help with rear suspension knocking noise

[volsmd99]

For about a little over a year, I've had this knocking noise that originates from the driver's side rear wheel. It occurs only when going over bumps. Last week, I took down my struts and replaced the bushings as well the strut mount bumper. Basically any rubber part. I also installed new shock absorbers since I have 140000 miles on the car. When I reinstalled the struts, I switched them (right side on left and left side on right). However, the knocking noise is still there. I'm not sure where to go from here. Because switching the struts did nothing to change the noise, I'm looking at maybe the lower control arm or possibly the stabalizer bar as the culprit. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

thanks in advance

[david-b]

Put the car up on jacks and grab a hold of the wheel and see if it moves. It it shakes or has any movement, it can be the control arms. Mine had a knock sound when I used to start or stop hard. Even turning sometimes. Turned out to be the wheel hub. Also a possibility.

[volsmd99]

So I finally ended up putting the car on jacks but no luck isolating the noise. Didn't have much free play with the wheel. I've been under the car and can't find anything. Anything else left to try.

[Blackcrow64]

Sounds like a wore out balljoint maybe... Have you checked that yet?

[gthompson97]

Leave your car on the ground and push down on the car above both wheel wells enough to make the suspension work. If it knocks, you need new struts.

[Thor06]

Originally Posted by Blackcrow64

Sounds like a wore out balljoint maybe... Have you checked that yet?

The other thing I would check is any of the linkages and stuff, make sure everything is bolted down good.

[volsmd99]

The struts have been replaced. I did a complete overhaul about a month ago hoping that would solve the problem. How do I go about checking the ball joint?

[gthompson97]

Jack the car up and grab anything suspension you can and yank the hell out of it and see what gives, something has to move if it's making a clunking noise. That's not how you check the balljoints, but that's my suggestion.

[Blackcrow64]

Originally Posted by gthompson97

Jack the car up and grab anything suspension you can and yank the hell out of it and see what gives, something has to move if it's making a clunking noise. That's not how you check the balljoints, but that's my suggestion.

Also known as a "shake down"...

Here is how to check your balljoints during a "shake down"...

While the car is jacked up in the air, grab the top and bottom of the tire. Shake it in and out quick and hard to see if you have any vertical play with the wheel. If you do, then it is time for a new balljoint. Do this to each wheel. Usually where you have on bad balljoint there are more to be replaced.

[volsmd99]

So I was never able to pinpoint the cause of the left rear wheel noise. Now unfortunately, I have a similar but worse noise coming from the passenger rear wheel. I went under the car again and pulled on everything I could find including moving the wheel up and down. The only thing I could find was that both drive shafts have a little play in them. It's not a whole lot but could this possibly be the culprit. There seems to be a little wiggle closer to the wheel itself. First of all does anyone know who much play should be there and second what could the possible worn out parts be.

thanks

[JoeShmoe]

Have you checked to see that your exhaust is properly bolted? I know on my car, whenever i would hit a bump I would here a lot of clunking noises. Turened out to be the muffler, so just get under the car and push your exhaust around and see if you can rule that out.

[volsmd99]

So I finally figured out the culprit for the rear knocking noise. Turned out to be the stabilizer bar bushings. The bushing on the right was more worn out than the left which explains why the noise was louder on the passender side. The links were okay. I couldn't reproduce the noise by just shaking the wheel. I ended up having to take the strut assembly out. Only then was I able to have enough play in the axle to reproduce the noise. All that work for a $2.00 part.

Thanks for everyone's input.

[qqharlem]

enriching my experience~~~`