clunk from rear suspension?

[DMCflux]

Recently when moving from a dead stop, I have been hearing a clunk in the right rear. It doesnt happen all the time, but it always happens when i begin to move after the car has stopped. I checked all the suspension and nothing is loose.

[Michael]

Check it again....especially the shock. You have most likely broke or lost a bushing, look close at the top of the shock and make sure the round rubber bushing is intact.

[DMCflux]

Check it again....especially the shock. You have most likely broke or lost a bushing, look close at the top of the shock and make sure the round rubber bushing is intact.

bushing is still intact

[jawn101]

Stick with me here, but are you sure it's coming from the rear? I had a terrifying clunk in my rear suspension that turned out to be a jug of coolant banging around in the trunk. The unibody has a way of masking the actual source of noises.

[Ryan King]

Im putting my money on a CV Axel

[ALEXAKOS]

A failing bushing can not be diagnosed with simple hand rocking or looking. I had a the same issue my Jeep and until the day I removed my sway bar, i could not spot the bushing's problem.

Hope you find the issue... its is so irritating;)


I do not doubt a loose item of some kind or even a loose exhaust arm.

Have you checked the radius arms? My RH was loose.

[Tillsy]

I had a terrifying clunk in my rear suspension that turned out to be a jug of coolant banging around in the trunk.

Ha! I had this exact issue a few months ago too - trying to work out a clunk noise until I realised I had left a bottle of coolant freely sliding about my trunk!

[refugeefromcalif]

Ha! I had this exact issue a few months ago too - trying to work out a clunk noise until I realised I had left a bottle of coolant freely sliding about my trunk!

I had the same noise about a month ago that turned out to be a case of beer I'd forgotten about in the trunk. :p

George

[Dangermouse]

I would check your rear brake calipers. One could have become loose and shifts position after the brakes are applied.

Possibly engine or transmission mount also - have someone watch the (running) engine while you go between N and D, if you have a mighty Auto. I presume it would work for manuals also.

[David T]

I had the same noise about a month ago that turned out to be a case of beer I'd forgotten about in the trunk. :p

George

Could be a shock, a bushing, a bad bearing, a bad C/V joint, a loose trailing arm bolt. loose lug nuts, etc. Keep looking till you find it. if you do not find and fix it, it will become obvious when something bad finally happens. You do NOT want to wait till then!
David Teitelbaum

[SS Spoiler]

Does it happen during braking also?

[DMCflux]

Does it happen during braking also?

no

[ALEXAKOS]

I would check your rear brake calipers. One could have become loose and shifts position after the brakes are applied.



That is actually the best idea I have heard so far! That or one of your parking brake sides may not be releasing propely!

[Bitsyncmaster]

A clunk or clicking from a front wheel drive CV joint is common but with our rear wheel CV I would not think that noise is so common since the angle of the CV is limited.

[DMCflux]

I have checked all the nuts bolts and bushings. They are all tight and there. It feels like after I brake then I hear the clunk. None of the calipers are loose. Could it be a caliper piston that is sticking?

[DMC5180]

Steven,

Does the noise occur only after braking to a stop and then moving forward? Does it seem to happen as you release the clutch?

[DMCflux]

Steven,

Does the noise occur only after braking to a stop and then moving forward? Does it seem to happen as you release the clutch?

yes but not all the time. I haven't noticed if it happens when the clutch is released.
what are you thinking?

[SS Spoiler]

In the old rear drive days I would have said universal joints on the drive shaft. Sounds like CV joint. Have you greased/rebuilt them lately?


Paul Cerny #2691

[DMCflux]

In the old rear drive days I would have said universal joints on the drive shaft. Sounds like CV joint. Have you greased/rebuilt them lately?


Paul Cerny #2691

No I have not

[SS Spoiler]

If you crawl under the car and check for play in the drive shafts, we can find/eliminate ideas. I',m not talking end play but rotational play in the joint. There shouldn't be any slop, if there is you probably need new shafts. No repacking will take out play.

[DMC5180]

yes but not all the time. I haven't noticed if it happens when the clutch is released.
what are you thinking?

My first though is a possible broken Transmission Mount bracket. The two pieces docking against each other. The more common CLUNK these car have is a rear bearing shifting in the hub carrier. It tends to be more noticeable when backing up, say out of your driveway onto the street. Mine does this. (right side) It is one of those quirks this car has. It does not hurt anything it's just an annoyance.

[Delorean Industries]

Over time it will wear the hub out as it moves back and fourth. Best thing to do is sleeve the hub sooner than later. I have seen a few stress crack due to the added movement within the hub too.

[DMCflux]

If you crawl under the car and check for play in the drive shafts, we can find/eliminate ideas. I',m not talking end play but rotational play in the joint. There shouldn't be any slop, if there is you probably need new shafts. No repacking will take out play.

There's no rotational play

[DMCflux]

My first though is a possible broken Transmission Mount bracket. The two pieces docking against each other. The more common CLUNK these car have is a rear bearing shifting in the hub carrier. It tends to be more noticeable when backing up, say out of your driveway onto the street. Mine does this. (right side) It is one of those quirks this car has. It does not hurt anything it's just an annoyance.

is there an easy way to check if it is the rear main hub bearing?

[DMC5180]

Easy way? Not that I am aware of. The issue is that the bearing is slightly narrower than the the space it sits in by about a 1 MM. Toe-in and NEG camber tend to force the bearing inward. I never hear mine shift moving forward, but obviously it does migrate inward. But when I back up all those forces that were driving the bearing inward are now pulling it outward and when enough force/pressure builds up it will release suddenly (CLUNK). This may not be your issue but is a common one.

[DMCflux]

Easy way? Not that I am aware of. The issue is that the bearing is slightly narrower than the the space it sits in by about a 1 MM. Toe-in and NEG camber tend to force the bearing inward. I never hear mine shift moving forward, but obviously it does migrate inward. But when I back up all those forces that were driving the bearing inward are now pulling outward and when enough force/pressure builds up it will release suddenly (CLUNK). This may not be your issue but is a common one.

That is good to know. I drove in Reverse to see if the car made the Clunk noise but it only happens when driving Forward.

[DMC5180]

Does this CLUNK only happen once per occurrence? It has to be something that can only move under a torque load. Verify the torque on your TAB's including the bushing mounting bolts. Braking forces are transferred into the TAB's/bushings.

[DMCflux]

Does this CLUNK only happen once per occurrence? It has to be something that can only move under a torque load. Verify the torque on your TAB's including the bushing mounting bolts. Braking forces are transferred into the TAB's/bushings.

Yes, only once after braking to a complete stop. Then as I begin to move and accelerate it clunks. It's hard to locate exactly where. I believe it is the right side. Sometimes the clunk sounds like a snap throughout the whole right side. I'll check the tab and bushings. Tabs and Bushings are new but as you said maybe they are loose,and need to be re torqued.

[DMC5180]

Yes, only once after braking to a complete stop. Then as I begin to move and accelerate it clunks. It's hard to locate exactly where. I believe it is the right side. Sometimes the clunk sounds like a snap throughout the whole right side. I'll check the tab and bushings. Tabs and Bushings are new but as you said maybe they are loose,and need to be re torqued.

Also verify torque on the Hub carrier to Trailing arm bolts. I know you had all that stuff apart when you did your refurbishing.

[DMCflux]

Re torqued everything. No change. It's so hard to tell where the noise is coming from. I almost think it is near the front right wheel now. And it's more like a snap than a clunk now. Any chance it could be in the steering rack?

[David T]

Re torqued everything. No change. It's so hard to tell where the noise is coming from. I almost think it is near the front right wheel now. And it's more like a snap than a clunk now. Any chance it could be in the steering rack?

It would not be likely it is the steering rack, typically that would just cause play in the steering. It could be the bushings for the control arms, the sway bar, bad ball joints, etc. It can be difficult to find where a noise comes from. Maybe you can get someone to stand near the car alongside as you move it and maybe they can pinpoint the area the noise is coming from. They should also watch the front wheels to see if they move forward and back as the car moves.
David Teitelbaum

[rddmc]

If you have checked everything else and not found the noise source, check the exhaust crossover pipe should you still have the stock exhaust.

Rod
10921

[dmc6960]

Could be a shock, a bushing, a bad bearing, a bad C/V joint, a loose trailing arm bolt. loose lug nuts, etc. Keep looking till you find it. if you do not find and fix it, it will become obvious when something bad finally happens. You do NOT want to wait till then!
David Teitelbaum

So how many of these things have you checked out so far? I didn't hear a mention of you verifying the lug nuts. I once had an occasional clunk I thought was a wheel bearing. When the clunk got continuous I looked around though and found all of the wheel lugs had started loosening.

[DMCflux]

So how many of these things have you checked out so far? I didn't hear a mention of you verifying the lug nuts. I once had an occasional clunk I thought was a wheel bearing. When the clunk got continuous I looked around though and found all of the wheel lugs had started loosening.

Have checked everything mentioned. I've had all 4 wheels off. Re torqued everything and still the noise. Now it happens when I brake to a stop. Not all the time, only once in awhile.

[ALEXAKOS]

I suppose you checked all the braking components and the radius arms. (my RH radius arm nut was loose when I got it)

I would then check the interior. A loose nut on something like the seats maybe.

[DMCflux]

So I had my friend drive while I sat in the passenger seat to see if I could locate the noise better. And, no noise at all. I then drove alone and it's gone now... I'm not sure if the added weight caused something to seat better or what. Now I'm really lost....

[Freaky Beetle]

I had a right rear clunk a few years back under similar conditions. Turns out my battery was loose.

[DMCflux]

I had a right rear clunk a few years back under similar conditions. Turns out my battery was loose.

i checked battery, removed everything from trunk incl spare, made sure seats were bolted tight

[ALEXAKOS]

So I had my friend drive while I sat in the passenger seat to see if I could locate the noise better. And, no noise at all. I then drove alone and it's gone now... I'm not sure if the added weight caused something to seat better or what. Now I'm really lost....


HA! I but it was the passenger seat as I mentioned. Tighten those bolts then for a laugh.

[DMCflux]

HA! I but it was the passenger seat as I mentioned. Tighten those bolts then for a laugh.

I wish it was that easy. I had already checked the seats to make sure they were tight.

[andyd]

Hi, just a thought:

TAB's/ Bushes?
ARB/ Bushes?

a

[DMCflux]

Hi, just a thought:

TAB's/ Bushes?
ARB/ Bushes?

a

Sound is back today!
TABs and bushings were all replaced and torqued to spec

[DMCMW Dave]

Sound is back today!
TABs and bushings were all replaced and torqued to spec

Look at them again, make sure the shims are still in place.

[Jacko]

Check main body bolts ...

[Jacko]

Here is the result of loose body bolts on 4915 thus creating what I've called the 'Voodoo Noise'.
Imagine the clunks caused by these loose bolts. The noise moved around ... coming from
the front, then the rear. Chasing this down took a while. This pic is of one of the shock towers and
the body mounting bolts were the same.

21243

[DMCflux]

PROBLEM SOLVED!!!!
One of the bolts that holds the radius bushings in was loose.

THANK YOU EVERYONE for your HELP :thumbup:

[Tillsy]

Woohoo!!! :nana1:

[ALEXAKOS]

I suppose you checked all the braking components and the radius arms. (my RH radius arm nut was loose when I got it)

;)

PROBLEM SOLVED!!!!
One of the bolts that holds the radius bushings in was loose.
THANK YOU EVERYONE for your HELP :thumbup:
:)

Way to go buddy!
Glad we could help!

[DMC5180]

PROBLEM SOLVED!!!!
One of the bolts that holds the radius bushings in was loose.

THANK YOU EVERYONE for your HELP :thumbup:

Steve,

Just for clarification, did you mean Trailing Arm Bushing? LH or RH?

[ALEXAKOS]

Steve,

Just for clarification, did you mean Trailing Arm Bushing? LH or RH?

If it is the RH, then EVERYBODY check yours for tightness. Too much of a coincidence. Due to the bold looseness the bushing was also deformed so you might want to check on it if it need replacement.

[DMC5180]

If it is the RH, then EVERYBODY check yours for tightness. Too much of a coincidence. Due to the bold looseness the bushing was also deformed so you might want to check on it if it need replacement.

More importantly the RH side has the Battery Ground to Chassis connection.

[DMCflux]

Steve,

Just for clarification, did you mean Trailing Arm Bushing? LH or RH?

RH http://store.delorean.com/p-7394-radius-arm-bush.aspx
But I believe they are referred to as both radius arm and trailing arm

[DMCflux]

More importantly the RH side has the Battery Ground to Chassis connection.

My battery ground was attached to the bolt that also had a nylon nut on the back, so that one was still tight. It was the bolt closest to the front that was loose. It only has a lock washer, no nylon nut.