Big Brother Posted August 26, 2002 Share Posted August 26, 2002 Help needed......I have now run out of things to check Symptom I get an intermittant "clonk" from the rear of the car when pulling away and sometimes when cornering although this is less common. This seems to be from the rear of the car and can be "felt". It feels like the rear axle (or something big) is moving a short distance. This "clonk" has also happened when starting to move off in reverse. History About a month I had the rear A frame bush (under diff) fail. This was caused by oil contamination due to the cars old open breather set up. (now fitted with a catch tank) The bush was replaced and this is now fine, as is the diff bracket and outer a frame bushes. Changing this bush stopped the previous symptoms (clonk when getting on and off the power) but the "new" clonk was noticed shortly afterwards The car The car is a short cockpit 7 with a factory fitted Ford live axle. The rear of the car is completely standard and has Ford drum brakes. Things checked so far Propshaft U/J's and security All rear suspension bushes and bolts Radius arms (bushes and bolts) Rear axle and Diff (for excessive play, oil level and end float) Rear wheel bearings Hand brake operation Wheel nuts! Shocks and springs Fuel tank location and security Rear gearbox mounting Engine mounts Exhaust mountings My theory Only thing left I can think of (but won't explain the odd clonk when cornering) could be that the rear brakes are sticking slightly and pulling away releases them with a clunk. (once had a tin top do this) Any ideas appreciated. Cheers Steve (clutching at straws) Edited by - steve motts on 26 Aug 2002 13:54:35 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevSull Too Posted August 26, 2002 Share Posted August 26, 2002 Steve, Although it may sound obvious, could there be something loose under the seat or in the boot...... (that''s about as technical as it gets from me, sorry) 😬You laugh at me because I''m different, I laugh at you because you''re all the same. 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scooby dooby doo Posted August 26, 2002 Share Posted August 26, 2002 dedion hitting diff? damper hitting dedion? propshafy hitting something? when you say you''ve checked do you mean you''ve chjecked the bolt is torqued or have you checked for contact? HOOPY CYCLE WINGS CUCUMBER Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevSull Too Posted August 26, 2002 Share Posted August 26, 2002 Hoopy, It''s a live axle, and don''t think it has a ''propshafy'' 😬 (sorry , no blatchat for the last 3 days, going stir crazy) 😬You laugh at me because I''m different, I laugh at you because you''re all the same. 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Brother Posted August 26, 2002 Author Share Posted August 26, 2002 Kev, I have checked the seat mountings and boot. The clonk seems to jar (sp?) the car as you move away. Hoopy, The car is a live axle but I had a look at the clearance around the prop this morning. All looks OK with no signs of any contact. all bolts have been checked for torque and all "moveable" bits at the rear have been checked (by eye) for contact with each other. Nothing looks out of place. Steve www.Se7en-Up.co.uk One day, all cars will be made this way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scooby dooby doo Posted August 26, 2002 Share Posted August 26, 2002 OK - you did actually say "axle" in your post - serves me right for not reading carefully ❗ but you should get a propshafy - they make really good pets..... HOOPY CYCLE WINGS CUCUMBER Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Macquarie Posted August 26, 2002 Share Posted August 26, 2002 Steve, I have a 1990 deDion, so am not familiar with the live axle set up. My "A" frame is two separate links with no cross member. Under braking (and to a lesser extent acceleration) the base of the A frame wants to change width. When I had a clonk (under braking) it was due to the pressed in bush at the base of the A frame moving in the tube. I hope that makes some kind of sense. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ade Ray Posted August 26, 2002 Share Posted August 26, 2002 I have a 96 live axle car and I was getting a clonk, particularly when I went around left hand corners. My brother checked my car for end float but there did not seem to be much movement at all. Even so, on inspection by Caterham Midland, it proved to be a 1/2 shaft moving in its bearings. Caterham did a great fix for me for about £125 in April and since then it has been through 7,000 road miles and two Curborough sprints with no more clonk. Hope this helps. Ade Make the world a better place, hug an estate agent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I.Mupferit Posted August 26, 2002 Share Posted August 26, 2002 Worn splines on one of the halfshafts maybe? Have you pulled the half shafts out to check the bearings or did you just do an up & down, side to side check for play? I have known the cage break up on these type of bearings causing odd noises. It is always good to get a fresh opinion on a peculiar noise so is it worth one of us coming out with you for a short ride at the Phoenix this week to see if a diagnosis is possible. Is it more likely to happen when you pull away very quickly ie drop the clutch or is it the same when pulling away gently? (actually have you ever pulled away gently?) Finally do you know if you can you hear/feel the clonk more if you were to try and move off with the handbrake on? Oh I do love a challenge! Brent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Brother Posted August 26, 2002 Author Share Posted August 26, 2002 Brent, The main problem is that I am unable to replicate the fault at will. The last time I heard a clonk was on the way back from the Phoenix on Thursday. The time before was as I started to reverse out of the wotton Hatch carpark. I didn't pull the halfshafts but gave both rear wheels a hard tug in all directions. No play too speak of. I also turned the rear wheels while watching the prop. I could see a very small amount of play but nothing that would worry me. I am not sure if the Ford axles are prone to the same faults the Ital ones seem to suffer from. The clonk does appear to be something heavy (big) moving though, as you can feel it as well as hear it. Steve www.Se7en-Up.co.uk One day, all cars will be made this way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Brother Posted August 28, 2002 Author Share Posted August 28, 2002 Boing! (clonk) ☹️ Steve Se7en-Up! One day, all cars will be made this way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I.Mupferit Posted August 28, 2002 Share Posted August 28, 2002 Blimey Steve, you've even got a clonk on your computer now! 😬 Brent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanteam Posted August 28, 2002 Share Posted August 28, 2002 I hope this is not the problem but it has happened to me... in the diff the planet gear shaft came loose, in fact the pin holding the shaft in place came out. This allowed the shaft to float and catch the crownwheel but only occasionally, hence the clunk and a bit of forward drive hesitation. Eventually got worse and felt like the back end had seized up, but would free and behave normally. The axle is Ford Escort. Cannot check the problem from outside, sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilsjuke Posted August 28, 2002 Share Posted August 28, 2002 ? is it after you have used the hand brake as the auto adjust are cr#p at the best of times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Brother Posted August 28, 2002 Author Share Posted August 28, 2002 Doesn't seem to be brake related (bang goes my latest theory). It seems to be either when pulling away fairly gently from stationary or when changing gear, as you start to feed in the power. I am now thinking that re-bushing the rear of the car will be the final step before pulling the axle and throwing money at it ☹️ bugger ❗ Steve Se7en-Up! One day, all cars will be made this way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I.Mupferit Posted August 29, 2002 Share Posted August 29, 2002 So returning to one of my earlier theories could it, perhaps, be worn splines on the half shafts? ☹️ Mind you if it is that shouldn't be too difficult to replace. See you tonight Brent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STEVE GILBERT Posted August 29, 2002 Share Posted August 29, 2002 I had a loose Diff Flange on my Escort Axle 7, 5 mins drops the prop to check so it is worth a look should be about 25lbft on the crush tube. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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