I've got a pretty good "clunk" when I take off and every time I stop and take off again. I'm thinking a bushing someplace is worn. I do have access to a lift and tools. Now, how tough of a job is it to replace all the rubber bushings in the rear suspension? I figure I might as well replace everything as the car has 102,000 miles on it. Any advice would be helpful, thanks in advance.
First, check the tightness of the four bolts holding the "C-beam" to the transmission and the rear axle. If they're loose, tighten them to the specs in the service manual.
You'll need to remove most of the exhaust to do this.
Would not hurt to check your U-joints given age and mileage. Any one of your 6 could cause a clunk sound.
The suggestion Hib gives you is a good one as well. Since you have access to a lift, you may want to consider starting and stopping the car as you drive it in the air. This should help take any suspension out of the equation. I've done this to a LOT of vehicles for noises.
FYI, I've never ran a C4 Corvette up in the air, not sure if the rear wheels hanging will cause too much of a working angle for the halfshafts and their U-joints. Proceed with caution.
The last time I had it on the lift for oil change, etc., I did check all U joints, did find a little play in the rear gear. However, this clunk comes in once the driveline is under a load, it feels line something is banging against something solid. I'll find it, thanks all for now.
And No it not hard to swap out the Bushings but it took me 2 days to do the complete car front to rear with all the right tools.
But I used a 12 ton Hyd press and have a Propane touch handy heat the rubber bushings up until they start to smoke then press them out makes the job much easyer.
I can remember which ones but a couple have metal sleaves pressed in after you get the rubber bushing out you have to chip the steel old metal housing out I used a air hammer but be very carful not to gouge the aluminum bat wing housing when forcing the steel metal sleave out.
Make sure you lube every thing back up very good before putiing back on the car.
I used the Graphite Impregnated Polyurethane ones yes they cost a little more but I dont want to change them out again for a while.
They sale much cheeper ones I dont know if the last the same or not but I dont want to find out the hard way.
And as long as you have the Bat Wing out you might as well take the diff cover off clean it out real good reseal it and put new oil in it.
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