clunking in rear
 

Just noticed it today. Seems to be coming from the passenger side rear and the clunking with wheel speed and more noticeably on acceleration and when turning left. Searched the forum and sound it like it might be wheel bearings. Just wanted to see if anyone thought it might be something else.

other than "turning left" your description makes it sound more like a bad CV joint to me. Are your boots cracked and slinging any grease? (not necessarily an indicator; I've had one go bad w/ the boot still intact)

nate

Boots looked ok, no grease. It'd be nice if it was just the CV's. I see on Clark's garage that CV replacement or repacking looks easier than bearing replacement. The symptoms are the same too. Guess I should go ahead and at least repack both sides?

Early 944's are notorious for bad rear wheel bearings. The seals harden and allow water into the bearings. This will rust the outer one and cause it to fail. This in turn loosens the race and spacer stack up causing the hub to loosen. When the hub loosens the splines on the stub axle and inside the hub wear out increasing the damage that the hardened seal started.

If the large nut on the stub axle is loose figure on replacing the whole mess.

The one that is supposed to be on at 350ft-lbs?

^yep.

the rear bearings on my '83 went bad. the didn't clunk, but they did make a racket.

I'll check it out. Any opinions on whether I should get a replacement CV or just repack?

If the bearings are loose it's more than just a repack!

Just changed the CV joint and everything is smooth!!!
Clark's garage and the Haynes have great instructions.
From what I've read the wheel bearings roar and scream and CV joints clunk. Thanks for the help. How do I post pics?

To post pictures click the post reply button instead of typing in the box at the bottom of the page and it will take you to a new screen. There is a post pictures box under the reply box there.

I had the same prob. Could be ur CVs are bone dry. Inspect and detrmine if its the CVs or just dry...I regreased and all was good. BTW CVs require a special CV grease.

I probably could have done that. The noise just started and after removing and degreasing I didn't see any obvious wear. I used valvoline duramax moly grease. I thought about the mobil1 synthetic that everyone here seems to like but it didn't say it had moly or that it was for CV joints.

Mine will clunk in the rear when i let out the clutch fast, in 2nd or 3rd gear. Could it be the CV?

motor/transaxle mounts, prolly. could be cv's...