My rear end is making a really loud clunking noise when I go over a big bump or if the rear end weight shifts from side to side. It's been doing this for a few weeks but recently it got a lot worse. The only thing I have done is BMR LCAs with dual poly bushings. I checked those last weekend and they were okay. I retightened them and the noise remained.

I did have my ring and pinion replaced about 3-4 weeks ago. It just hit me like a ton of bricks that maybe it could be the panhard bar? The suspension clangs really bad when I shift from side to side. Don't they have to remove the panhard bar when you take out the differential? I think maybe the dealer didn't tighten it right. Would anybody here know?

I have a dealer across the street from me and I could bring it in tomorrow. I'm afraid they'll blame it on my LCAs. If everything checks out ok and they find it was the BMRs, can they charge me for bringing it in? Assuming I have them fix nothing.

 

are you sure that it is not your flowmasters?

 

no I'm feeling a snap that I can feel through the whole car. Like somebody is hitting the rearend with a sledgehammer. Nothing to do with flowmasters

 

How well do you know the dealer?

 

not good, they're a bunch of idiots

I'll probably just call BMR tomorrow and ask them what they think.

 

I can't remember if you changed your rims or not. If you did, did you happen to use spacers? What you are describing is the same problem I had a few years ago with a different car and it was a spacer that was coming loose.

 

nah


David said over on modularfords that my bushings are probably toast

 

Check the panhard bar bushings and bolts ...

 

They would have had to remove the panhard rod when they serviced the diff. I'm guessing when they didn't re-install it properly.

Is it an aftermarket or factory panhard rod? It seems a bit premature to be failing.

You never know how "tight" the service manager is about the mods, with the aftermarket LCA's he may void the warranty on the panhard rod. If they have to touch your aftermarket LCA's, they will probably charge you labor on them.

 

sometimes limited slip differentials like to make a clunking sound similar to what you are talking about.

 

I took my BMR LCAs out, the bushings were fine. I was puzzled, so I put the stock ones back in.

Then I check the panhard rod. The passenger side was torqued correctly. Then I go to the driver's side of the panhard rod and it was so loose I think I could have turned it by hand. Stupid Drum Hill Ford tightened it but didn't torque it down when they did my gears. I guess I was right the whole time. If the dealership wasn't across the street from my work, I'd be going somewhere else from now on.

So I take the car out for a drive, no more popping. I did donuts, no popping. That panhard bar was the problem the whole time.

I do have to say though that wheel hop aside, the back end feels a lot looser with the stock LCAs in which makes sense. Those aftermarket LCAs help in cornering a lot.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dustindu4 @ February 25, 2006, 10:08 AM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
I took my BMR LCAs out, the bushings were fine. I was puzzled, so I put the stock ones back in.

Then I check the panhard rod. The passenger side was torqued correctly. Then I go to the driver's side of the panhard rod and it was so loose I think I could have turned it by hand. Stupid Drum Hill Ford tightened it but didn't torque it down when they did my gears. I guess I was right the whole time. If the dealership wasn't across the street from my work, I'd be going somewhere else from now on.

So I take the car out for a drive, no more popping. I did donuts, no popping. That panhard bar was the problem the whole time.

I do have to say though that wheel hop aside, the back end feels a lot looser with the stock LCAs in which makes sense. Those aftermarket LCAs help in cornering a lot.
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