breNt*

iTrader: (1)

long time lurker, first time poster..

got a 99 trans am, and yesterday kept hearing clicking noises coming from the driver rear tire.. somehow my e-brake went all the way up, i did not pull it, never even touched it.. I noticed this when i had to pull into a gas station. but at that time i could grab the entire tire and shake it and it felt like the lug nuts we're only half on.. somehow i managed to drive it home real slow.. and took the tire and rotor off and now i have this..

http://img198.imageshack.us/i/0712091047a.jpg/
http://img291.imageshack.us/i/0712091048a.jpg/

the piece which the studs are hooked to is moving in and out about a quarter inch...

im not sure if it's some kind of bearing in there or if there's a pin in there or what.. anyone have any ideas? iv never had any of these rear ends apart before so im not really sure whats going on..

30th6

iTrader: (6)

the axel will move in and out a little but it shouldnt move sideways at all,if it does you probely need a new bearing.was the lugnuts tight?

breNt*

iTrader: (1)

well looking at it again only that piece moves.. im not seeing the axle move in and out.. only that piece and that gear that you see there is hooked to that piece.. tire was fine everything was all good with that.. just not sure where to start to try and fix it..

breNt*

iTrader: (1)

ok just noticed a hairline crack in my rotor.. so i put another one on, an old one i had that was still in good shape.. my car is making a loud clunk only when im slowly turning left.. like it will do it once every rotation or two..

everything was fine until i went to walmart yesterday and in the parking lot i heard a clunk when i turned left.. then i pulled over and had my buddy get out and listen and when i went to backup i put it in reverse and it didn't move anywhere at idle.. i had to rev it up to about 1k for it to move.. then i drove it slowly to a near gas station got out and checked everything out.. thats when the tire was shakin a pretty good amount.. i could grab teh top of the tire and pull it in and out alot.. like about a half inch or more.. then thats when i noticed my emergency brake just went completely upwards??? no one even touched it.. it went up by itself?? something with the computer? abs? so i put it down and managed to drive it home like 5 miles really slow and thats when i took off the tire and rotor and have the pictures up in my first post where i can grab the studs and pull and it moves in and out about 1/8th to a quarter inch or so.. now everything with the brakes is good im assuming.. but for some reason when im slowly turning left i get a really loud clunk.. wish someone could help!!

thanks, brent

Dennis@SpectacleSolutions

iTrader: (16)

sounds like you need to pull the rear cover and see if there are any pieces laying in there.

breNt*

iTrader: (1)

oh ya looks like i forgot to mention the clunk is only coming out of the driver rear tire area.. gonna keep messin with it for awhile to see if i can find something out..

and on a side note, my driver parking light was really dim so i bought a new bulb for it, replaced it and now that 1 light stays on when my car is running no matter what.. even if my lights are off that 1 light is on?? lol?

jimbo98z

iTrader: (3)

Yep. Sounds like the rear loading and then unloading to me...

Your car may have decided it needed a spool/locker

elias_799

iTrader: (8)

open up the diff cover and have a look, and replace those wheel studs.

breNt*

iTrader: (1)

the studs and gear piece move in and out together about 1/8th to 1/4th of an inch.. thats the only thing thats moving.. but when i turn all the way left at idle speed every full tire rotation i get 1 really loud clunk.. you can feel it in the car pretty good, almost as if it shakes the car.

but il open it up and check it out today

breNt*

iTrader: (1)

http://img440.imageshack.us/i/metalq.jpg/

http://img170.imageshack.us/i/rearend2.jpg/

my rear end was rebuilt sometime before..

but I jacked up the car drained the fluid pulled the cover off and found those pieces on the bottom.. in the second picture with the red circle.. i had my buddy move my tire in and out and in that red circle, not that piece but INSIDE that piece i saw it move in and out with the tire... so im thinking its some kind of clip or something that broke? which would cause the back tire to move in and out a quarter inch (at most)

Dennis@SpectacleSolutions

iTrader: (16)

pull off the piece you have circled (its a bearing cap) and I bet the little pieces in the first pic are parts of a bearing.

but its hard to tell for sure in the pic.

if you are lucky, you just need new bearings and seals.

if you are unlucky, you need a new zexel diff and bearings and seals.

if your diff is bad, let me know. I have a used one sitting on the shelf in my shop I will let go for 100.00

breNt*

iTrader: (1)

cleaned, close up picture of the metal
http://img107.imageshack.us/i/closeup.jpg/

next to a dime so you can get an idea for the size of the pieces
http://img118.imageshack.us/i/0713091949a.jpg/

removed cover
http://img248.imageshack.us/i/coveroff.jpg/

i see 1 little piece of the metal on the bolt area but idk??

and when i put this all back together is their a certain brand of fluid i should use or?

thanks for the help!

breNt*

iTrader: (1)

ok so i removed the c clip, pulled the axle shaft out.. and everything was good.. but then i noticed this..

i don't think this is normal.. i think this is where the metal shards came from

http://img268.imageshack.us/i/711b.jpg/

http://img505.imageshack.us/i/711c.jpg/

those holes aren't supposed to be showing are they?? up close it looks as if the inside gear knocked a hole through.. i circled it with red..

EPP

iTrader: (22)

You should be able to pick up a used 10 bolt in your area cheap enough, that you would have less money in swapping out the rear than you will in fixing the one you have. Bob

breNt*

iTrader: (1)

ok i found a used 10 bolt at a junkyard.. it's got a 3.08 in it.. as far as i know 3.08's only came as an option for V6s.. so if i got this(200$) i would have myself a peg legger?

i have around 600$ to spend right now.. and i dont know what the hell to do.. i don't want to continue taking apart my rear end without knowing what im doing though, i know that much..

any help is very much appreciated at this point..

thanks, brent