Creaky/Groaning Sound in the Back

[PotooBrigham]

You'll find the crossbrace running across the firewall behind the engine. The ends sit on top of a flange in the body tub on each side. The bolts go through the flat ends of the brace, then through the tub flange and into the frame.

Get to the left one easily. It's in plain sight. Remove the ignition/connector cover in the right rear corner of the bay - if your car still has one of those - for better access to the right one.

This photo shows the black brace and its bolts clearly since the engine isn't fully built up.

I'd guess the noise in your video is from something else but since loose body bolts are a thing with this car it never hurts to check any of them and these are among the easier ones to get to.

Tightened the crossbrace bolts, so I can scratch that off.
Unfortunately, the clunking still continues.

[PotooBrigham]

So a small update:

Looking further into the spring I found the rear shock is missing an entire chunk. Whether it's the actual source of the clunking or a result of a possible bushing I'm not sure, but now I have to look into a replacement. DMCH No longer has the rear shocks in stock ($75 for a pair would've been just dandy), and I find it incredibly inconvenient that other offerings for shocks are between $600-1k for front and back. I mean, I just need rear shocks. What to do?

[82DMC12]

So a small update:

Looking further into the spring I found the rear shock is missing an entire chunk. Whether it's the actual source of the clunking or a result of a possible bushing I'm not sure, but now I have to look into a replacement. DMCH No longer has the rear shocks in stock ($75 for a pair would've been just dandy), and I find it incredibly inconvenient that other offerings for shocks are between $600-1k for front and back. I mean, I just need rear shocks. What to do?

That broken dust cover won't cause the clunk. Are these the original 40 year old shocks? Definitely do not try to replace just one shock - always go in pairs. DeLorean EU does sell individual rear shocks for like $100 each so you don't have to go really fancy for hundreds of $$$ if you don't want to. But if you have all the original shocks, it's probably time to change all four.

[PotooBrigham]

That broken dust cover won't cause the clunk. Are these the original 40 year old shocks? Definitely do not try to replace just one shock - always go in pairs. DeLorean EU does sell individual rear shocks for like $100 each so you don't have to go really fancy for hundreds of $$$ if you don't want to. But if you have all the original shocks, it's probably time to change all four.

I def plan to replace the pair.
I don't think the front shocks are original, as the nose is lowered to its intended ride height.

[82DMC12]

I def plan to replace the pair.
I don't think the front shocks are original, as the nose is lowered to its intended ride height.

FYI, on the front, it is possible to install lowering springs, like PJ Grady's springs, without necessarily replacing the front shocks. If the shocks say Girling on them they are probably original.

[PotooBrigham]

I had a cousin stop by and help me prop the car up the other day, and lo and behold, we discovered the entire rear driver's side wheel rattled up and down with considerable play.



I was under the assumption that if I tightened up any loose bolts in the wheel, maybe that'd fix things, but to be sure, we decided to take out the whole wheel and be sure nothing's wrong with the hubs.

So after it munched through a torque wrench and breaker bar adapter, we succeeded in removing the wheel to find the hub, brakes and all, unstable and wiggly. And a large nut in the center to be alarmingly loose, pictured here:


According to google, it's a Stub Axle Nut; when we got to it, it was loose enough to turn by hand. Pretty sure it shouldn't.
We tightened it until the hub no longer wiggled, buttoned the wheel back in, and praise the heavens, the groaning/clunking disappeared!




For exactly 2 days.


Last night I took the D on a drive to a family member, but on the way back, the groaning not only came back, but intensified to a very uncomfortable degree. Couldn't make it home out of fear of breaking something, I'm frankly heartbroken.

What can I do from here? Did I miss something?

[Ethan Rode]

If your stub axle nut was loose, the wheel bearing is definitely toast. I'd wager the bearing or the rotor scraping on the brakes is the source of your noise. Make sure you carefully inspect the stub axle and hub, as they too may be damaged.

[PotooBrigham]

If your stub axle nut was loose, the wheel bearing is definitely toast. I'd wager the bearing or the rotor scraping on the brakes is the source of your noise. Make sure you carefully inspect the stub axle and hub, as they too may be damaged.

Which is the bearing I should look out for?

[82DMC12]

It's inside the hub which is what all the lug nut studs are mounted into. Most people "find it" when they attempt to remove their rotor because you have to take the hub off of the spindle which usually destroys the front wheel bearing.

You need to get the front up, take the wheel off, remove the axle stub nut again, remove the D-washer under it, remove the brake caliper and suspend it in the air so the brake lines don't get pulled or kinked (or like set it on a box or something so it's not just dangling there), then slide the hub off of the spindle which will probably reveal a blown up wheel bearing.

Get a new wheel bearing and have a mechanic or machine shop press out the old bearing and press the new one in. Try to get an SKF (Italy) bearing and not some cheap china shit.

Get a new axle stub nut and carefully inspect the threads on the spindle to make sure they aren't damaged. Also check the other stub nut on the backside of the spindle and make sure it is super tight. You have to tighten the inner stub nut before tightening the outer stub nut. If we are talking about the driver side, the angle drive is the inner stub nut. Torque values are listed in the shop manual but I think the inner nut is 170 lb and the outer nut is 150 lb.

Check the hub spacer which goes between the wheel bearing and the steering knuckle to make sure it's not cracked or broken. Both of mine were.

To reassemble, clean the spindle really well and make sure there is no grit or crap on it. Put a very light coating of grease on the spindle. Then slide the hub all the way onto the spindle. It should be a tight fit but should slide on smoothly.

Then put the D washer and your new axle stub nut on and tighten. If it's the driver side, put the angle drive cup back on. Reattach the brake caliper and you should be good to go.



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[Ron]

Which is the bearing I should look out for?

Number 8 in the drawing HERE.