clunking in reverse?
 

my '89 S2 has started making an intermittent or irregular clunking noise when I'm backing up with my wheel turned to the left. I can feel it, so I think it's in the front end. If it was front wheel drive i would say it was a CV joint, That's what it sounds and feels like! Any ideas what i should look at? 125,000 mis.
thx

does it clunk when you first start back or later during the movement?

It starts after several feet when I turn the wheel all the way as I'm backing out of my driveway

Why couldn't it still be CV's?

What about worn A-arm bushings or strut mount?

aren't the CV's only in the rear? i was thinking bushings maybe also. it has only been happening in reverse and with the wheel turned, however. Is there an easy way to test for bad CVs?

I dont know of a way to test the CV's but you will hear them "tick" as you roll down the road, being in gear or out will make no difference.

The CV's are only in the rear unless you have the ultrarare 4WD 944 ;)

thx, Ok i got underneath and i see the pass. side sway bar bushing bracket is broken, i guess this could be it.

lol, ya that could be it.

Is it only broken in reverse?

[couldn't help myself http://forums.pelicanparts.com/suppo...cowboy_hat.gif]

Yeah, and I just had my son back it out while I watched, and the front pass. tire actually skips, that's what I felt. It's as tho it's not turning as much as the other side or something, I don't get it. Alignment maybe? it's an '89 S2

Probably something wrong with the brakes....check to make sure the calipers are bolted on and not have one side loose. Could also be a wheel bearing or something like that...alignment would have to be really far off to do that.

Thx, yeah it is strange! I took off the wheel and looked at everything, the brakes seem ok, the bearing, I can't really tell but i think it's good, there's no wobble and the hub turns with moderate force, doesn't spin freely. The only thing I'm wondering if the tire size could be the prob, although I don't know how) I recently took off the 245 rears and 225 fronts and put on 225, and 205" so i could clean up the d90's. Could that be something? The tire skips to the side, it will roll about 2 feet and then slip or skip toward the inside, repeatedly on full left turn!

You need to check the links from the steering rack - could be inner or outer is worn out.

With that tire off the ground grab hold and move left/right. Might have to have someone else move the tire while you eyeball both ends of the link. The outer looks like a tie rod end, the inner is inside the rubber boot on the rack.

This is the only thing I can think of that would allow only one tire to change direction without the other tire so this could cause the "slip or skip".

Thank-you brother, i will check that, sounds logical. I guess it could really even be the other side too.