Bad clunking sounds from rear
Thread Starter
Pro
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From: Berlin Maryland
Bad clunking sounds from rear
Went to the track today and after the third run when I was comming off the track I heard a clunking sound from the rear when I made a hard right turn, then when I made a tight right I heard it again. Does someone know what this is and what do I need to do to fix it? The rear is a 373 that is not even a year old yet.It was a rebuilt from MidAmerica. 
I drove the car home and it was alright as long as I did not make hard turns? If i did the sounds were there again.
I drove the car home and it was alright as long as I did not make hard turns? If i did the sounds were there again.
Last edited by plumberh2o; Apr 1, 2005 at 11:37 PM.
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It was only there on hard turns?
Was it doing anything from a dead stop?
First indication would be U-joints, but it could be the rear if its on turns.
Was it doing anything from a dead stop?
First indication would be U-joints, but it could be the rear if its on turns.
Thread Starter
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From: Berlin Maryland
Thanks for the reply, No going forward is ok but turning is where I hear the problem. I got under the car and checked the short shafts no play.
Drove home 20 miles no problem, until I made a tight turn and then the noise is there.
Drove home 20 miles no problem, until I made a tight turn and then the noise is there.
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From: Exit 89 GSP,Lakewood,NJ The Land Of Mojo
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Originally Posted by INSANITY
SPIDER GEARS Take it from a busted rear expert... You can check your u joints just jack the car up.... But my money is on the Spider Gears 
Ken, same happened to me three years ago and it has happened to ralph and Panuzzo as well.
Pro
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From: Flower Mound TX
Originally Posted by INSANITY
SPIDER GEARS Take it from a busted rear expert... You can check your u joints just jack the car up.... But my money is on the Spider Gears
Just replaced mine for the same reason! Clunked really bad when I turned right. Had Four broken teeth in the spider gears.
Elite Torch Red Member
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 57,805
Likes: 23
From: Exit 89 GSP,Lakewood,NJ The Land Of Mojo
Cental/South NJ Events Coordinator
CI 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12 Vet
CI-II Burnout & Drag Champ
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07
Ken, I never took it apart to look, I already had a Dana 44 coming, so I replaced it with that.
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From: somers, ny
Ken the spider gears are the weak link of the D44. There really is not bulletrpoof solution. When you see how small they are, you;ll understand.Some aftermarket venders make harden gears, but IMO they are worse. They are too brittle and they tend to gall up the shaft they ride on. I have found stock the GM with a cyro treatment to be the best thus far. However that said.....at your power level, the D44 should hold up to a lot of abuse. I'd just replace the spiders or send the whole diff to be cyro'd and put it back together.
Whatever you do dont drive it until it's fixed and be thankful that one the borken pieces didn;t get wedged and bust the enitre housing or you'd be starting over.
Whatever you do dont drive it until it's fixed and be thankful that one the borken pieces didn;t get wedged and bust the enitre housing or you'd be starting over.
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From: Berlin Maryland
Thanks to everyone,
Spider gears were just turned to powder. Could not find any pieces just powder. But there is a good ending to this story. Got a new rear complete on it's way and should be back together for the 23 RD.
KenCan
Spider gears were just turned to powder. Could not find any pieces just powder. But there is a good ending to this story. Got a new rear complete on it's way and should be back together for the 23 RD.
KenCan
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From: Slidell Louisiana
Its a bolt in however, you need a manual transmission C-beam and drive shaft. They are about an inch shorter than the C-beam and drive shaft on your A4 / D36 combo and since the D44 is about an inch longer than your D 36 you need those parts to equal the stock driveline length.
Mike
Mike
