>
> On Thu, 28 Jul 1994, Douglas Mitchell wrote:
> >
> > Have you checked the u-joints? This sounds very much like a u-joint symptom.
>
> I got under the car yesterday and gave it a thourough inspections. I
> believe that the clunking is being caused by some slop in the
> differential. The U-joints are in great shape. However, I can turn the
> differential almost 1/2 inch before it engages.
>
>
If you are seeing that much play in the diff., and there appears to be
no slop in the u-joints, then I would suspect a bad pinion gear, and
lots of work. The best way to check for this is to put the rear end
(of the car) in the air, set the parking brake, grab the drive shaft,
and watch for movement in the pinion. If you see a lot of movement in
the pinion, then that's your problem. I know that on my Spitfire, I had
a severe rear end clunk, took it to the dealer, and they told me that
the diff was bad. I picked up a used diff at a wrecking yard, put it
in, and the clunk went to a screetch. After arriving at a meet, I was
told that the u-joints were bad. I checked the u-j's with a screwdriver,
- no play. I lubed the rear wheel bearings, and drove home cautiously.
I had the rear wheel bearings replaced, and the noise went away - for a few
days. when it returned, I decided that the only thing in the rear end
that hadn't been replaced that could cause the noise was the u-joints.
After pulling the u-j's, I discovered that on one side, the opposing set
of needles were dust, and on t'other side they weren't much better.
Check the diff, but unless the u-joints are brand new, don't count them
out.
Doug Mitchell - ashes to ashes and dust to dust, but that's ridiculous.
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