82 with a Thud
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,154
Likes: 1
From: St Augustine FL
82 with a Thud
When I am slowing down almost to a stop a get a thud noise in the rear of the car. It does not make the noise when accelerating or even accelerating hard from a stop. It only makes the noise when I slow down almost to a stop. What could it be?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 5,485
Likes: 7
From: Peekskill NY
Possibly the drive shaft rear universal shifting as the load changes. Does it sound metalic? Do you just hear it or can you feel it as well. I once had a similar experience on a 66 skylark and it ended up being the universal. Upon removal it was bone dry and rusty inside under the caps.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
It probably is a bad U-joint. Once the joint gets up to speed, it settles in to a "comfortable" position. As it slows down, there is a point where the half-shaft is turning slow enough that the slop in the U-joint causes it to "slip". That is what you are feeling. It is hard to tell which U-joint that might be, but that is really not a problem. If all the joints are fairly old, it is probably best to replace them all (for safety of the car and for your peace of mind). Once you remove the half-shafts, the driveshaft removal is a "piece-of-cake" anyway. If you are doing them yourself (and haven't done them before), search for threads on this topic...there's lots already written up. You only need a big vise, the right sized ratchet socket(s), and the correct methods to do the job right and NOT distort the end yokes. Good luck. 
P.S. If you have a "strong" engine and use it a lot, you should replace the joints with solid body Spicer joints (without a Zerk grease fitting). They are much stronger and just about as reliable.
P.S. If you have a "strong" engine and use it a lot, you should replace the joints with solid body Spicer joints (without a Zerk grease fitting). They are much stronger and just about as reliable.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 7,353
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From: Graceland in a Not Correctly Restored Stingray
Last edited by TheSkunkWorks; Apr 26, 2007 at 03:08 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
As you are pressing the old joints out of the yokes, you need to do two things:
1. Soak them well with PB Blaster for a few hours prior to working on them;
2. Tap on sides of the yoke journals with a small hammer while you are pressing them out. (Don't pound them...tap them.)
Over the years, these bearing caps get locked into place and can be difficult to remove by pressing alone. Tapping on the journals while you are applying force to the joint causes them to "creep" out without binding. If you don't do this, you can bend the yokes and throw them out of proper alignment [which will cause the joints to wear quicker and tend to bind up].
1. Soak them well with PB Blaster for a few hours prior to working on them;
2. Tap on sides of the yoke journals with a small hammer while you are pressing them out. (Don't pound them...tap them.)
Over the years, these bearing caps get locked into place and can be difficult to remove by pressing alone. Tapping on the journals while you are applying force to the joint causes them to "creep" out without binding. If you don't do this, you can bend the yokes and throw them out of proper alignment [which will cause the joints to wear quicker and tend to bind up].
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