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Clunking in rear = cv joints or drive shaft

4.6K views 14 replies 8 participants last post by  lilhoodlum86  
#1 · (Edited)
atleast in my case, I think it's the drive shaft. I was under the car and grab the drive shaft/axle and gave it a good yank and I hear a clunk. the driver side gives a good clunk, while the passenger side is slight. This definitely sounds like my clunking while hitting rough roads and big bumps. would this be the CV joint or the whole shaft? is it fairly easy to do? I've heard people here talking about rebuilding the shaft or axle, is that the same. is it bad to be driving it at this time?

are there any write ups/tutorials this?

would appreciate some advises.

by the way it's 91 NA.
 
#6 ·
I doubt that the clunk you are hearing when you go over a bump is CV related. The axles often have a little in and out play where they go into the transmission. As long as it doesn't make noise when you accelerate or go around a corner the CVs are probably fine. The clunking is probably being caused by worn bushings or struts.
 
#9 ·
Yeah mine does it too. I bought a urethane bushing kit from twosrus and will be installing it when I get some time. I'll let you know. Basically if it only makes noise over bumps and not while you are accelerating and cornering then it's suspension related or something is loose. When CVs go bad they usually start to click when you accelerate and go around corners. I've seen them go bad without doing that but I would check out the cheaper things before looking at new CVs. Mine started clunking when I installed lowering springs which is why I think that in my case at least it is bushings. Specifically the ones on the sway bar because they could be worn out without effecting the normal handling of the car.
 
#10 · (Edited)
My '91NA was plagued by this rear wheel thunking noise when I hit bumps until I fixed it by replacing the rear hubs (also known as axle carriers). In my case and that of a few people who have also had this problem, it turns out that the spherical bearing that connects the lower trailing arm of axle carrier to the outer end of the tie rods sometimes wears out. It is permanently lubricated with no easy way to relubricate it. Sometimes those spherical bearings get dry and wear down and allow freeplay in that joint. Thus the clunk occurs. You can't imagine how much more you'll enjoy your MR2 when you fix this noise! That bearing is hard to replace on its own. Toyota doesn't sell them. They are hard or nearly impossible to find; they have a grove for the rubber dust covers on both sides that cover them from sight. Toyota expects us to buy new rear hubs (which come with that bearing installed) for $250 to $300 each! You can temporarily take up the slack in those bearings (for a few thousand miles perhaps as I found out) by inserting narrow strips of thin steel about twice as thick as the aluminum a soda can is made from into the bearing; you're going to have to replace the bearing anyway so don't worry about damaging it further. Or you can buy used axle carriers from other parts car owners. Search this MR2OC board for "axle carrier" to see drawings or photos of this bearing problem. Again to repeat, (since I endured this annoying noise for years), now that the clunk is gone, my 130,000 mile MR2 feels like a much more classy car to drive that now handles slow speed bumps and dirt roads with ease! You can prove it for free with that temporary fix I mentioned above; but you'll get addicted to the improvement and will want the real fix soon!
 
#13 ·
ok, I've check for the spherical bearing - no play what soever. at 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock - nothing. 12 and 6 - nothing either, no play at all, the wheels are solid. I took the sway bar and end links off and the noise is still there! I pull the struts assembly out and everything is kosher. even took out the gland nut and retighten them. both side have the same amount of threads. the spring perch is sitting good and the mount seem fine when i had them out. arrghhh!

I when under there again and grab the driver side axle and yanked it toward the tranny and i get a thunk! I then yank the passenger side and also get a thunk! I know it should have a little play to allow suspension travel, but should it be making that thunking sound? when I yank it. imagine how loud it is when it hit a pot hold - alot more force than I can yank it. that must be the problem, they are costly, but if it solves my problem it will be worth it.