clunk from rear when exiting/entering garage

[Otter74]

When I pull out of or into my garage, which involves going over a slight breakover from the garage pad into the alley, I often get a single clunk from the powertrain. I have to pull in and out slowly, as my car is fairly low and it is impossible not to scrape the pan a little bit if I park on the right, and it takes care to avoid it on the left.

This is the kind of thing that makes me think of my engine and transmission mounts. All mounts are sport mounts that are relatively new. I have not yet had the opportunity to get under the car (that will happen in a couple of weeks when I give it an oil change and replace the clutch cable) but there is nothing obviously amiss with the mounts from the engine compartment. Is there anything not-obvious that I'm not thinking of? A/r bar links?

[Cooper911SC]

Check anti roll bar mounts. Perhaps your car has suffered the not un-common torn mount from the body. Esp. if you are running a heavier bar or flogging the car often.

Does it clunk going in/out of other driveways or over speed bumps?

Cooper

[Otter74]

I've had the car up on stands this afternoon doing a few things like adjusting the clutch and greasing the suspension. It clunked when I pulled it out of the garage and back in, which reminded me of this.

-It's not the rear a/r bar mounts - those are fine.

-I noticed my transmission crossmember mounts - it looked odd to me (there is a gap between the crossmember and the mount rubber - the car is jacked up on one side) but I do not have a reference for what it is supposed to look like (I'm searching...). Is this likely to be the cause of my noise? As far as I know it could be normal (though I am suspicious), ir could be worn, or it could be loose.

-I do have ER polybronze control arm and spring plate bushings and Rennline monoballs. I've greased the front but need to find a flexible fitting for my grease gun before I can do the rear spring plate bushings, and AFAIK the monoballs are sealed.

I am not at the point of checking the rear shocks yet, as that seems less likely.

[DRACO A5OG]

Is that pic of the car up or down? If Up, that is normal.

Is your clunk a sharp sound or resonating/hollow?

It may be your rear bearings, to test, find a road with a burm and drive sides up on it, if it is the bearings, it will "clunk"

[david.avrahami@]

It is most likely worn out sway bars...

[Otter74]

Originally Posted by DRACO A5OG

Is that pic of the car up or down? If Up, that is normal.

Is your clunk a sharp sound or resonating/hollow?

It may be your rear bearings, to test, find a road with a burm and drive sides up on it, if it is the bearings, it will "clunk"

I'll try that, but it doesn't feel or sound like wheel bearings. There is a slight breakover and lip at the edge of my garage, and I reliably get the clunk when pulling into it, though I think it may be only when I pull in at an angle. Hard to tell, since it is hard not to pull in at an angle due to the width of the alley. It is a heavy, sharp clunk. Not a hollow, ringing noise. I did hear the other week when I was crawling in a line of cars to pick someone up at the airport, possibly the same clunk when I let out the clutch once. Will listen for that today - not sure if the same thing, or a thing at all.

Originally Posted by david.avrahami@

It is most likely worn out sway bars...

Where, the bushings? My mounts are good (not cracked) and the bushings appear to be correctly set in the brackets. Can they be off enough to cause a clunk between the body and clamp while at the same time looking OK? I will look for witness marks.

[tirwin]

Last year I replaced my A/C system. When I put the belly pan back in place, I did not get one of the the Allen bolts properly aligned on the driver side. It made a clunk sound under certain circumstances. Once I fixed it everything was fine. It sounds like your sound is more rearward though. Have you checked the rear axle shafts?

[jcgranato]

I had a similar clunk sound going over bumps but also had a clunk going around turns, I can't remember which way whether left turn or right. I checked everything I could think of but came up with nothing. I had all for struts replaced and I now have no more clunks at all.

[Otter74]

Originally Posted by tirwin

Last year I replaced my A/C system. When I put the belly pan back in place, I did not get one of the the Allen bolts properly aligned on the driver side. It made a clunk sound under certain circumstances. Once I fixed it everything was fine. It sounds like your sound is more rearward though. Have you checked the rear axle shafts?

I have not. What would I check for and how? Bad CV joints? I verified today that I do often notice a soft clunk, like driveline las being taken up, when I let the clutch out. Only occasionally.