Clunk! Pop! What could cause this?? (Suspension related probably)

[Grandmaster]

Ok so sometimes when i'm slowing down i feel and hear like a thud almost like my rear end is catching up with my car. Its not violent but it is easily noticable. Also, when i am stopped or going really slow, then i start to take off (slowly even) i hear a couple of pops which also are from the rear of the car. I'm going to jack the car up this weekend or maybe tomorrow to check things out and i wondered if you guys might know what to look for. I think the pops might be due to shot spring isolators, because i didn't plan ahead and used the old ones with my new springs when i did my suspension at the beginning of the summer. I'm also thinking maybe the clunk/thud is a loose bolt or something. I dont currently have the rear sway bar on (finally getting around to putting it on when i jack the car up), could that be it? Would the shot isolators cause it? I dont have quad shocks, do they have anything to do with it? ANY ideas are really appreciated, i HAVE to fix this, i'm afraid something is about to straight fall apart. Thanks for any help, hopefully i can fix the problem this weekend.
-E

 

[giddyup306]

Sounds like your u joints went south.

 

[v8only]

i'll put my money on loose driveshaft bolts or bad u joints. If not that, check that everythings tight. Start at the trans, check the bell to block bolts, then the trans to bell bolts, the driveshaft bolts and u joints, then check all the control arm bolts, make sure everything's snug. Jack up the rear, and wobble the wheel around left to right and around, and be sure your rear wheel bearings aren't going out.

I still think its the driveshaft, that's most common.

 

[Grandmaster]

Thanks a lot guys! The driveshaft is the other thing i was gonna check while i was under there. I'll probably be doing it tomorrow, i'll post my findings.
-E

 

[Grandmaster]

I got under the car today to check the u-joints. I had the car in gear and tried to turn it back and forth with my hand, it has a pretty good bit of play. So would that pretty much do everything that i described in the previous post?? Thanks,
-E

 

[v8only]

did you have the ebrake up when you checked them?? driveshaft wasn't moving, the ujoints were right??? regardless, if you have excessive play in the u joints, this is something that has to be fixed, and yes, loose u joints can make a clanking sound. If they're loose enough to be sloppy, it can be dangerous. It's an easy fix. Plump down the $250 for an aluminum shaft, or just buy the ujoints and fix it yourself, it's a straightforward job.

 

[Grandmaster]

I put the e-brake on and i also put the car in gear (5-spd). Then i jacked it up and got under and grabbed the the drive shaft with my hand. I tried to rotate it by hand and it had play in it. It doesn't move side to side or anything but i can rotate it by hand a small bit back and forth, it isn't tight in place. So that means the u-joints are shot right?
-e

 

[bigsparky]

This is the exact same problem I've been having.. subscribing!