clicking noises from the rear
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,606
Likes: 1
From: Las Cruces NM
clicking noises from the rear
Maybe you guys can offer some suggestions. The car has developped a clicking noise, sounding like when you put baseball cards in a bike's spokes. It is only audible when at slow speeds and either decelerating or coasting. I can't hear it under acceleration, but it may just be that the engine and wind noise covers it up. It seems to be coming from the left rear. I checked to see if there was anything contacting the half shafts or driveshaft and, even though I didn't put it up on a lift, nothing seemed to be contacting a ratating part.
I'm at a loss and I just hope it isn't something too serious, it isn't too easy to get parts out here.
Thanks
Chris
I'm at a loss and I just hope it isn't something too serious, it isn't too easy to get parts out here.
Thanks
Chris
Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 48
Likes: 0
From: Pocatello Idaho
Re: clicking noises from the rear (okinawa86vette)
I had a clicking noise on my 87 right rear. I lifted the rear end up, started the car and stuck it in drive. I found out it was my universal joints on the right rear axle. 20 bucks and I did it my self, took about 3 hours. Dealership wanted about 500 bucks. Hope this helps!
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,606
Likes: 1
From: Las Cruces NM
Re: clicking noises from the rear (urtoslo)
Well, I ordered the new U-joint after double checking the lugs and test driving it.
Not too bad, 19 dollars or so, and I ordered an extra just in case along with an extra drive shaft one for about 13 bucks.
The more I think about it and ask around, the more likely it seems to be a bad u-joint. When I jack up the rear, what can I look for, or do I just listen to see which one is bad? I don't mean to sound dumb, but this is the first car I've owned with an independent rear. My Trans Am back in the states is a straight axle car and so was my pickup before that.
Thanks for the help.
Chris
Not too bad, 19 dollars or so, and I ordered an extra just in case along with an extra drive shaft one for about 13 bucks.
The more I think about it and ask around, the more likely it seems to be a bad u-joint. When I jack up the rear, what can I look for, or do I just listen to see which one is bad? I don't mean to sound dumb, but this is the first car I've owned with an independent rear. My Trans Am back in the states is a straight axle car and so was my pickup before that.
Thanks for the help.
Chris
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 11,813
Likes: 32
From: Work
St. Jude Donor '09
Re: clicking noises from the rear (okinawa86vette)
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 83,383
Likes: 87
From: Boston, MA
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,606
Likes: 1
From: Las Cruces NM
Re: (scorp508)
Thanks for the great page, scorp. It will be very helpful. I swapped in the rear end myself, so getting it apart isn't too bad, but I've never swapped a u-joint
Thanks, hopefully it is the u-joint now that i've ordered the parts.
Still open to other suggestions on what it might be though.
Thank you. guys
Chris
Thanks, hopefully it is the u-joint now that i've ordered the parts.
Still open to other suggestions on what it might be though.
Thank you. guys
Chris
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 3,019
Likes: 0
From: down that one road next to that big tree
Re: (okinawa86vette)
your really going to regret the $19 U-joint, unless you baby your car they don't hold up. i went through 4 of these in under 1 year. here's a pic of a $19 MAD u joint with 3 months of driving on street tires. no slicks or DR's even. 
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Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,606
Likes: 1
From: Las Cruces NM
Re: (gtsyellow)
The $20 U-Joints from summit were listed as heavy duty. The ones I saw listed from a couple other places were normal duty but cost about the same.
Either way, it doesn't matter too much since the U-joints turned out to check out ok. I jacked up the back and the rear wheels have a ton of play in them. Dead give away of bad wheel bearings. The u-joints seemed solid and there was no play in the half-shafts or axle.
Either way, it doesn't matter too much since the U-joints turned out to check out ok. I jacked up the back and the rear wheels have a ton of play in them. Dead give away of bad wheel bearings. The u-joints seemed solid and there was no play in the half-shafts or axle.
Pro
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 529
Likes: 0
From: Bellevue NE
Re: (okinawa86vette)
Oki,
I would still replace the u-joints. I just went through this with mine. I had the exact same clicking noise, turned out to be my driveshaft joints. And they were brand new. :mad I doubt the wheel bearings would make the same sound. It can be hard to track it down also as the sound can travel down the hollow shafts. I thought mine was coming from the left rear. I pulled the driveshaft and spun the rear tires(by hand on jackstands), no noise, put the driveshaft back in and spun the tires again clicking. Not sure which one was bad just replaced them both.
I would still replace the u-joints. I just went through this with mine. I had the exact same clicking noise, turned out to be my driveshaft joints. And they were brand new. :mad I doubt the wheel bearings would make the same sound. It can be hard to track it down also as the sound can travel down the hollow shafts. I thought mine was coming from the left rear. I pulled the driveshaft and spun the rear tires(by hand on jackstands), no noise, put the driveshaft back in and spun the tires again clicking. Not sure which one was bad just replaced them both.
