Hi All~

My FD makes a clunking noise in the rear, and it gets annoying sometimes. So we followed Dale's write-up (on www.clubrx.org) and replaced the rear pillowball bushing, since that is what most people suggest regarding rear clunking noise...

However~ the noise is still there after we replaced the 6 rear pillowball bushings!... Sometimes when we are driving, the car will make the noise (click click click, ...) But whenever we have our foot on the brake, the noise would go away, but return soon as we let go of the brake. The noise seems to be coming from rear passenger side... What should we look for besides the pillowball bushings?

Thanks in advance~

Joseph

 

Rear upper strut mount.... try driving at about 20-30mph then quickly tap and release the brake pedal. Do you hear it then??
~J

 

If the noise is always consistent and changes with wheel speed but goes away when you apply the brakes you should consider that it may be a bad wheel bearing. The usual test should confirm this. Jack that wheel of the ground (optional) and grab it at 9 and 3 o'clock and try and twist it. If you feel any play at all (not in the tire but in the wheel hub) it's probably going bad.

 

The noise does change with the speed, and does go away when I apply the brake~ I will try the test when I get a chance~

Stupid question, but will a normal person be able to Change the wheel bearings by himself (I.E. without going to a professional shop)

Thanks for your suggestions guys~

 

Do you have slotted rotors? They will cause a clicking noise as well...

 

I've changed many a bearing on my other car but never yet on the FD so I can't comment on how difficult it is. Usually it just requires the proper tools and a couple hours. Alternatively, replacing the entire wheel hub assembly may be easier, if you can find a used one for cheap. Of course replacing with used doesn't guarantee you'll get many more miles out of it before failure again.

 

I do have slotted rotors, but the noise was there b4 I changed the rotors~ Can't wait to go home and test the wheel bearings... stuck at work!

 

My old FB had these brake plates, on the back side of the pad, that would come out once in a while. They were supposed to hold the pad in place. "IF" the FD has these, and one were gone, you would have the same symptom.

 

Check your differential.

 

Jack the car up, face the wheel and put one hand on each side of the tire, then push with one hand and pull with the other and then alternate this action. If it's tight and doesn't rachet back and forth then it's your diff bushings.

 

Weird, I have run slotted rotors for years and they've been quiet. I wonder why yours are clicking?

 

I jacked the car up, and tried to turn the wheels with no Success (I assume that means the wheel bearings are still good?) ~ I am gonna look into the Differential~

Thanks all for the help so far

 

Turn? He didn't say turn, he said push and pull while facing the wheel (nuts). You're trying to determine if the wheel will wobble at all on it's axis, even slightly.

 

either i wasn't applying enuf load or the bearings are good~ Gonna get my brothers to help me out with the test again when I get home ~

Does anyone have a good write up for changing Diff Bushings?

 

Check the simple stuff first. Noise that goes away when you apply brakes is VERY likely something with the brake caliper, brake hardware, pad, something. Do the easy stuff before you start doing the big stuff.

Dale

 

If there's brake problems/noise, why would it go away when the brakes are applied? You would normally get noise when the brakes are applied, yes? Lets say the front rotors are warped. You would feel a shimmy in the steering WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. If there's a problem with pads, noise would be herd WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED, not when you're off the brakes.

 

I think what he's saying is the noise is from brake pads/parts vibrating while there isnt' any caliper pressure. Even warped rotors are quiet since there is nothing free to shake.

Another thing to consider is loose baffling in the fuel tank. Mine are broken free and they make a ga-lunk sound sometimes when stopping and starting.

Dave

 

O.k, gotcha.

 

Braking loads the suspension. Braking tries to spin the upright with the wheel (since the caliper is attached to the upright), and pulls back on the wheels in an attempt to stop the chassis. Loading things up like this will generally take up slack in any loose components and make them quiet.

In contrast, alternating between acceleration and deceleration with the gas pedal alternates the load. That usually makes the loose parts flop around and make noise.

I would check the toe links for slack. Jack up the corner and try to "steer" the wheel, perhaps watching the toe link bushings for any movement.

-Max

 

Keep in mind he said the noise varied with wheel speed so it's probably not a suspension component or something loose banging around. It could well be a brake issue. I should have mentioned that you have to be pretty assertive when you're testing the wheel bearing and also make sure you don't have the e-brake set when testing the rear wheel otherwise the test will be invalid.

 

If a brake pad were loose, a disc spinning at a high rate of speed would keep it pressed against the brake hardware. As the car slows down, the disc slows, and the pad no longer has as much friction to keep it in place, hence the noise at lower speeds. Once the brake is applied, the pad has enough friction (again) to keep it from clunking around. That's why I suggested a brake issue a couple of days ago.

 

Couple this point with the original description of the noise "click" as opposed to "clunk" ... suggest the possibility of the rear pads missing the wire separator springs which force the pads back against the pistons when the pedal is not pressed. W/o these springs the pads will tend to rattle against the rotor causing a "click(ing)" noise.

Easy to diagnose if nothing else.

 

Get under your car and tap on the rear brake dust shield. If that is the sound than you probably need new brake hardware & springs. That thing seems to amplify the sound for some reason.

 

There are several other pillowball bushings that can wear out besides the 6 usual ones that everyone replaces. Toe link outside (these wear out at about the same rate as the usual 6); Toe link inside, which tend to last longer; and, the on the lower arm there is a large one.

These things can an will flop around if there's any slop in them until the suspension is loaded. I'd check the outer toe links [first].

 

so was the issue ever found? i have same issue. so many possibilities and no definitive answers!