Fed Up
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 166
Likes: 0
From: Washington MI
Fed Up
I am so fed up with this rear end clunk/noise. This is the 4th time this issue has occurred, and now this time I notice the clunking noise when I accelerate in 1st gear or in reverse. I don't know if I even want to bring it back to the dealer. Has anyone else experienced this issue more than I have? And does anyone have any recommendations on what I should do? I appreciate all of your input.
Thanks
~Steve~
Thanks
~Steve~
Pro
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 555
Likes: 25
From: Jefferson County Alabama
do a search on the forum; it's been a major player
change your rearend differentail fluid w/ Amsoil and the extra additive; there are other similar oils , too
my clunking got so bad that it sounded as if the diff plates were seizing; when i would drive off, the rear diff would pop and sound terrible; i put amsoil in almost 2 yrs and 13k : no noise
dont let the dealer tell you that you need to change out the rear end
change your rearend differentail fluid w/ Amsoil and the extra additive; there are other similar oils , too
my clunking got so bad that it sounded as if the diff plates were seizing; when i would drive off, the rear diff would pop and sound terrible; i put amsoil in almost 2 yrs and 13k : no noise
dont let the dealer tell you that you need to change out the rear end
Team Owner
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St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'10
Can you please take a shot at being a little more descript about the problem? You state "when you accelerate in first or reverse". Is this straight line acceleration? Is it during slow turning acceleration that brings it out?
You say this is the fourth time you've experienced it. Could you please tell us what was done at the dealer during the other three visits? Has the problem always been the same problem? Similar problem or just a different noise but seeming to come from the same area.
Can you also be more descriptive of the noise that you describe as a "clunk"?
You say this is the fourth time you've experienced it. Could you please tell us what was done at the dealer during the other three visits? Has the problem always been the same problem? Similar problem or just a different noise but seeming to come from the same area.
Can you also be more descriptive of the noise that you describe as a "clunk"?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,611
Likes: 5
From: Thousand Oaks California
I am so fed up with this rear end clunk/noise. This is the 4th time this issue has occurred, and now this time I notice the clunking noise when I accelerate in 1st gear or in reverse. I don't know if I even want to bring it back to the dealer. Has anyone else experienced this issue more than I have? And does anyone have any recommendations on what I should do? I appreciate all of your input.
Thanks
~Steve~
Thanks
~Steve~
Might be worth greasing the rear axle splines at the hubs and also replacing and torquing the axle nuts. This can cause a clicking noise.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,962
Likes: 29
From: Van Buren Arkansas
Wounded Warrior Escort '11
I was having a similar problem but the clunking only happened driving slow in parking lots and etc... after several trips to the dealer, fluid changes and etc...from this forum, I had told them others had problems with the "end-links". They finally got to looking at them and found the rear ones were bad and lose. Yes, Z51 in my case. They replaced them, no more clunking. Oh, have them check the axle nuts too....
Team Owner
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From: I live my life by 2 rules. 1) Never share everything you know. 2)
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13, '16-'17-'18
My '07 developed not only a clunk at slow speeds (when the rear wheels didn't evenly move, such as would happen when one dipped in a depression and the other didn't) but a definite sound that can only be described as a "moaning squeak". Turned out to be the bushings on the rear tranverse spring. It was a warranty repair and the whole spring assembly was replaced.
It's been fine ever since.
It's been fine ever since.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 166
Likes: 0
From: Washington MI
Can you please take a shot at being a little more descript about the problem? You state "when you accelerate in first or reverse". Is this straight line acceleration? Is it during slow turning acceleration that brings it out?
You say this is the fourth time you've experienced it. Could you please tell us what was done at the dealer during the other three visits? Has the problem always been the same problem? Similar problem or just a different noise but seeming to come from the same area.
Can you also be more descriptive of the noise that you describe as a "clunk"?
You say this is the fourth time you've experienced it. Could you please tell us what was done at the dealer during the other three visits? Has the problem always been the same problem? Similar problem or just a different noise but seeming to come from the same area.
Can you also be more descriptive of the noise that you describe as a "clunk"?
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Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2007
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St. Jude Donor '08 thru '13
Sounds like you have something moving when you put a load on the drivetrain.
Check all your endlinks, sway bar bushings, etc. Also check your axle nuts. All these things can be done in your garage in short order, time wise.
Check all your endlinks, sway bar bushings, etc. Also check your axle nuts. All these things can be done in your garage in short order, time wise.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 166
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From: Washington MI
Thanks
~Steve~
2nd Gear
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: Lincolnton NC
My neighbor works at the company that produces these rear ends, give me a little more information and I'll ask him, he does the problem evaluations or returned units from GM. Does it just do it in a turn, hard acceleration, etc. He did say they had a recall to change the grease if it's making a popping sound!!!!
I am so fed up with this rear end clunk/noise. This is the 4th time this issue has occurred, and now this time I notice the clunking noise when I accelerate in 1st gear or in reverse. I don't know if I even want to bring it back to the dealer. Has anyone else experienced this issue more than I have? And does anyone have any recommendations on what I should do? I appreciate all of your input.
Thanks
~Steve~
Thanks
~Steve~
Last edited by Grumpy; Mar 28, 2009 at 04:47 AM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 166
Likes: 0
From: Washington MI
Showed my cousin who is a Ford technician the noise and he said it sounded like the axle nuts are loose. I am taking it today to a friend of his performance shop to have the exhaust aligned so we will also check the axle nuts.
Thanx
Steve
Thanx
Steve
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,492
Likes: 807
From: West coast CA
Yes, I notice it more now during straight acceleration. I do hear it a little bit on turns or in parking lots. The dealer changed the fluid out all 3 times. And yes, it seems to be a similar problem and is coming from the same area. My car is a MN6 Z51 by the way. The clunk noise is not very loud, just a slight solid click when I disengage the clutch. But I don't hear the noise when I'm just cruising or shifting between other gears. Like I said, it is only noticed in first gear or reverse.
Does it happen ONCE (per side, anyway) when you accelerate, and not again until you lift off the gas (usually somewhat abruptly, in a low gear)? That is, does it seem correlated with torque reversal on the driveline? Is it more of a sharp "creak" than a clunk or warble? If not, you can ignore the rest of this message.
If so, it sounds like the outboard axle splines. They need to be greased. Here's the trick, though: greasing the splines alone is insufficient. You need to pull the half-shafts all the way out of the hub and grease the flat at the base of the splines, or the noise will come back pronto. Just tightening the axle nuts is a non-fix.
I used Honda Moly 60 on mine and it's been silent for 15K miles.
Last edited by torquetube; Mar 28, 2009 at 12:03 PM.