Rear axle question please !!!
Rear axle question please !!! I was getting a knocking noise that I was feeling on the pedals area everytime I drive over a hole or an even road, I thought it was a shock or a ball joint, it took almost two months to realize that if you feel a knocking sound on the frame of the car it could basically be coming from anywhere not only the front.
So, I thought to give a try and lift the rear this time and check if everything is ok. Well, everything was ok but before I went to lower it down I "Shook" the wheels left and right and then IN AND OUT and found out that for SOME reason the driver side rear wheel actually has a "Gap" of maybe less than a quarter of an inch, I mean you can move it IN AND OUT but you couldn't move the other side that way.
I took the wheel off thinking my brake pads are so bad that the rotor is a little bit off free movement hitting somthing, I ended up taking the brake off and then the rotor and then found out that the whole axle actually moves in and out, again, not talking even a quarter of an inch movement but that's what was making the noise everytime the car drives over an uneven area.
Sorry I wrote too much, what do you guys think, will it at some point just snap off the rear end if I keep abusing it? what could cause the axle to move like that?
So, I thought to give a try and lift the rear this time and check if everything is ok. Well, everything was ok but before I went to lower it down I "Shook" the wheels left and right and then IN AND OUT and found out that for SOME reason the driver side rear wheel actually has a "Gap" of maybe less than a quarter of an inch, I mean you can move it IN AND OUT but you couldn't move the other side that way.
I took the wheel off thinking my brake pads are so bad that the rotor is a little bit off free movement hitting somthing, I ended up taking the brake off and then the rotor and then found out that the whole axle actually moves in and out, again, not talking even a quarter of an inch movement but that's what was making the noise everytime the car drives over an uneven area.
Sorry I wrote too much, what do you guys think, will it at some point just snap off the rear end if I keep abusing it? what could cause the axle to move like that?
TECH Enthusiast
iTrader: (27)
Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Anheuser Busch, Houston Texas
I would check all the bearings and see that the c clips, (paddle if you have a zexel, exciters if you have TCS) are all in good working condition. I would suspect you would be picking up noise from the bearings if they were causing this, but that is not always the case.
On The Tree
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 197
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From: Currently El Paso, TX
I've been having this problem with my car since I bought it. I have taken it to the track several times last summer and drove it to NH twice from VA. I beat on my car pretty hard. It is stock except for a CAI, lid, and cat back. It's just annoying to me. How much would something like this cost to fix? can I get out of it cheap or should I be proactive and upgrade my whole rear end? I don't plan on doing any other mods any time soon.
with posi, c-clips are all that hold the axle. This would be located inside the posi housing inside your rear differential. There is a pin (1/2'' dia) that drives itself through this housing between the two axles. I would definitely take a look inside, because the scenario you described should not happen given the proper parts/assembly.
