Help! I've got a "CLINK"!

[Just Bren]

:ugh I noticed it last week and then again today while driving, well actually, when shifting gears. It's right after it's put in gear, I hear a CLINK from the back like maybe gears clicking or something metal shifting back there and just CLINK! :eyerole Yea, we haven't looked at it yet but just curious on some ideas of what to look for. Again, it's only when shifting, not normal driving.

Oh yeah, remember I'm a noob to these beasts so don't be too harsh on me! :bash Thanks in advance!

 

[Toms007]

Brenda, I can't help you with the clink, but you must have us confused with "another" forum if you think we will be hard on you. One of the other forums is notorious for that type of behavior. Here at CAC we are very friendly. Hopefully someone will be along to give you some guidance on you 'Clink'.

 

[boomdriver]

:ugh I noticed it last week and then again today while driving, well actually, when shifting gears. It's right after it's put in gear, I hear a CLINK from the back like maybe gears clicking or something metal shifting back there and just CLINK! :eyerole Yea, we haven't looked at it yet but just curious on some ideas of what to look for. Again, it's only when shifting, not normal driving.

Oh yeah, remember I'm a noob to these beasts so don't be too harsh on me! :bash Thanks in advance!

Brenda, welcome !

Regarding your clink...

Try sitting in the car and shifting from rev to forward back to rev....if the clink is pretty consistant with each shift then its pretty safe to say it time for some U-Joints... :ugh




If its starting to click as you roll away from a stop,...the joint is close to failing.

You own 6. Two on each side and 2 down the middle (most fun to change). It all can be done at home but the car needs to be up on some good solid jacks because someone will be spending a few hrs underneath it.

Shop for solid U-joints (IMO) without grease zerks. The holes drilled for the zerks weaken the joint and once installed they cannot be greased without some hassle and a needle type grease gun and thats iffy on some. The solid non-servicable zerks are sealed and greased for life.

That sound somes from the slop in the joint that dings the hollow tube (drive shaft or half shaft). The shifting back and forth makes it bang back and forth. Once you hear the clinking.....you might only have a few easy hundred miles before the shaft falls out...so go slow and start shopping around.

Only other possibility would be the wheel bearing but thats usually more of a clunk...Easy to test...jack up car and wiggle wheel in/out holding at top/bottom. Any movement indicates a bad bearing. This should be done every few months to stay ahead of maint cost. I've always believed it was nice to know what was coming rather than wait until it got here when I wasn't prepared.

 

[Just Bren]

Brenda, I can't help you with the clink, but you must have us confused with "another" forum if you think we will be hard on you. One of the other forums is notorious for that type of behavior. Here at CAC we are very friendly. Hopefully someone will be along to give you some guidance on you 'Clink'.

I didn't mean to offend. These stems back to my Mustang days.

Brenda, welcome !

Regarding your clink...

Try sitting in the car and shifting from rev to forward back to rev....if the clink is pretty consistant with each shift then its pretty safe to say it time for some U-Joints... :ugh




If its starting to click as you roll away from a stop,...the joint is close to failing.

You own 6. Two on each side and 2 down the middle (most fun to change). It all can be done at home but the car needs to be up on some good solid jacks because someone will be spending a few hrs underneath it.

Shop for solid U-joints (IMO) without grease zerks. The holes drilled for the zerks weaken the joint and once installed they cannot be greased without some hassle and a needle type grease gun and thats iffy on some. The solid non-servicable zerks are sealed and greased for life.

That sound somes from the slop in the joint that dings the hollow tube (drive shaft or half shaft). The shifting back and forth makes it bang back and forth. Once you hear the clinking.....you might only have a few easy hundred miles before the shaft falls out...so go slow and start shopping around.

Only other possibility would be the wheel bearing but thats usually more of a clunk...Easy to test...jack up car and wiggle wheel in/out holding at top/bottom. Any movement indicates a bad bearing. This should be done every few months to stay ahead of maint cost. I've always believed it was nice to know what was coming rather than wait until it got here when I wasn't prepared.

Thank you! I told my husband about it the other day. He said after the new tires it got better. Well I drove it today and no, its not better. Grrrr ad

 

[John Robinson]

To add to what Boomdriver said when driving try to suddenly lift off the throttle and then back on enough to retention the drive line. If you hear it then that is a good indication it is a U Joint. Just guessing but My money is on the left side half shaft U Joints because they are always running slightly under load from the crown on most roads. If that is the case you can change the joints yourself as Boomdriver indicated with jack stands. If you do have to replace the half shaft joints contact me and I will tell you how I did mine.

 

[Just Bren]

Is it possible they might just need to be greased? I called my local shop to see if they would peek and at least let me know, at no cost of course, and they said they would let me know if it was u-joints but said if it was, they wouldn't do it. Said it was a PITA. :L

 

[catbert]

My 98 clinked, my 07 clincked, my 05 SSR clinks and so does my 03. pretty much ignore it.

 

[Just Bren]

My 98 clinked, my 07 clincked, my 05 SSR clinks and so does my 03. pretty much ignore it.

Ummm yeah, unfortunately, I'm too paranoid NOT to have it checked out. Don't want to be cruising down the road and have the bottom drop out on me! :ugh

 

[John Robinson]

I had the same response from my mechanic. They just plain refused to do the U Joints at any cost. I got some advice from GMJunkie and $40.00 and 3 hours later it was back on the ground ready to roll.

 

[Just Bren]

Thanks. I want to make sure that's what it is first before I stick my hubby under it. I haven't had it checked out since I bought it so prob a good ideas to have a peek at the underside. while it's on a lift

 

[boomdriver]

Thanks. I want to make sure that's what it is first before I stick my hubby under it. I haven't had it checked out since I bought it so prob a good ideas to have a peek at the underside. while it's on a lift

These so called "mechanics" in these wanna be shops these days are SISSYS...

Brenda, you can do this and not break a nail....

To do half shafts...

jack car up.. Lay under and remove strap bolts from both u-joints on a half shaft. Lay perpendicular to chassis and press feet against wheel or spindle and push outward. 3lb drive shaft literally drops in your lap....only takes 1/2" of movement.

reassemble in reverse order by pressing out and holding shaft in place and releasing the spindle. If its stuborn remove lower strut rod to give more swing room outward.
Done this many times. Just be comfortable with the jacks......

Center drive line....remove C-beam. remove straps on joints. Falls out. This one just takes more tools and effort and maybe one more hand. These local fix-it shops can't do it with pliars and vice-grips so they pass to avoid letting the client see how inept they really are. Shameful that they call themselves mechanics.

I might pass on passenger side spark plugs on a C4....but not u-joints. too easy. worst case is getting dirty. whaaa whaaa :cry

 

[Just Bren]

Lmao ok, thanks! I don't mind getting dirty but dang out, don't break my nails!

 

[Toms007]

I didn't mean to offend. These stems back to my Mustang days.

You didn't offend me or anyone else. I was just trying to let you know, that doesn't happen here too often and when it does we try to take care of it.

After reading what other have said, I remember that after my trip down the "Tail of the Dragon" I started getting a light squeak. I ended up replacing all 6 U-joints. Not exactly what you are describing though. My 99 Silverado pickup had a noticeable clunk when I would put it in gear, I checked it out and figured it was just a little slack in the rear differential, never worried about it after that and was still going strong when I traded it with 130k on the clock.

 

[Hib Halverson]

Brendaaaaaaaaaaa-

Welcome to the CAC.

I'm going to guess rear axle shaft thrust washers or universial joints.

Considering the car's age, if you find one faulty joint, I'd replace all six....two in the prop shaft and four in the "half" shafts.

 

[vetteoz]

Brenda, you can do this and not break a nail....

How to ,with pics for beginners

C4 Corvette Half-Shaft Universal Joint Replacement

 

[C3RVETTE]

KLINK! -- Hogan's Heroes--Heil Klink! - YouTube

 

[thearborbarber]

I didn't mean to offend. These stems back to my Mustang days.



Thank you! I told my husband about it the other day. He said after the new tires it got better. Well I drove it today and no, its not better. Grrrr ad

Did someone say mustang

 

[Toms007]

How to ,with pics for beginners

C4 Corvette Half-Shaft Universal Joint Replacement

These are the same instructions that I used when I did my 94.

 

[boomdriver]

Corvette half shaft joints are one of those things that are scarey the first time around, then after you do it once you see how easy it really is.

I think the worst part of the deal is the jacking and pulling wheels...

 

[geekinavette]

That "klink" does not necessarily mean a bad U joint.

To expand on where Hib was going...

The C4 axle spline to hub interface sometimes has some slack in it, even when the axle nut is tightened to spec. This allows a slight rotation of the axle inside of the hub. When this axle and hub start to oxidize (surface rust) then the joint can "jump" when you take off or change directions and you get the "klink" sound which is just the slack of the axle/hub splines being taken up. The "klink" sound comes from the hollow axle shafts. GM added a thrust washer (PN 14076924 in the picture) between the axle and hub to help tighten up this interface...some of the earlier C4s didn't have them. Also adding some anti-sieze to the splines helps this "klink" a lot.