Rear Shock replacement?

[ConElite]

What about the rubber isolator at the top of the spring? Is it present and in good condition?

Or, is the Y-pipe hitting the tunnel cross brace? I had to add spacers to mine to allow clearance. Now I'm using a Strano brace, so it's a moot point.

You keep lookin'...we'll keep suggestin'

The Isolator at the top of the springs are there. I didnt remove them. The Y-pipe does not hit on the Brace but im going to double check. Im going to crawl under there today and change out that TA mount. Ill keep you guys posted.

Thanks again for the suggestions.

[formula_gramps]

ConElite,

I feel the frustration man...... I had a similar problem in the rear of my '94 Formula.

Last spring, I tore out the whole rear end and put one in from a 97 T/A with only 30k miles on it. Because the old one was so rusted from the New England weather it was exposed to over the years, I actually had a spring perch break off while I was driving it one day. YIKES!!!

Anyways, figured that since I had to pull the rear end out to fabricate and weld a new perch that maybe it would just be better to swap it out for a newer rear. I sanded the entire assembly of the newer rear end down to bare metal, then coated the whole thing with two coats of "Rust Bullet". Then, for esthetics, I painted the whole thing with a couple of coats of black epoxy paint.

In a classic case of the "might as wells", I figured I might as well replace the shocks and springs too. They were 14 years old after all......LOL!

Buttoned everything back up to specs, nothing loose, no slop anywhere.

When I got back on the road I got this clunking sound from the rear end after going over bumps. Figured I just forgot to tighten something properly or maybe changed the angle of things sllightly so an exhaust component or heat shield was hitting somewhere. Couldn't find anything. The noise drove me freakin' nuts for a few weeks, and I kept going back over everything and couldn't find it. Mind you, while this was going on, the car felt great!

Finally, when doing yet another inspection I must have grabbed one of the springs by accident and pulled on it laterally. With the wheel in the air the spring was unloaded sufficiently that I felt the tiniest bit of lateral movement of the base of the spring on its perch. When I pulled it fast, I heard the sound. Because of the coating on the new springs and the coating on the spring perches I had too extremely glossy and slippery surfaces together. What was happening was that when I went over a bump, there was sufficient unloading of the spring after the spring compressed, to allow this little side slip of about 1/8 of an inch -- and that was making the noise.

I was going to snake some heater hose over the bottom turn of each of the springs to dampen the slip, but winter came around and I didn't get to it. (I don't have a garage....LOL). Since it no longer appeared to be a safety issue and was more of an annoyance, I didn't give it a high priority.

Just the other day, I noticed that it wasn't making the noise anymore. I suspect that another New England winter has started the process of the spring perch and bottom of the spring beginning to rust together so there is no more movement......Maybe that's a repair I can skip in the spring....LOL!

[SteveH95Formula]

I just slipped in a sheet of rubber I got from a hardware store under the springs. This might help too.

[ConElite]

I took out the shocks, and the driver side spring was not on perch right, Then I saw some binding on the back park of the perch, So I greased everything up and made sure the Isolators on top are good (Which they are).

After all that It still makes the clunking. So I turned down the settings on the shocks, but still feels like dog S!!! (Shocks: Front-2 & Rear-1

[Al 96 Ram Air T/A]

Hmmm...just thought of something.

How's your U-joint? Any slop??? Maybe a stuck/binding bearing cup, or just a bad strap?

[Trash man]

what bout a bad bushing the panhand bar? control arms? sway bar?

[ConElite]

what bout a bad bushing the panhand bar? control arms? sway bar?

I have UMI control arms. I have BMR adjustable panhard. My end-links on my rear sway bar are Energy suspension. Eveyrthing seems fine. I have only had my components for a little over a year.

[formula_gramps]

C/E,

When you say you saw evidence of "binding" on the perch, what did you mean exactly?

I'm even more inclined to think this clunking sound you're getting is the spring moving on the perch from side to side, especially since you mentioned the upgrades to your rear suspension (panhard, LCA's, etc.), being new. (You already mentioned that you checked all of those anyway).

Of course, if that is the source of the noise, greasing up the base of the springs will give you the sort of situation I had with the two glossy surfaces sliding against one another, I would think.....LOL!

BTW, is that the correct position for the pigtail on the bottom of the springs? I wish I could remember, because as silly as it seems at first, it does make a difference. I remember jacking up one side on the frame and just letting the wheel hang, with the axle limited only by the travel in the shock. When I reached in to rotate the spring by hand it was really tight, but with the pigtail in certain orientations it was not as tight.

I'm pretty sure our cars are known for producing noise between the springs and their perches after suspension modifications. I think the complaint I've heard the most about was a really annoying "squeaking". But at least in the case of my 94 and maybe your car, if the spring unloads enough in some bumpy situations and slips laterally that tiny bit, it can make quite a noise.

[ConElite]

I checked the front suspension, and changed out my COmpletely glazed over pads. I changed the Trans TA mount. I noticed the rear bumpers mounting points under the car were loose so I took care of that. I greased up the from Ball joints. Still there. Im getting a squeek from the rear so Im going to rotate the Springs. Im going to remove my Control arms and Panhard and check all hardware and make sure its still in good condition.

The only other thing I can think it could be is the Pan-hard and the bolt moving inside the holes were it mounts up to the axle and Body of the car. I know the bolt is a smaller diameter than the holes on the body. So I might go and get new hardware and bolt that basterd in and hope its that.

I heard that when you get a double rod end Panhard it clunks a lot so that might be the issue.


Hey formula_gramps, Thanks a ton for the suggestions.

[aldaran]

So was the problem ever solved? My 2000 Camaro started to make the same sounds. However, my entire vehicle is stock and I have 102k miles and was thinking it was the shocks that were worn out. It rides nice but every time I hit a bump or pot holes in our lovely city of pot holes it makes a clunking sound.

[ConElite]

So was the problem ever solved? My 2000 Camaro started to make the same sounds. However, my entire vehicle is stock and I have 102k miles and was thinking it was the shocks that were worn out. It rides nice but every time I hit a bump or pot holes in our lovely city of pot holes it makes a clunking sound.

Over time I have come to realize its the Rod ends on my control arms. I have learned to live with it. And now that I have rod end front A-Arms, Its pretty loud.

Thats the only thing I can think it could possibly be.

[aldaran]

Thanks for the reply. Since I have 102k miles I will replace the shocks and hope that works if not, I will have to learn to live with it as well.

[Trash man]

could be a bad shock mount on the front? look around on a dry day, see if you can see rust or polished spots around all moving compents, then check to see if theres play

[Ultra_Z]

right behind the rear seats, by the sail panels.

YUP... its at the top EDGE of the "bucket" some may already have a pre cut slit in the carpet... I don't think the 3rd gens do from the cars i've owned, i've only seen it on the 4 LS1s i've owned. If you still really need a pic... PM me