My '65 contver. now is making a strange noise. I hava a loud clunking noise when the car comes to a stop and the brakes are released. If I apply the brakes with an easy foot and slowly come to a stop there is no noise. I replaced the shocks with KYB all around. No changes. Lubed the A arm and got rid of a annoying squeak but still have the clunk. What should I be looking for. THe brakes are less than 6 months and the wheel bearings have been repacked and properly tightened. Any Ideas. HELP!

 

the clunk is very easy to fix....once you find it.

It could be quite a few things but U-joints might be a good starting point...Really its just a random guess as its quite hard to diagnose things from a short story behind a computer.

But its easy to check.

to get under the car you can jack it up from the differential housing just make sure the jack face has good contact with the center of the diff housing (avoid pressure points) and the place jack stands one on each axle about mid way out from the diff.

Rotate the drive shaft left and right by hand while you watch the U joints at the transmission side feel, look and listen for play. Also press up and down / left and right on the drive shaft and do the same.

If you notice any play or can feel slop from the u-joints then thats the problem.

-Gun

 

As best as you can tell where is it coming from, the front or the back?
Does the car pull to one side?
Is there a bowling ball in the trunk?

It could be quite a few different things, broken shock, ball joint, A-frame bushings, tie rod, sway bar, etc. Do what Gun says to check the U-joints and then jack up the front and try to move suspension pieces and look for play. Don't be gentle, put pressure on the components.

 

I think I would pull the wheels and look at the brakes. Do you have disc's? Maybe a loose or broken caliper pin.

 

do the same thing with someone standing at the front left wheel at the car when you stop. have him move around to hear where it's coming from. I used to listeners to find a mad screaching which was the slipyoke againts thee rubber from tail. sounded like killing a cat but couldn't locate it

 

Are you saying when you come to a quick stop then let up on the brakes you get the noise? Like when you are accelerating again? If so it sounds more like what Oxnard is telling you. Sounds like something in the suspension is getting placed in a bind and then "unloading". Could be why you hear nothing when you come to a slow stop. Your not loading whatever is making the noise.

I'd check all the bushings on the front swaybar.

 

Thanks for all the tips. I'll check the driveshaft soon. The clunk appears to be from the passenger front. If an A arm bushing is bad how hard is it to change?

 

As pointed out previously, fixing a clunk is usually the easy part. Finding it is usually what will drive you to drink.

The best approach is the "Four P's;" Push, Pull, Pry and Prod.

Raise the car safely and start pushing, shaking and prying on everything that is a moving suspension or drivetrain part underneath. Don't give up until you have found the loose part. Be patient because it's always the last thing you check that is the problem.