Weird Sound out of the back end????

[81 Corvette]

Since everyone is having them, i thought i would toss mine into the fray.

It seems to be coming from the rear. It sounds like as the wheel turns that something is hitting something in there. Its sounds kinda like if you took a chunk of metal and held it agaist a j-joint as it the joint turned. smack smack smack. no squeak or sqeal. Also, this doesn't happen all the time, but when it does, its only under accelleration hard and soft. Never coasting or braking.

Could the ebrake becoming apart? When i pull the handle in the car, it has very little resistance and doesn't slow the car down. Could the calipar be going, then allowing the pads to do things they shouldn't normally be doing?

Any help is greatly apprieated.

[1979toy]

It could be anything from a rock in your trim ring to a broken tooth on your pinion.

Start at the cheap stuff....take the trim rings off and check for rocks.....take the center hat off and look for a broken stud. Then on to the more expensive stuff....Jack the rear end and put the car on jackstands....with the car in gear or in park for an automatic try to turn the tire and watch for u-joint movement. Remove the wheel and caliper.....check for movement of the trailing arm bearings. Remove the brake rotor and put the car in netural to check the parking brake. Oh oh, still haven't located it? Pull the center section of the rear end.....spend lots of money on it now so you never have to go back there again!

[ed_in_pa]

Weird Sound out of the back end????

We are talking about your car right?

[SG4206]

I hope your '81 had the front rubber rear end mount replaced by now. When they go out, it will bang with gas pedal movement.
The rubber donut needs replaced with a urethane bushing.

[JohnZ]

Either U-joints or deteriorated front diff support bushings; the poly diff support bushing kits are junk - bushings are too thin, wrong spacer sleeve. The OEM parts work just fine.

[rpounds]

John,

I don't wish to hijack the thread, but I am getting ready to replace all of the rubber on the rear of my '75. And I do NOT want to go urethane. Do you have a preferred vendor?

Thanks,

Ron

[JohnZ]

Almost all the Corvette resto parts houses have the OEM rubber bushings - Paragon, Dr. Rebuild, Corvette Central, etc.

[like2drive]

I presently undergoing a soon-to-be, very expensive ordeal relating to handbrakes. Just in case....if you do end up going into the hand brakes, (which you would have to if you were in NC due to Safety Inspections)BE VERY CAREFULL WHEN YOU OR, WHOEVER, DRILLS THE ROTOR RIVETS OUT!!! It was a first time for me, long story, but I ruined the spindle and rotor. Will have to send to VanSteel/Bairs for trailing Arm rebuild....not just the side I messed up, but both sides as I like to keep things "balanced"..This "hand-brake job" is probably going to cost me the better part of $1000 before its all over....AND I NEVER USE HAND BRAKES!!!! (In the old days I did when I was getting away from the fuzz at night). you know me, I just...