Rear axle clunking

[Hallowed_point]

I've had an annoying clunking noise coming from my the rear end of my 98 Camaro for quite some time now. Over anything besides glass smooth pavement there is a clunk or loose wheel thunk type sound. Pretty sure that it's coming from the axle/diff. There seems to be quite a lot of play from both axles. I've heard that a certain amount is normal in a c clip axle but it seems excessive. I've ruled out all of the simple stuff like lug nuts, lca's, sway bar, end links. Any recommendations for a local shop that can fix this? I'm thinking the broken axle but am open to suggestions from beyonders who have had axle/diff related issues.

[sr20s14zenki]

Maybe get somebody to check your backlash. That could manifest itself as a clunk for sure.

[Hallowed_point]

^Good suggestion. It's a little past what I'm able to attempt. Best to leave this sort of stuff to the pros.

Guy on ls1tech said that the sound heard in the video is a normal sound associated with c clip axles.

I still have the stock gears installed, and have never really messed around with the diff besides changing the fluid 2 years ago and putting a cover with bearing support caps on around the same time.

[ExtraSlow]

Doesn't look like excessive play to me, but I am no expert.

[sr20s14zenki]

oh haha i didnt watch the video. Yah, thats pretty much normal play IMO. Any suspension components that could be unloading and clunking? How are your u joints? Lock the e brake and wiggle the driveshaft back and forth.

[Hallowed_point]

^Yeah fair enough! I did check the u joints today..they didn't seem out of whack from what I could tell. I've checked my lcas, sway bar, pan hard bar etc. No signs of anything rubbing (no nicks or dents in anything that I can tell.) Anyone wanna hang underneath while I drive? haha

No pebbles in a can type sound indicating damaged gears etc or vibration from the drive shaft at any speed. This one's got me stumped. The play on the axles was the same on both sides so I guess that's normal. It was the only thing I could find that would make a similar noise though.

[Rat Fink]

.

[Hallowed_point]

^Thanks..that makes sense. It wouldn't hurt to take another look at the gears..mmm diff fluid

[BerserkerCatSplat]

That play looks normal to me as well, certainly nothing worrisome or clunk-inducing. How's your sway bar bushings? Panhard rod mount hole shape and bolt torque? Shock connection points? There's a whole lot of stuff back there that will clunk before I'd suspect a diff issue.

[Offroad]

Get the dead body out of the hatch.........problem solved

[silviak91]

Put 2 lugnuts on . Noise will be gone lol.

[revelations]

Some play is bound to be normal, what are the OEM specs for this?

[AndyL]

Got posi? If so - got the additive for it?

Yes... Chased this clunk for a decade on my moms old gm...

[Hallowed_point]

Running redline 75w90 synthetic gear oil which contains friction modifiers. I've been running it for a couple of years. Topped it up when I installed my diff cover with bearing cap support studs (additional capacity with this cover.) Fluid looked fine, granted this was almost 1.5 years ago. Sway bar bushings look ok. Bolts are nice and tight..same goes for the pan hard bar. I've banged around underneath with a rubber mallet and checked everything that I can think of. Rear strut top nuts are tight.

It feels almost like the passenger rear wheel is moving side to side slightly over bumps. Lug nuts are all present and torqued to the correct spec.

[AE92_TreunoSC]

Might be something that someone with more experience will have to find. Sway bars can be really deceptive. The easiest way to 100% remove the chance of swaybar/link noise is to remove one link from a side all together and drive it. If the noise remains its very likely not the bar.

Shocks can make noises like that from internal failures that are hard to diagnose as well.

Bushings are hard to diagnose because they often dont show play at different angles.

Otherwise the axle play is very normal.

[firebane]

Out of curiosity have you checked your ujoints? They can create a clunk and is quite common to happen too.

[Hallowed_point]

Update: it ended up being under torqued rear lower control arm bolts.
Tough to tell on jack stands, but once I took it to Minute Muffler and they
had it on the lift it was very obvious. Glad it wasn't anything serious!

to Gary @ Minute Muffler 32nd ave ne

[Offroad]

Finally.........maybe now you won't sell it