Strange Clunking/Popping Sound From Rear Around Turns

[Nicholas R]

It seems almost every time I make a left or right turn I get a clunking/Popping sound from the rear of the car. Regardless of the direction there are always two pops, one from the right, one from the left. It also typically does it whenever I go over a curb.

I've been trying like crazy to track it down but I cant figure it out. All my bolts on the rear wheel assembly's and control arms are tight and my CV joints on my axles all seem fine, (slide back and forth just fine).

I looked in a previous thread regarding this and checked as much as I could but couldn't really find anything. How exactly do you go about inspecting the wheel bearings?

Also since the car is an automatic, this couldn't be differential related could it since it's going around turns?

Could it be coming from the trailing arm pivot point? Maybe the shims moving or something? TABS seem pretty tight, each with shims.

[Bitsyncmaster]

When a CV goes bad you get noise with turns. From what I have experienced in other cars it is a clicking noise.

[WelmoedJ]

Clunking sounds while turning also can come from the CV joints having too little grease.
If you can squeeze the boots without much resistance it's time to grease them again.
Check the boots for wear and replace them pre-emptively if they feel not flexible.

[Nicholas R]

Hmmmm.... sounds like that is something I need to check. If I recall correctly, the boots did seem pretty easy to squeeze.

[Fox2506]

I would definitely not jump to CV-joint. I have this issue. For me, it is the trailing arm coming loose. To diagnose:

Lift the rear off the ground a bit and grab the wheel on that side and jerk it back and forth. Then, look at the base of the TA after taking off the metal dust shield. It's probably bent and/or loose. Replace it with an upgrade.

I replaced mine when I found them looking like paperclips. I got the titanium (I think) ones from Hervey. But somehow the one on the right keeps coming loose just like the old one. My shims spill onto the highway each time too...

If this is the issue, then perhaps you should buy some new shims and take them to an alignment shop and let them fix it, and do an alignment. If you don't have the shims with you then they might charge you an arm and a leg to make custom ones.

[WelmoedJ]

Hmmmm.... sounds like that is something I need to check. If I recall correctly, the boots did seem pretty easy to squeeze.

Does that feel like (almost) "empty" (e.g. the boots feels soft, but not filled)?
Filled boots feel soft but you can feel there's stuff inside.

I had this on one car even with new tabs.
After replacing boots and filling them with grease it was gone.
Over the years the grease seems to fade away.

[A Van]

Check rear frame bolts and rear bar is torqued

[David T]

Not likely a C/V joint but it certainly can't hurt to check them. Also check the motor mounts and the trailing arm bolts and shims. While you are checking look at the exhaust system and the body bolts. You can never really tell where a noise can come from. All kinds of things can cause a noise. BTW you should be able to slide the half-shaft a little bit side-to-side. They should move smoothly by hand. If you can't move it or it is hard to move it is time to relubricate the C/V joints. Could also be a bearing moving in the rear housing.
David Teitelbaum

[sean]

Check the transmission mounts too.

[Nicholas R]

I pulled the driver side axle. It wasn't dry, but there wasn't really any extra grease in in the boot the only grease is down in the joint itself. I also have one torn boot that I need to replace.

I did tighten down all the bolts going from the rear wheels to the frame but I haven't yet checked the motor mounts or transmission mounts.

I heard something about a VW transporter having the same CV boots; anyone else heard this? If not is there any other cross over?

Also how do you split these joints, just pry?

[Nicholas R]

http://www.dmc12.com/crossref.htm

Here it says that the delorean shares a boot with a "2002 BMW"

Anyone know the specifics of this?