Hello again!

My 85 245 is giving me a clunking issue.

I initially had a clunking sound at the passenger rear. turned out the rear shock was loose (and bad). It was so loose I could move it with my hand. The bottom bolt had somehow gotten loose. So I replaced the rear shocks and the sound went away.

Now, probably 500 miles in, I'm having a similar sound. It's a loose clunk sound. I almost always hear it when I go over small bumps or pot holes. Last night I was driving down a left turning spiraling driveway (out of a parking garage) and every time I drove over one of the compression lines in the driveway caused this clunk sound.

I was NOT in gear. It also will make the sound if I go from a dead stop, turning. I was turning RIGHT when I left the parking garage and it made the sound. As I was exiting, the car was facing down hill and turning right up hill.


Today I lifted the rear, took off both tires and checked to see if the loose shock was again the issue. Both shocks were tightened properly and not loose.

Before I lifted the car up, I had tried to replicate the sound. I pushed down on the rear bumper, but it didn't make the sound. So I forcibly pushed down on the bumper with my knee and the sound returned. However, instead of sounding like it came from BOTH sides of the car while driving, I could only make the sound come from the DRIVERS side of the car, more towards the rear.

When I push down on the bumper, it doesn't make the sound all the time. I have to push down HARD. And when it does make the sound, it's on the way UP from the push. The return, I guess.

I'm hypothesizing that it's the sway bar in the back, but it doesn't look or feel loose. Of course, I know that doesn't mean much.

I don't think it's the U joints or the driveline. I checked those already (for a previous issue) and they were fine. I don't know if it's the bushings, but i don't think it is. The symptoms don't seem to match (from what i understand).

Thanks for any ideas and tips.