Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Suspension Rear suspension clunk

I just finished my 3.0 liter build, the only thing wrong w/ the car is a clunking sound coming from the rear suspension. I took one of the wheels off and shook the hell out of every component I could, no wear marks either. I checked the sway bar end links, but everything looked fine there too. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Seth


98' CSVT 3.0
Black/Black

Put the wheel back on and try to move the wheel back and forth while gripping the top and bottom. Cooul be you need a new hub/bearing.

I shook it and its firm, If it was a bearing or a hub i think it would have already gone out. It a clunking sound under high frequency ocsillations of the rear, like gravel, doesn't make a sound out on the interstate.

-Seth


'98 CSVT 3.0
Black/Black

WM Racing
www.wolfpackmotorsports.com

The 2 most common rear "suspension" noises are unlubricated sway bar bushings and the emergency brake cable. There are rubber bushings around the brake cable with fins on them. Put lubrication between these bushings and the bottom of the car and see if it makes a difference. You can also get under the car and just yank on the cable to see if it makes a noise (it flexes a good bit when you are driving). Other than that,I don't know what to tell you. I'm getting an awful noise just like the one you are describing and I just replaced my suspension. I'm going to try to fix it when I get back home where I have a garage, but so far I've had no luck

You're not providing enough info. to make an informed response. My experience with the dreaded rr suspension "clunk" is the sway bar, although the upper strut mounts can also be the culprit. Often, the offending component(s) are invisible until you begin dissasembling parts.

Is your rr sway bar stock or aftermarket? If it's aftermarket, whose is it? What are the conditions when you hear the clunk-possibly going up/down your driveway? Is 1 side of the rr suspension under a compression load while the other is in extension? And on & on....

Help me out with this info., and in turn, I can help you.

I don't know about ncalaskan's case, but I'll tell ya about mine I hear the noise mainly when the frame flexes. If i go over a speed bump slowly, there is no noise. Going around corners however, there is always a crunch/creak sound coming from the right rear. Small things such as leting off the brakes will give me the noise as well...or abrubt acceleration. If I go under 5 mph, I don't hear anything. Turning the car, even in a parking lot, will make the noise every time. I often hear the noise as I get out of the car as well. And yeah, its pretty loud.

Any suggestions?

I'm pretty sure that it is rear shock mounts, I'm gonna call up BAT tomorrow and order a replacement set. But I still appreciate everyone's input, thanx.

-Seth

When they were new, I remember a few Contiques with hard to find rear suspension clunks. The Ford hot line told us to remove the rear sway bar and road test with the sway bar off. If the noise was gone, look at the sway bar mounts etc. I remember a Cougar that the retainer brackets for the sway bar mount pads were bent and replaceing them solved the problem.

Hey....thanks a lot...I never thought of testing the car without the sway bar But that is a great idea...I think i'll do that when I go home.

Thanks again

Adding a rear strut tower bar definitely quietens some of the squeaks and creaks of a "used" Contique. There's a fair amount of chassis flex inherent with the rather large trunk pass-through.

Bigger sway bar=bigger loads to the suspension and chassis.