mystery rear suspension noise

[w261w261]

Well, this has me stumped so far. When I hit a pretty good sized bump, there is a "thwock" that comes from the right rear. It sounds a lot like maybe a loose jack in the trunk, and it's more than the sound of the rear ball joint getting loose. It only happens on raised bumps, e.g. not a pothole or depression, and the bump has to be a pretty good one. I've had the car up on a lift, and the mechanic (who is pretty good) and I could not find any bushings that were worn, we checked the ball joint and the arm, nada. I came home and took the rear wheel off and checked everything myself again, couldn't find anything. Today I took EVERYTHING out of the trunk, including the liner on the right side (checked the sunroof drain while I was at it), but the sound is definitely in the suspension. I checked the top mount of the shock, all seems well there. The shock itself is a pretty new Bilstein, so I don't think it has a problem. I looked at the bushing on the big (trailing?) arm, and all the other bushings, but everything seems tight. Small bumps are also no problem, as are bumps where both sides of the rear compress. I don't know why this should be, but it seems that only when there is a bump that the right side of the car hits, do I get this sound. It's not small when it happens either, so I can't figure why I can't see some sign of a bad bushing. Anyone have this happen? Thx.

[w261w261]

BTW, I did check the muffler mounting points, and they're all fine. I wonder if the upper arm inboard mount or the ball joint might be loose, and we just can't see it or physically move things around on the lift. I'm almost to the point of putting on a new arm just to see, and I don't have to tell you guys how that is a poor way to fix a problem....

[MessyHonda]

you have any play in your rear ball joints....do they look good?

[w261w261]

I wasn't there when my mechanic checked it, but he said the ball joint is fine. It certainly looks good visually. Whatever it is, the problem has been getting worse slowly over the past year or so. At first, I really thought it was something in the trunk, and probably the piece of plywood I put in. So I snugged everything down, and as I mentioned, now everything is out. I'm going to get a friend to drive my car over a 2x6 in the road and I'll sit in the back with the seatback down, and listen closely. I sure seems like the noise is right there near the shock/upper arm, and by now it's louder than when the ball joint was going (I replaced it about 5 years and 80k ago). I'll have to take that ride, but I don't think the sound is coming from the big bushing on the front of the trailing arm.

I don't know what it could be other than the upper arm. There aren't that many pieces down there, and the rest of them are small little bushings that also seem to be all ok.

I'll take another look at the shock mountings too. Like I said, it's a mystery.

[frantik]

i'd be interested to know as well.. ever since i lowered my car the back end clunks and makes all sorts of noises :\

[Jasonf860]

yep, ever since i took out the coilovers and installed the Sprint springs I have had a weird clunk from the rear too. no idea what it is either.

[MessyHonda]

lol time to replace 18 year old bushings...lol hope mind doesnt make noise

[Jasonf860]

lol time to replace 18 year old bushings...lol hope mind doesnt make noise
Yeah, UCA's first... Weird how it never did it with the coilovers though.

[MessyHonda]

Yeah, UCA's first... Weird how it never did it with the coilovers though.


yeah i got some prelude arms...i need to get some ball joints on them...they are like 20 bucks a pop from ebay.

[Oldblueaccord]

Well, this has me stumped so far. When I hit a pretty good sized bump, there is a "thwock" that comes from the right rear. It sounds a lot like maybe a loose jack in the trunk, and it's more than the sound of the rear ball joint getting loose. It only happens on raised bumps, e.g. not a pothole or depression, and the bump has to be a pretty good one. I've had the car up on a lift, and the mechanic (who is pretty good) and I could not find any bushings that were worn, we checked the ball joint and the arm, nada. I came home and took the rear wheel off and checked everything myself again, couldn't find anything. Today I took EVERYTHING out of the trunk, including the liner on the right side (checked the sunroof drain while I was at it), but the sound is definitely in the suspension. I checked the top mount of the shock, all seems well there. The shock itself is a pretty new Bilstein, so I don't think it has a problem. I looked at the bushing on the big (trailing?) arm, and all the other bushings, but everything seems tight. Small bumps are also no problem, as are bumps where both sides of the rear compress. I don't know why this should be, but it seems that only when there is a bump that the right side of the car hits, do I get this sound. It's not small when it happens either, so I can't figure why I can't see some sign of a bad bushing. Anyone have this happen? Thx.


Just guessing if the pot hole was bad the strut is prolly blown.

Rear ball joint id jack up that side (wheel) use a pry bar under the wheel itself (6 o' clock position) it shows the joint loose a little better. You can use the E-brake if you want to keep the tire from spinning around. MY exp. has been non-greaseable they last about 2 years before you get noticeable slop in the joint.

The trailing arm has those 4 small bushing I have heard they can pop out somehow. Never seen it but my alignment/ body shop guy told me about it.


wp

[w261w261]

Do you guys think this would work: I put the car up on the lift, and take a sledge hammer and bang the bottom of the tire. Maybe that'll be enough of a shock to cause the noise. Alternately, I could take off the wheel, affix a piece of wood to some part, and whack that with the sledge.

[Jasonf860]

I'd bet that hitting it with a sledge would cause the noise. And if the strut was blown, wouldn't it be leaking fluid?

[MessyHonda]

Do you guys think this would work: I put the car up on the lift, and take a sledge hammer and bang the bottom of the tire. Maybe that'll be enough of a shock to cause the noise. Alternately, I could take off the wheel, affix a piece of wood to some part, and whack that with the sledge.


you best bet is to take the car for a ride.

[Honda_Quaalude86]

Smash it with a hammer.. more fun.. =D

[w261w261]

Years ago down south somewhere, a car dealer used to weekly take one off the lot and take a whack at it with a sledge. He would then sell the car at a cost discounted by the estimated repair. People lined up to buy the cars, and he got all this publicity. He did it every Saturday morning, as I recall, and they filmed the TV commercial at that time, so people came by to watch the action, buy the car in question, and I imagine his other cars too.

[HondaBoy]

mine does the same. cant really tell, but i can, and its the upper ball joint in the rear on mine. not too bad, just clunks sometimes.

[Oldblueaccord]

I'd bet that hitting it with a sledge would cause the noise. And if the strut was blown, wouldn't it be leaking fluid?

It could be leaking fluid but I was thinking internally it blows the valving inside.


wp

[w261w261]

I suppose it could be the Bilstein, but it would have to be defective, as they're too new to be worn. They're not overmatched by the Eibachs, so that wouldn't have had a chance to blow them out. I'm betting it's the ball joint, and in any case, the upper arm bushing is squeaking, so it has to be taken off to be greased, might as well throw on a new upper arm ball joint then. They aren't that expensive. In any case, I'll update this thread with the final resolution, whenever that happens.