Help! annoying noise from rear.

[secondchance]

I get this clunking noise, very simillar to bad u-joint, when the rear tire loads up initially, either forward or backwards. Noise goes away when the load is constant. A couple of days ago, local mechanic removed the nut holding stub shaft onto rear hub/bearing assembly and then retightened it. Noise went away for 2 days. And today its coming back. He suggested that I replace the bearing and the stub shaft to get rid of the noise.
Another mechanic, I use to deal with, tells me that he still suspects U-joint. By retorquing, he thinks that it just realigned the u-joint temporarilly.

 

[vigman]

Well replace the U joint for starters.

Heck it's cheap enough... and while everything is pulled out you can inspect the PLAY between the splines... loosen the gorilla nut, if you can feel the play by hand... it's no good!

Or live with the clunk!




Vig!

 

[secondchance]

Sounds like you have experience in this. If its loose, do I need to replace both hub and stub shaft or get away with one or the other?

 

[rrubel]

I've got a similar noise that also sometimes manifests when I slow hard and make a right turn (such as into a parking lot). U-joints have all been recently replaced with no effect on the noise, bearings are fine, halfshaft appeared fine to the (Vette-experienced) mechanic. He's at a loss so I'm living with it until it gets bad enough to trace better.
[RICHR]

 

[secondchance]

According to one of the mechanic, this is due to excessive play between teeth in the bearing hub and splines on the stub shaft.
One mechanic suggests that I coat the spline w/ high pressure moly lube. Another suggesta that i replace both the bearing and the stub shaft.

 

[CorvetteArchives]

Have a similar problem that havent gotten around to fixing. But the problem appeared AFTER I had replaced the hub bearing assemblies...........and my U-joints are only a couple years old....so I doubt either of those are bad in your case.

I suspected I didnt torque the nut properly or the nut loosened...and your experience seems to confirm that suspicion. I didnt use thread locker and was thinking I should have....could it be that simple?

 

[Edmond]

Help with annoying noise from rear.

Just try to stay away from that Taco Bell!:L :L :L

 

[vigman]

It's hard to give a GOOD opinion on the net!

But....if you check the play you will know where the problem is.

I have heard ( rumor mill ) that somebody makes a compound that you coat the splines with to decrease the slop ( used in big rigs ) but that's all the info I have.. and at best that's a band-aid.

A NEW spline and a NEW hub/bearing assy is the only 100% cure.. and over time that will wear out too!


Or you could use the TACO BELL MEAT as a filler

Vig!

 

[rrubel]

Meat?!? When did Taco Hell start using MEAT?

While at Carlisle, I was talking to one of the places that sells rebuilt wheel hubs and bearings - the guy told me it is physically impossible to overtorque the nut that holds on the hub assembly. He claims that he has several customers who have had them come loose at speed - not good.
[RICHR]

 

[vigman]

Well that means one thing!

They forgot to ....

a) Put the cotter pin back!

b) Used the old cotterpin and it broke.



DUH!

Vig!

 

[Edmond]

Re: Well that means one thing!

The forgot to ....

a) Put the cotter pin back!

b) Used the old cotterpin and it broke.



DUH!

Vig!

Anyone who violates on of those common sense rules deserves a beat down! LOL.

 

[rrubel]

Re: Well that means one thing!

a) Put the cotter pin back!

b) Used the old cotterpin and it broke.
[/B]

<shrug>

Just passing on what I was told. I personally think that with the cotter pin and castle nut, that axle nut won't go anywhere - but still might be able to come a little loose. My left-rear castle nut has some small amount of wiggle room between the axle nut and the pin.

[RIChR]

 

[Muddy]

If the noise sounds like a lug nut being dropped in to a steel hubcap it could possibly be your U-Joints. I had the same noise and it went away after I replaced all my U-Joints, on the drive axels. The noise happened only under somewhat heavy load and both forward and reverse directions. Just a thought!

Hope this helps.

Muddy

 

[secondchance]

Thanks guys. i think I'll pull the half shaft, replace u-joints, grease the bearing hub and spline and see what happens.

 

[Yoda]

Have you had the rear brake pads change recently?

BudD

 

[secondchance]

No. I don't think its brake pads. I am quite sure that its either hub/bearing or u-joints.

 

[Muddy]

I am not sure if I would apply grease between the male and female splines on the hub and spline shaft, especially if there is any play there. They rely on a frictional/interference type fit and I just wonder if the grease may make thing worse.



Muddy

 

[compyelc4]

Vetteaholic-

Let me know how this works out. I have a '95 with 18k. Makes the same klunk yours does under the same conditions; hot or cold. Has been doing this since 10k. It has not bothered me enough to do anything about it yet, but I know the heck its there! I seem to be able to control it a bit by going easy on throttle-up when coming out of corners.

Ted

 

[kyote]

Hey, let your sexy, better half diagnose it! Mine came in and said, "The Vette's making a sound. I think the driver's side rear shock mount may be loose." I checked. The driver's side rear shock was loose. Don't you just have to love her?

 

[secondchance]

Ha, ha. Lucky you!