Rear end clunk

teeje

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I have thoroughly searched the web and forum on this issue but I can't seem to find anything.

Whenever I hit a bump I hear a clunk like something is rattling. There was a car meet today and someone showed up that has the same issue. I've checked the sway bar and that's good. Control arms don't have any play and I've tried rocking the car side to side and found nothing. Any ideas? Sounds as if it's coming from the rear driver side

08 gt manual by the way.
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Totheboards

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The lower bolt for my rear shock wasn't tightened enough one time. The small clearance between the mounting hole in the shock and the bolt's shank was the noise I heard. Sounded similar to worn bushings.
 

teeje

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The lower bolt for my rear shock wasn't tightened enough one time. The small clearance between the mounting hole in the shock and the bolt's shank was the noise I heard. Sounded similar to worn bushings.
What about the nuts on the upper shock in the trunk? Seems very easy to turn with a wrench. Maybe 5-8 ftlbs of force to move them. I tried to tighten them but the shock bolt just spins


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07 Boss

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What about the nuts on the upper shock in the trunk? Seems very easy to turn with a wrench. Maybe 5-8 ftlbs of force to move them. I tried to tighten them but the shock bolt just spins


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You need to hold the shaft from the shock when you tighten that bolt or it will just spin and spin. How compressed does the bushing look? I usually tighten those down until the bushing gets good and squished.

Check all your other connections. Sway bar end links seem to come to mind but that usually occurs on the front end. Check panhard bar and all of your bushings. I have aftermarket control arms but mine clunked a little before I replaced the worn out poly bushings. Don't know if the stock rubber ones will make the same noise as they wear out, but it can't hurt to look at them.
 

teeje

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You need to hold the shaft from the shock when you tighten that bolt or it will just spin and spin. How compressed does the bushing look? I usually tighten those down until the bushing gets good and squished.

Check all your other connections. Sway bar end links seem to come to mind but that usually occurs on the front end. Check panhard bar and all of your bushings. I have aftermarket control arms but mine clunked a little before I replaced the worn out poly bushings. Don't know if the stock rubber ones will make the same noise as they wear out, but it can't hurt to look at them.
Doesn't seem very squished I actually just got home. Where and what should I hold it with

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RocketcarX

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The top of the shock stud is/was hexed...a 1/4 inch drive socket of the correct size and a ratchet wrench would have done it.
 

SVT Rider

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For my rear shocks, I had to get a good hold with vice grips on the shaft in the wheel well (between the shock's plastic shroud and the inner rubber bushing). The vice grips would rotate with the shaft until the tool wedged against the inner wheel well frame. At that point, you can torque down the nut to the appropriate 30 lb-ft.

Kind of a stupid design leaving the shaft able to rotate, and my best guess is they figure most shops will just use a impact wrench to cinch it down onto the bushing.
 
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teeje

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For my rear shocks, I had to get a good hold with vice grips on the shaft in the wheel well (between the plastic shroud and the inner rubber bushing). The vice grips would rotate with the shaft until the tool wedged against the inner wheel well frame. At that point, you can torque down the nut to the appropriate 30 lb-ft.

Kind of a stupid design leaving the shaft able to rotate, and my best guess is they figure most shops will just use a impact wrench to cinch it down onto the bushing.
Tried an electric impact. Should I try a pneumatic one? I have one as well

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SeanD

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Check out your exhaust hangers. Sometimes the rubber isolators rip inside them and the exhausts hanger now can bounce off of the mount.
 

teeje

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Check out your exhaust hangers. Sometimes the rubber isolators rip inside them and the exhausts hanger now can bounce off of the mount.
Don't have stock exhaust so that's not my issue. Man it's like chasing a rabbit while you're a turtle..it doesn't work

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Bingo

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Don't have stock exhaust so that's not my issue. Man it's like chasing a rabbit while you're a turtle..it doesn't work

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You don't have over-axle pipes? I had a passenger side exhaust rattle; it was hitting the panhard bar brace. Loosened up the over-axle pipe where it connects to the H-pipe, rotated it to lift it higher, and tightened it back down. No rattles, but the muffler tip isn't symmetrical with the other side. :whistle1:
 

teeje

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You don't have over-axle pipes? I had a passenger side exhaust rattle; it was hitting the panhard bar brace. Loosened up the over-axle pipe where it connects to the H-pipe, rotated it to lift it higher, and tightened it back down. No rattles, but the muffler tip isn't symmetrical with the other side. :whistle1:
I'll take a look. Thanks for the insight

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BruceH

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FWIW some of the LSD (not the drug, lol) equipped vehicles I've had over the years had the same issue.

Hit a decent bump or even a really bad road and the rear end would clunk. I first had the issue with a new 1993 Thunderbird. Ford couldn't find what was causing it and it never did hurt a thing.
 

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