Danspeed1

Hello,

I have been trying to track down a noise for the past couple of weeks and can't seem to catch what it is. Let me explain what happened. Girlfriend was driving the 89 vette, and hit a killer pot hole on the highway... it was totally unaviodable. Brought the car home with a nasty sound coming from the right rear tire. This is what it sounds like...

The sound goes away intermittently but only for a few seconds, than it comes back. First you hear a loud pop, the same type of pop you hear on a bad soild axle car with C-Clips. Followed by the pop is what sounds like someone jumping on an old spring matress. The matress sound is loud! I thought maybe a brake cable or something got moved and was rubbing so I repositioned everything; no luck. Now I am starting to think its a hub assembly because it is only coming out of one side, and mattress sound doesn't make me feel like it could be any suspension component.

What do you think,
Dan

Muffin

It could be or it may be a suspension component.Jack it up and look, shake, try to move. You will find whatever is making the noise. I would not rule out a bent rim.

Danspeed1

Was underneath it this morning. The vehicle overall is in good shape but for whatever reason the Ujoints were severly rusty and didn't appear to be greased, I know that they are in need of replacement but I don't want to rule them out as the problem because this whole situation occurred after the pot hole incident.

Everything else as far as the suspension goes looks good. I ran the car on some jack stands with the rear lifted off the ground,... no noise. I dumped the clutch at around 1000RPM and the drivetrain shuttered but nothing unusual. If I turn the wheels by hand I can hear a quite squeek but I can't figure out where it is coming from. I think it is safe to rule out things like tierods and bushings at this point.

DG

cmontel727

I would try to a stethoscope to locate the noise. This will give you a clearer idea where the problem is. My guess is probably the u-joint.

Danspeed1

Well, I am still not ruling out the wheel bearing because i know how this sort of thing goes, but I did get both 1/2shafts out today and upon closer inspection it is clear that the one on the pot hole side of the vehicle was completely shattered, I am amazed that the car even made it home. So I will replace them on Monday, and let you guys know how it goes. I already purchased a set of Nepco Brute for U-Joints.

DG

BrianCunningham

Check your lugnut torques. It could have loosened them.

stubbs

I had a similar noise. It was a pop/click metal on metal under load sound that seemed to be coming from the rear wheels, if that makes sense? It drove me insane trying to diagnose the problem. It used to make the sound when the car would start to roll from a dead stop, forward more than reverse. I replaced everything, all my U-joints, sway bar end links, bushings, the list was endless. In the end when I replaced the rear hubs it disappeared. The only giveaway was that the rear wheel had a little play when the car was on the lift. I have since come to find out that the rear hubs often need replacing on the C4's, they are a wear item so to speak, getting 50k is good on a set, when you buy them avoid the cheap ones, or you'll be replacing them again within 2 years.