Clink, clank or clunk from rear end

E-Type
1

Si----OTS----when driving over “washboard-like” bumps, I get this distinctive noise from the rear that sounds like metal on metal. I have looked and looked for the source to no avail. I did find that the left side rear brake disc was loose----can actually get slight side-to-side motion when moving it by hand. Tried to tighten the 4 nuts that hold the axle on but they were tight. It appeared that the shims were not thick enough and the nuts were at their max. Not sure if this was causing the noise, but doubt it.

Anyone have any ideas on what could be causing it----there is nothing in the boot that is loose and causing it.
TIA

2

Tom,

Never mind the noise on bumps.

You should not have any looseness at the flange/disc.

You REALLY need to find out what is going on there. I don’t think you should have slack on those fasteners even with no shims at all.

The Halfshaft is your upper suspension arm. Driving the car like this is dangerous.

3

Beat me to it. Something seriously amiss if a disc is loose.

4

Tom,

The water-throwers at the outer hubs are peened in place, and can come loose over time; when they are (as in my car) they make a metallic noise on bumps, occasionally. The hubs have to be apart to fix this, or remove the water-throwers, so I just ignore it.

Another possibility is worn or wrong shock absorber bushings, or missing spacer inside the shock bushings.

Jerry

5

I have thought about loosening the nuts and adding a shim. What will I screw up by loosening them and adding a shim----and, why should the disc be loose?

6

thanks Jerry--------not sure what the shock spacer is---------have looked at the catalog and didn’t see it—any pics?

7

Tom,

Adding a shim will change the camber.

The thing is, if whoever put it together fitted it to the car that way… can you trust the rest of their work? (My apologies if you rebuilt it yourself.)

Seriously… chase this back. If you have motion there at the flange then your handling will change, and the nuts will eventually let go from chafing. The Halfshaft will put a zipper into anything around it (length dependant on how fast you’re going). It will be noisy and expensive, and good for neither man, nor beast.

8

thank Andrew. Always something, I suppose. I didn’t put it back together, but know who did, and he is “supposed” to be one of the best around------------------now I’m worried.

9

Hi Tom…as said above there should be no movement of the disc…just jack that side of the car up…grab the wheel and push/pull it in and out…with movement at the disc you will feel the wheel and drive shaft move in and out…continue driving like this and it will fall off…get the nuts tightened…they are single use locknuts, all metal, no nylon insert that could melt with the heat from the discs…Steve

10

thanks steve----I used my electric impact wrench and couldn’t get the nuts to budge. Maybe I need an air operated one. If I get the nuts tighter, I would think the disc would be tight and the danger averted.

11

Hi Tom…mabye the threade are damaged and possibly why they wernt tightened up…if i were you id take a nut of and look at the bolts…are they threaded all the way down or damaged…Steve

12

Tom,

Part # 17012, “Sleeve on Bolts”. It’s a small pipe (basically) that fits inside the bushing and the mounting bolt goes through it. P. 99 of J.30 (3.8 parts book). If I am recalling correctly it goes inside the metal pipe on the shock. If it’s missing the shock can rattle around a little.

No photos, I ain’t taking it apart now!

Jerry

13

Tom,

Eek! You don’t want them tighter, you want them closer! Exceeding the yield limit of the nut or bolt is not hard to do, and it’s ruined then. Use a wrench!

If they won’t get tight by hand, they are broken, remove and fix. The bolt shank should not be long enough to catch the nut before it’s snug, maybe somebody put the wrong bolts in, if so change them.

Putting a shim between the flange and the half shaft will change your rear camber, you don’t want to do that willy-nilly.

Jerry

14

Is the half-shaft loose on the flange, or is the flange shaft loose in the differential?
John G.

15

lol--------------why not/:slight_smile: thanks–I’ll check that.

16

the half shaft seems tight as a wedge—seems only that the disc is loose—it is not wobbly, but you can feel the movement, side to side—very slightly.

17

the bolts do protrude out past the nut pretty far----far enough that I cannot get the grease gun tip on the zerk fitting. You think they are the wrong bolts and maybe even shoulder bolts so the threads don’ go down far enough to snug it up??

If the bolts need replaced, can that be done while the cage is in the car?

18

Tom,

Try getting longer Zerk fittings. Bolts – could be, you need to remove the nuts and flange and see what’s happening.

No way the disk could be loose without the half shaft too – they are on the same bolts. Again, take it apart and tell us what you see.

Jerry

19

Maybe we’re talking bearing end float if you’re feeling side to side slop but I’m still confuzzled. There would in addition have to be a lot of wear in the other components in particular the cage bearings to feel any lateral slack.

When was the last time the IRS was rebuilt?

20

I bought a rebuilt one from Dick M, I think is was maybe 2 years ago. Took the old one out and took the whole thing to a local shop that does lots of work on these cars, and had them pull the old pumpkin out and put the rebuilt one in.

Quick question—do the bolts that hold the half shaft also hold the rotor flange to the diff., or is the flange held on separately and them the HS attached to it?
thanks, tom