So the last couple of days, I've been noticing a distinct hollow-clunk noise coming from the passenger rear axle area. Over any sort of bump or dip, I hear this sound. It feels/sounds like a loose wheel. I can feel some side to side movement. I've checked the lug nuts, they are all torqued correctly. No grinding noises or any other noise really. Diff cover is still intact. If I let off the gas in 1st, I can feel quite a lot of back and forth "slop" or "play" for lack of a better term. Any thoughts?

 

control arm bushing, sway bar endlink, panhard bar bushing, less likely but still possibly u-joint on driveshaft.

 

^Thanks..doesn't sound axle related to you? How do I go about checking the u-joint?

 

best to start by checking all the things that hold the axle in place and rule them out before going to the more expensive stuff.

best to go to youtube for a video on how to check a u-joint.

 

U joints seem normal..no unusual noises coming from them when I rotated the axle. Control arm bushings are in good shape and the bolts are tight. Same goes for the sway bar/end links.

Both sides of the axle make the sound shown in the video above. I'm 99% sure that this is abnormal and what I'm hearing over bumps/rough pavement. Any idea what this is? I think I'm going to have to take it to a differential shop.

 

That's normal. You're hearing the slop in the "C" clip axles.

 

^Thanks..not sure what to do next. There is for sure a clunking sound/loose feeling over bumps that is quite unnerving. Not sure where else this noise could be coming from if it's not the diff/axles.

 

Have you checked the torque arm and/or tranny mount? As in, pull them out and look at them? Have you checked the bushings at both ends of the shocks, and have you looked for a broken shock?

 

I've checked the torque arm bolts - all are tight. Haven't pulled the bushing out but it appeared to be in decent shape from what I could see. The shocks look ok, no sign of oil leaking out. I have bilstein struts which were installed last October with the stock springs. Bump stops are in great shape on both sides.

 

How about the spring isolators?

 

Change your rear diff fluid and use the LSD additive that's what got rid of my clunk

 

You really can't tell much about the torque arm bushing or the tranny mount unless you pull them out to look at them.