stock

I finished up the rear suspension stuff a couple of days ago. It included a panhard bar/bracket, LCA's, and a UCA with mount. Poly bushings. I had everything except the UCA and a short throw shifter installed earlier and no
clunk, so it has to have something to do with one of these devices. I read other posts about these clunks but this is a little different. If you are in say third or 4th gear and let off the gas and then apply the gas, just normally, you get a clunk like something is loose and hitting metal to metal. It is fainter after reinstalling the rear seat but still present. The installeder rechecked everything and ensured all was tight. Should i reinstall the stock UCA and see what happens or just live with it ya think? I did jump on it and i tell ya the thing plants now with no problem. This noise does not show up when accelerating hard, etc., but i can replicate it easily. It's not the upper bolt that goes through the UCA, its real tight. Thanks for any advice.

Unleashedbeast

When you apply the throttle, your rear end natural torques (front housing goes up towards the car body), it pulls on the UCA, and you get a clunk. If you used your OEM UCA mount, then I have a good guess at what your problem is. Take a look at the link below.

UCA stepped spacers

The OEM mount has a 16MM hole, but all aftermarket (and OEM) UCAs use a 14MM hole and bolt. Way to go Ford! DEE DEE DEE!!!

Now, if that's not the problem, and you have an adjustable panhard, make sure the adjustment knuckle is tight. Mine came loose and the rear end would clunk over bumps.

stock

Thanks for the input. I did have a heavy duty mount installed with it, and also
the panhard was checked.

Unleashedbeast

Well, the only thing I have left is....

I saw a a picture where the UCA was contacting the axle mount. There was a welding flak/nipple that was still on the axle side of the mount. When the suspension was compressed it would make contact with the new UCA. I wish I could find the thread to get that picture. Check to make sure you don't see anything like this in that area.

EDIT: Found it in the S197 forums.

stock

Wow, that's an interesting picture! I took the car for a road test this morning, and that included tight turns, getting it on in acceleration, and even high speed. The car handled flawlessly. I have to replicate to get any sound as i described and i'm convinced now that it's the rear driveshaft where it connects to the rear housing. It has some play and makes somewhat of a clunk sound when you turn the driveshaft back and forth which seems to be normal but now with the new suspension components the sound is much more pronounced. I think i am ok. Thanks for the inputs.

Unleashedbeast

I've heard the OEM drive shaft gets noisier when you lower the car, and I believe it. My OEM drive shaft clunks a lot more when going into gear.

My05GT

I'm searching around the forums for a similar noise coming from the driver's side rear axle area. From a start (or low rpm <1500), I hear a "clunk" almost like a bad gear mesh would make. As noted in an earlier post, I can replicate the noise by letting off the throttle and then getting back on it (not hard). Another way to put it is, it almost sounds like someone dropping something in the trunk.

I've checked over the suspension several times, and found nothing loose. The car is lowered using Spoon panhard bar, lower control arms, and Tokico D-specs. The car is an '05 GT, with 89k on it.

I'm wondering if this is an axle issue, or how I can tell where the clunk is coming from. The passenger side is fine - no noise.

nmd55

had a similar noise when i installed my steeda adj UCA.

My guess was that the aftermarket UCAs allowed a little more rear axle movement and the clunking you are hearing is the exhaust pipes hitting the axle.

stock

Guys, since that noise i have now also lowered the car (coil-over D-spec's), and front and rear sway bars, balljoint and bumsteer kits, and the noise is still present, but i hardly notice as i've gotten used to it. I've been told that it's the two-piece drive shaft (08 GT-500), and that the adj. UCA and mount just makes a "normally unheard noise" more audible through the car now. The fix apparently is going to a one-piece drive shaft which i would like to verify, but it will be a while before i get one.

inyadreems

Ever fix the problem? Having same issue.