fbodlovr

I currently have a Jasper 10 bolt because my factory rear end was switched out under extended warranty.....probably about 6 years ago or so. Anyways,
About 4 years ago I took it to a local shop to have them diagnos a slight clunk sound in the rear end, but also(mainly) an issue with my wheels locking up ONLY in winter when my tires spin on ice or snow. If that happens, when I got around a corner, my limited slip is still engaged, and the rear end jumps due to one wheel moving slower than the other. The only way to get that to stop is to floor it, so the car can downshift and send enough force to knock it loose. They said they took some measurements, and didn't see anything wrong. So, I left somewhat pissed because I knew something was wrong.

Forward to this past Thursday, and I decide to take it into a different local shop to have a BAD clunking sound diagnosed, and to see what theire take is on the wheels locking up, ONLY in winter after slipping. The clunking has gotten WAY, WAY worse. It happens on ANY small bump in the road. It's like something solid metal hitting something else solid metal. I replaced the LCA bushings, sway bar end links, and the shocks are brand new. Also, the pan hard bar is new, and is an adjustable rod end, so none of those are it. The shop even said everything back there looked new and was tight, and installed correctly. The only thing they could find was the exhause needed a new hanger. I told them to take the axles out to look at the bearings to see if they are bad. They told me they took the axles partly out, and that the shafts were not chewed up, so it shows the bearings are not bad. I went in today to go for a ride with the mechanic, and he heard what I was talking about, a clunk with any bump in the road. He said everything looked good in the rear end. I asked about the carrier bearings, pinion bearings, back lash, etc., and he said everything was fine and that it would be doing something else if the pinion bearing was bad, or the carrier bearings were bad. He told me he thought that the bumper could possibly be hitting something, or the strip thing above the bumper that says camaro, could be hitting. He knocked on it, and it just sounded like plastic hitting the car a little, but I imagine that's to be expected when you freaking hit on it!!!

Anyways, when I grab the car by the edge of the spoiler area where the quarter curves up to meet the spoiler, I shake the HELL out of the car from side to side. There is a thud, thud, thud, thud you can hear that is coming from the rear end. The tech told me it's probably just normal flexing in the rear end. I REALLY don't think this is right, because two of my buddies BOTH have the same body style camaro, and theirs doesn't do it.

Can someone tell me what's up with that thud sound when I shake the car? And why it's clunking with EVERY little bump in the road?! I REALLY think it's something in that carrier tha's the problem. I would REALLY appreciate ANY help! I can't afford to keep dumping money into the rear end when these shops can't find the problem. There needs to be some type of regulation on these shops charging when they aren't giving you a true diagnosis.

im-not-guilty

iTrader: (4)

No way it's the spare tire bouncing around is it??

fbodlovr

Haha, good screen name. I like it. One of my buddies that I had shake their camaro too mentioned the same thing because it happened to them. But, I had a flat the other day, and the donut is on it now. It was on it when I went out with the tech, and it was still clunking like mad, so it's definitely not the spare. It's not the jack either, because that is also out in the back too since i had to use it, and nothing has been put back due to not having a new tire in yet.


Keep'em comin!

fbodlovr

Something I did forget to mention is that when it is real wet outside from rain, it seems to make the clunk considerably quieter, with a couple times it completely disappearing.

fastassls1maro

iTrader: (22)

the clunking noise when shaking the car may be somewhat normal due to the axles having c-clips that hold them in. There is some play in and out on the axles, so the clunking noise you are hearing when you shake the car is the axles moving in and out of the diff. as for the wheels locking up sound like the LSD isnt working correctly(if the jasper rear is equipped). It could be possible that it doesnt have the lsd additive in the gear oil to allow correct operation. I dont really know of a way to check the lsd off hand but from the sounds of things i doubt any of those shops removed the rear cover and inspected any thing(backlash, pinion preload, gear pattern, etc..) Maybe see if you can get a new carrier through jasper.

fbodlovr

I imagine Jasper will kill me since the rear is out of warranty. The reason I wonder if there is still something going on in there is because neither of my buddies camaros do this. Only mine. What the heck could be the problem if everything is basically new back there?

Oh, and they said they slid the axles out part way to check the surface that the bearing rides on, and that the c-clips looked good. I honestly doubt they checked the backlash. He said there would be a totally different issue if the back lash was out, like a lot of gear hitting sounds when getting on/off the gas. I've defintely had that happen, which I've thought my backlash has been out the whole time, but I'm not sure this would cause it. The upper pan hard bar wouldn't cause this would it? The tech said the bushings seemed to be good on that as well, but I'm starting to question his abilities a little bit.

therabidweasel

iTrader: (5)

If the LSD or carrier is not disengaging I don't see how anything else could cause it, not gears, not bearings. It sounds like the clutches could be sticking if it has them. Whatever it is specifically, my bet is bad diff.

fbodlovr

Yeah, the tech said that there is actually a gm tech bulliten out for these cars about the clutch packs sticking. He said the way gm says to help get rid of that is to drive in a figure 8 for 5 to 10 minutes. Mad to the clunking, I'm starting to think its a bad differential as well. I'm going to try to get a small sound clip of it when I get the car back to the house tomorrow afternoon, as well as a sound clip from inside of the clunk while driving. Mhopefully that will help people understand what I'm hearing.

MyFirstLS1

iTrader: (8)

Based on what you said with the rain I have read once that the coil spring was causing the issue. It sounds similar to what your talking about and that is what fixed his......... As weird as it sounds here the link.

Definetly cheap enough to try

http://www.njfboa.org/forums/showthr...light=clunking

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

I would consider installing a new posi unit in the car. An Auburn since its a clutch style and will engage and disengage seamlessly. U joints could also be suspect since it happens over bumps. Could also be play in the tailshaft of the trans causing the front yoke to walk when jarred.

fbodlovr

I read that, and I don't understand what they mean by greasing the coil spring. Are they referring to the spring for the suspension? I've never heard anyone ever mention anything about having to put grease on that for any reason.

fbodlovr

Do you think doing the figure 8 would honestly get rid of this problem like the tech said? Supposedly GM has a bulliten out about this. How much do those posi units cost?

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

Brand new posi units are about $400. And honestly, you could swap it in your driveway in a couple of hours. Do you know what kind of posi came in the jasper unit? Perhaps it needs some posi additive (if its a clutch style).

MyFirstLS1

iTrader: (8)

Yes he is reffering to the rear springs for the suspension. If you didn't mention the rain making it quiet I wouldn't have brought it up.

At bmw we do use talcum powder for squeaks on rear springs as well to isolate the issue.
Other then that I have never heard of greasing a spring except to help with installation by greasing the bottom coils. I'm just relaying his remedy.

As far as the figure eights it is possible. We have to do that for m3s after installing updated diff fluid if it had older ****.

Worth a shot with the grease. If it doesn't work it shouldn't cost you anything so why not. But does sound similar to your situation

fbodlovr

I honestly have no idea. The tech said he couldn't remember the name for the type of carrier, but it was something like zexel, or something with a z from the way he was sounding. Does that sound like anything?

fbodlovr

Where exactly would I grease it at? I've had them off before when I put on lowering springs. The sound was doing it before the lowering springs by the way. And I ended up taking the lowering springs off because I was hitting everything around here. The sound was there before the lowering springs, during the lowering springs, and after. Do people grease just the bottom of the spring where it hits the rear differential, or at the top where it sits on the rubber isolater?

MyFirstLS1

iTrader: (8)

I would imagine you would grease both the upper and lower most part of the coil spring but since you said it was before with and after the lower springs sounds like it shouldn't be the issue.

But if it were me I'd remove the spring and isolater on the left side first. Grease the top coil and bottom coil of the spring. Inspect the isolater and grease the bottoms install the one side and test drive and repeat on the otherside. It may not work but for two bolts and a few hours doing it on the ground I'd try it before spending money on more diag.

Worse case you know its not that

Just assuming like his the noise is more pronounced from the left rear?

VandykeT/A

I had a similar problem with my car. It would pop occasionally over bumps and would pop like crazy pushing the car side to side really fast. It took forever to figure it. The panhard bar bolt on the passenger side was loose to the point I couldn't even see it move. One day I just got pissed and just tried tightening everything up even more and sure enough it stopped. I also had a problem with my carrier giving me a pop noise when I had the car in a bind ( U turns and such). It turned out that the teeth on the inside of the carrier were shredded. I wouldn't think the carrier would pop going over bumps though.

therabidweasel

iTrader: (5)

If you want to do this I have an auburn I will sell. It comes with new carrier bearings installed and new races. 28k street miles on it out of an 02 camaro. $200 shipped. PM if interested.

01ssreda4 would know for sure, but you might need to re-shim the new diff. I will also include a pack of shims and some gear paint.

1 FMF

iTrader: (1)

this would not be caused by something internal to the rear axle. You would have gear whine and vibration/harshness at highway speeds.
I would look into the following:
transmission mount
torque arm for cracks, flexing, all bolts were tight.
lower control arms (LCA) and panhard bar (PHB) bolts are tight- I've been messing with mine over the last year and even though you can't wiggle the LCA or PHB by hand they can still clunk. Another 1/2 to 1 turn on the bolt or nut gets rid of it. But you don't want to overtighten it where there's so much friction on the bushing that the suspension doesn't move- had that happen when i had the rear replaced under extended warranty on my 99. in that case i could jump in the trunk and the rear would barely move up and down.
other than that, look at sway bar bushings, brake backing plates for loose bolts. Replacing my 10-bolt currently and i had one bolt on the backing plate not tight apparently from the factory. also check the 2 large bolts securing the brake mounting bracket to the axle, if these are not tight it may be the brake assembly moving. Pull the rotors and check the parking brake shoes, although i don't think they can cause such a significant sound you describe. and you have the oem, or correct size, wheels on the rear? it's not a wheel hub or rotor hub mounting problem?