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Help clicking noise

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Old Jun 17, 2013 | 09:55 AM
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Default Help clicking noise

I have a 1986 vette. It started making a sound like a tin can was attached to the back drivers side wheel as I accelerate and when I start to slow down. This just started as I was leaving my moms. My friend took the back wheel off and couldn't see anything visible wrong. I have appointment today for it to be looked at. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Owen1986
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Old Jun 17, 2013 | 10:29 AM
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Sounds like a wheel bearing to me
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Old Jun 17, 2013 | 11:45 AM
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Have the half shaft U joints checked when they are going bad most of the time you can see a red colored rust around the joints.

Any movement in the joint is bad but I doubt that yours have gone that far one of the tell tale sounds of a U joint going bad is a high pitched squeaking when you go into reverse or at low speed moving forward.
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Old Jun 17, 2013 | 12:19 PM
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Seems like I just saw a thread that mentioned this type of noise. IIRC it was due to the plastic shim needing replacement on the rear hub.

Edit: Found the thread: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c4-t...e-washers.html
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Old Jun 17, 2013 | 02:28 PM
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Originally Posted by JoeUser
Seems like I just saw a thread that mentioned this type of noise. IIRC it was due to the plastic shim needing replacement on the rear hub.

Edit: Found the thread: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c4-t...e-washers.html
..................
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Old Jun 17, 2013 | 02:42 PM
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Originally Posted by bob guzzy
Have the half shaft U joints checked when they are going bad most of the time you can see a red colored rust around the joints.

Any movement in the joint is bad but I doubt that yours have gone that far one of the tell tale sounds of a U joint going bad is a high pitched squeaking when you go into reverse or at low speed moving forward.
I had the same "click" and it turned out to be a frozen half shaft u-joint.
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Old Jun 17, 2013 | 03:58 PM
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Originally Posted by ejscarfo
I had the same "click" and it turned out to be a frozen half shaft u-joint.
Agreed, could be one or the other (or both). If it were me, I'd check the u-joints first and if those were fine replace the plastic washers/shims.
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Old Jun 19, 2013 | 06:18 AM
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Originally Posted by bob guzzy
Have the half shaft U joints checked when they are going bad most of the time you can see a red colored rust around the joints.

Any movement in the joint is bad but I doubt that yours have gone that far one of the tell tale sounds of a U joint going bad is a high pitched squeaking when you go into reverse or at low speed moving forward.


All the power goes thru those universal joints, the half shafts have the added problem of heat from the brakes. You usually find the uni joints closest to the wheel dry and squeaking/clicking .
I tend to replace the half shaft universal joints every3 to 4 years on average, depending on how much h/p goes thru them and how hard you are on the brakes. The heat will damage the universal joint seals and the grease escapes then it just gets worse and they tend to almost weld together.
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Old Jun 19, 2013 | 11:08 PM
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Default same thing

I had the same thing, occasional clicking sound, usually on the drive side of the train. Sometimes it would go away for several days.

Just finished rebuilding both half shafts and shims today. What a work out!

It took about ten hours eleven hours to do the first side, six hours to do the second side. This includes a LOT of cleaning time, so don't despair.

I would say if you just R&R you can do a side in about three to four hours.

My Driver's side outboard U joints where POOCHED! One cap had no needle bearings left at all, NONE, it was empty!!! The other cap ranged from half length needles to crushed needles to powder!

I sure didn't want to do the passenger side today but bit the bullet....good thing I did. The pass side was close to catching a flight south also.
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Old Jun 19, 2013 | 11:17 PM
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THANK YOU ALL! I'm so surprised that many took the time to help me, thank you. Before I check my mail I purchased 6 ujoints and a set of rear brake pads. I had taken car to where I had front brakes done explained what was going on and of course after 3 hours they let me know they couldn't find or see where the problem is coming from. I asked abt the Ujoints and was told they didn't do that work? So I called upon a friend who after test driving it said he was sure it was Ujoint. I decided after finding out there were 6 of them to have all 6 done at same time. Of course he hasn't put it up on rack til tomorrow. Your replies included: Plastic Shim needing replaced &/or the Half Shafts located nearest to the brakes. I will address these 2 things w/him tomorrow. THANK YOU THANK YOU, you have no idea how much this means to me. Sincerely, Owen1986
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Old Jun 19, 2013 | 11:34 PM
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Default Clicking noise thanks

since im new to forum, I posted my happenings and very, very thankful thanks under my post sorry but please know im grateful for all the help and im certain to return soon. Please read my reply of thanks under my post
thank you
owen1986
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Old Jun 19, 2013 | 11:51 PM
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Default Diy

Dude, this is a job you should think about doing yourself. It will cost you a ton of money to have a shop do it. First off I doubt very much you will need to change the driveshaft U joints.

For much less than you will pay for labour you can buy all the tools, including torque wrenches, do it yourself, learn about yourself and your car, and you will have a pretty respectable set of tools when you are done.

JM2CW
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Old Jun 20, 2013 | 10:48 PM
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DIY:
Thank you for your reply also, after looking more into researching etc/the job if that's what's going on is very costly labor. I've never knowledge myself in mechanics but always had sports vehicle's this is my second vette and im f/55 widowed 9/23/11 so been spoiled and ignorant
for not learning especially on a vette. Hard to know what to do but need to fix asap. as the meaning behind the car is more value to me. I hope im back on the road soon.
best regards,
owen1986
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Old Jun 20, 2013 | 11:30 PM
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Find someone locally who knows something about mechanical stuff, you buy the beer, and learn from the process. The second side takes about 1/3rd the time as the first side once you've been through it once.
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Old Jun 21, 2013 | 02:55 PM
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With ~100k miles on the clock my '88 developed a "clicking" in the RR upon acceleration. When I pulled the wheel and rotated the rotor I could see the half-shaft moved but there was a slight lag at the inner U-joint.

A recommended Checy dealer in CT replaced both U-joints for ~$350, as I do not have the facility to get that deeply into R&R.

Hope your '86 is back on the road soon...
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