Rear End Clunk Noise
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 65
Likes: 1
From: Palm Desert CA
Rear End Clunk Noise
2001 Auto 55,000 miles. Car recently developed a "clunk" noise coming from the rear when shifting from D To R and if driving under 5mph lightly touching the throttle. Put car on stands, trans in neutral. Rear wheels have 3 inch rollout at at the circumstance. Noise seems to be coming from right rear hub area. Removed wheels, calipers and rotors. Retaining clip on right rear parking brake shoe was loose. Is this the problem or something else? Would like to fix problem myself.
Would appreciate any suggestions. Thanks in advance.
Would appreciate any suggestions. Thanks in advance.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Could be a loose CV Joint output shaft NUT on the center of the rear hub
OR
A bad HUB Bearing
OR
Lost motion in the TT due to a bad coupler of bearing.
Jack ONE rear wheel off the ground. Trans in N parking brake OFF.
Push/Pull the wheel at the 3-9 O clock and 12-6 O clock position. You should have little to no bearing slop in the HUB.
Also try to rotate the wheel CW & CCW. There should be some resistance and then the wheel should rotate. You are checking the limited slop clutches and clutch pack springs.
The big NUT that secures the CV Output shaft to the HUB can and will come loose and make noises. Check the torque on the nut/s
Do the same for the other wheel.
Report results.
OR
A bad HUB Bearing
OR
Lost motion in the TT due to a bad coupler of bearing.
Jack ONE rear wheel off the ground. Trans in N parking brake OFF.
Push/Pull the wheel at the 3-9 O clock and 12-6 O clock position. You should have little to no bearing slop in the HUB.
Also try to rotate the wheel CW & CCW. There should be some resistance and then the wheel should rotate. You are checking the limited slop clutches and clutch pack springs.
The big NUT that secures the CV Output shaft to the HUB can and will come loose and make noises. Check the torque on the nut/s
Do the same for the other wheel.
Report results.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 65
Likes: 1
From: Palm Desert CA
Clunk in Rear End
Could be a loose CV Joint output shaft NUT on the center of the rear hub
OR
A bad HUB Bearing
OR
Lost motion in the TT due to a bad coupler of bearing.
Jack ONE rear wheel off the ground. Trans in N parking brake OFF.
Push/Pull the wheel at the 3-9 O clock and 12-6 O clock position. You should have little to no bearing slop in the HUB.
Also try to rotate the wheel CW & CCW. There should be some resistance and then the wheel should rotate. You are checking the limited slop clutches and clutch pack springs.
The big NUT that secures the CV Output shaft to the HUB can and will come loose and make noises. Check the torque on the nut/s
Do the same for the other wheel.
Report results.
OR
A bad HUB Bearing
OR
Lost motion in the TT due to a bad coupler of bearing.
Jack ONE rear wheel off the ground. Trans in N parking brake OFF.
Push/Pull the wheel at the 3-9 O clock and 12-6 O clock position. You should have little to no bearing slop in the HUB.
Also try to rotate the wheel CW & CCW. There should be some resistance and then the wheel should rotate. You are checking the limited slop clutches and clutch pack springs.
The big NUT that secures the CV Output shaft to the HUB can and will come loose and make noises. Check the torque on the nut/s
Do the same for the other wheel.
Report results.
Thanks for your suggestions Bill.
I checked all suspension nuts per the Service Manual torque specs and none were loose. The Output shaft nuts were about 115. Tightened them to 140 as I have seen that recommended on the forum.
Surprisingly, the rear end took 13 oz of fluid before it started coming out the fill hole. I have never seen a drop of any fluid on my garage floor.
No wheel movement on the push/pull. Both wheels had about 3 in rollout at the wheel circumference moving them cw then ccw.
Drove the car. No more clunk. Must have been the output shaft nuts or low fluid.
Thanks again Bill
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 904
Likes: 296
From: Sacramento, California
My 02Z just started making a similar noise. I get a clunk/pop noise when engaging the clutch in 1st or 2nd and when lightly giving it gas in 1st and 2nd, basically loading and unloading the drivetrain at low speeds. It sounds very similar to a bad u-joint when your on and off the gas. I've narrowed down the noise to the drivers side wheel/hub area, so I suspect it's a loose axle nut. After reading about this problem it looks like I need to lube the splines, add some locktite to the axle nut and torque to 160 ft pounds per the TSB. Does this sound right? Anything else I should check that could make this noise in that area? Thanks.
Steve
Steve
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 3,534
Likes: 432
From: Atlantic Beach FL.
Mine was the lug nuts believe it or not. If they are not tight enough the brake rotors will slip a little along the spindle hubs.
Old thread but I hope this helps.
Old thread but I hope this helps.
Last edited by Rob 02; Feb 18, 2018 at 09:24 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 904
Likes: 296
From: Sacramento, California
So it turns out my clunk/pop noise was the rear axle nuts being loose. I was able to remove both axle nuts fairly easy, less than 100 ft pounds for sure. I removed the nuts on both axles, pushed the shafts in, cleaned and lubed the splines, put locktite on the threads, installed new nuts and torqued to 160 ft pounds. All is well now! 
Steve
Steve
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