colinc

When I am backing out of my driveway I hear a clunk coming from the rear on the drivers side. It doesn't make the noise if I just bounce the rear of the car with my hand and I don't hear it any other time. I thought it might be the strut and took it to Midas. They looked at it and said the suspension was fine (struts and springs). Any ideas?????

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

if you have a rear sway bar, then the endlinks are suspect.

punkindrublic

are you sure you aren't backing out over the curb?

colinc

bbarbulo,

How do I check the sway bar theory??

imported_civic_fan

if its the sway bar end links, it will sound kind of like a clunk or a creaking...the only ways I know of to test it are to bounce the rear end up and down OR to get a friend to drive your car and go through lots of bumps and listen for the noise....best bet is the second one....go to a place where there are a lot of speedbumps and go over them...not super fast but not overly slow either....if you hear the clunk/creak everytime you go over a speedbump, Id be 90% sure that it is the end links

imported_BoOsTd

could be a bushing worn right through... do you have any suspension mods? lowered...?

imported_BoOsTd

This may sound stupid, but quick and easy thing to check is stuff in your trunk that could easily be mistaken... like your spare tire or jack may be loose in the trunk...just a thought, might be worth checking out before you spend money diognosing a suspension problem...

Blue Dream

see if a strut is blown, ans if any suspension parts are binding.

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

well, stock, out of the box, your car shouldn't have a rear sway bar... so it would surprise me if you have one to begin with.

Lay under the car and see if anything looks amiss... do you have a sway bar?

colinc

Ok, it doesn't look like I have a sway bar, there's nothing in my trunk and I'm not backing out over the curb. When I bounce the rear end there is no banging sound. I don't see anything out of whack underneath the car and neither did the guys at Midas. The only thing I have noticed recently is that the sound is louder if I back out on an angle. If it is a bushing how can I tell if one is worn out???

Thanks for the input.

imported_BoOsTd

look at it carefully , and see if there is a crack in it.. may have to clean it off really well to see.. maybe spray some brake cleaner on it.. another way is to just replace it, and see if it worked!

DumbasSi

Mine makes the same noise, under the same circumstances. I remember reading somewhere that Honda had a service bulletin out for the LCA bushings that were wearing out and craking pre-maturly. Tkae it to a Honda dealer and see what they say. I new bushing can't be that much $$$.

colinc

Thanks for the advice. I 'll call Honda and see how much for the LCA bushings.

imported_zc_hatch

my grandmas buick did that... tighten up your spare tire man lol