Clunking noise

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by rads42

After all of this I put the car in gear and rocked it back and fourth and when I do that I can hear the noise. It seems to be coming from the drivers side rear wheel area but I can't pinpoint it. If I'm in the car it sounds like its coming from the wheel, if I'm outside the car (near the wheel) it sounds like its coming from closer to the center of the car. I'm inclined to thing its closer to the wheel because with that panel off I think it would be obvious if it were in or near the differential. Anybody have any suggestions?

It can only be a couple of things, unless something is loose and you didn't spot it, so the only advice I'll throw in is not to be buffaloed by the sound of the trap doors that flap in the gas tank when you push the car back and forth. Assuming that's not it, put your car up on 2 x 10's and get under the car while someone else does the shoving. Don't just listen, but actually put your hands on the half shaft u-joints, the differential, and drive shaft u-joints, everything. If there is something misbehaving, you can feel it in your hands when you hear the ker-chunk. Just make sure your buddy doesn't push the car off the ends of the planks on to your chest. That will make for a very bad day. But I wouldn't even think about yanking a half shaft out until I was damn sure I knew what the problem was.