see if the problem gets worse. If it does, you've probably got a bad wheel bearing. If it doesn't then we're dealing with a lateral suspension problem. In other words, a problem with up and down suspension movement. Post the results of this test after you've done it and we'll go from there.

 

Tire clearances?

Wheel clearance on the inboard sides (wheels on the wrong axle)?

Driveshaft/torque arm clearance? Torque arm tight?

LCA and track bar mountings loose?

 

Vader makes a very good point with the tire clearance issue. I should be ashamed of myself for not thinking of it, since I had that problem on my 87 mustang, don't beat me,lol. My shock was blown on that side and rubbed when I turned just right. It did it all the time when I had a passenger though. Check Vader's idea out about the tires. It could very well be the end of your frustration.

 

its a metal grinding sound though, i duno of the tires rubbing would be making that noise. I'll recheck the bolts and make sure everythings tight on the suspenson. It baffles me why i can get the thing to do it just by pullin the ebrake slightly when driving. Thats why i thought it was a brake issue. But then when it happens when i have a passenger it doesnt make sense to be the brakes but i know the sound is like a chisel on steel or something. Ive checked the tires to see if theyre rubbin, everything looks good.

I should mention that when it starts grinding, ill pull the ebrake and it grinds for a second then goes away till i hit another bump.

 

Try what I suggested earlier and then post again. Also check the rear caliper bolts to make sure they're not loose.

 

Ive done the turns and everything seems ok when doin the sharp turns. Ive been reading up on bad tranny mounts and tourque arms.

Ive been noticing as well that when im at a stop and proceed to go, i am getting a vibration that seems to be coming from the drive shaft area and it goes away when i hit a decent speed. I recently had my oilpan replaced so they had to lift the motor up and i never noticed this problem till afterwards (the clunking vibration) Ive had the grinding noise for awhile now.

Seems it could be the tranny mount or the torque arm. Im going to have a look at it. What exactly will i be looking for as ive never done any work on a torque arm or tranny mount before. Do i just get under there and give it a shake and go from there?

Im hoping that if its the tranny mount or the torque arm bushing that this grinding will go away as well with the clunk.

I shoulda mentioned teh clunky vibration in my initial post but i was more concerned with the chattering, grinding noise.

 

I think ive found the problem. The parking brake threaded rod looks like it has been dragiing on the driveshaft, i saw a wear ring around the shaft.,Ill try to get it out of the way somehow and post back my results.

While under the car i checked the tranny mount, i pushed up on teh tailstock and it moves fairly easily and so i am thinking it is shot as well, i saw some wear on the tranny tunnel near the tailstock to.

The bearings on the tailstock? are leaking tranny fluid i think coz i see some red fluid buildup around it and its all oily there. I duno if its the u joint where it attaches to teh tranny or what but is it difficult to repair?

 

Sounds like you might want to replace the rear tailshaft seal. The trans mount sounds like it should definately be replaced. Good job on the troubleshooting hunt.

 

thanks!! Ya it was the parking brake hitting the shaft. I placed the cables back in the brackets on the tunnel, tightened the cable, and the sound is now gone.

How hard is it to chage the tailshaft seal?

I think maybe this thread could be moved to the apprpriate forum seeing as its now a drivelien issue?

 

It should be pretty easy to change that seal. Good luck, and I hope that will fix the last of your problems.