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Brakes go THUNK!

USNA1969

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 12, 2005
Messages
93
Location
Maryland
Corvette
1972 Big Block/4-Speed
When I step on the brakes, I hear and feel a thunk, seemingly from the left front wheel. It seems to be worse when the car is rolling backward, although that could be my imagination. Any ideas?
Thanks.
 
You need to get it up on a lift, or perhaps go to one of those "Kwik-Lube" places and ask if you can get under the car there. Another thought is to go to a reputable alignment shop and have the car completely checked out.

I'm guessing here, but it could be worn control arm bushings, worn ball joint, a shock mount, tie rod end, or sway bar mount. Possibly the brake caliper is shifting on it's mount. All of these items can be readily diagnosed at an alignment shop.

Highly recommend you get it checked before driving it much longer. You'll want to be safe and nip any problem in the bud before it becomes worse and, thus, more $$$. Good luck. :)

Rick
:gap
 
Agree with RnR....when mine starting doing this I found the upper A arm bushings almost gone....there may be a little play on the caliper and mount but I would be surprised if this wasn't something to do with the front suspension....

Good luck let us know what ya find.
 
Any missing cats in the neighborhood?

Reminds me of the time my wife came out of Wal-Mart to find her cat sitting on top of her car. As she walked towards her car, she wondered how it got there. When she got closer she noticed it was covered in oil*, only had half a tail, and was generally not in a good mood.



* The car was a Beretta that used/leaked more than a quart a week. This was before we were married and I started maintaining her car.


Semper Fidelis,
Culprit
USNA '99
 
Brakes Go THUNK - Solved

Thanks for the advice. Now that I finally got back to it, I found the cause of the problem by rooting all around the left front wheel. It appears that the alignment shop forget to tighten the shim retaining nuts on the left front and, as a result, all of the shims are gone. At least it's an easy fix.

Again, thanks for the help.
 

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