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knocks while driving in straight line


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My 1987 gl makes a knock while driving in straight line at about 10-15 MPH, It does sound like it's coming from the right side.It feels like I drove over something. All from CVs look good and I can't find any thing else that looks bad.

I do have a bad ball joint on that side, would that make noise while going straight?

 

Any thoughts ? :)

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I'm having a very similar thing happening in my 87 gl 4wd. It's been a coming and going noise that sounds like it's coming from the back right (passenger) side tire. It started about 3 months ago after using the 4wd in the snow.
it's been very non-apparant since then until two days ago when I set out on a 900+ mile round-trip. It was making the noise on the highway (very fast knocking) but then it went away. On the way back from the trip the noise came back and started getting louder until there was finally a loud pop and the car reacted as if I had hit a bump (only in the back) and then there was no noise until about 5 minutes later it did it again with the same bump hit feeling. After that I pulled off and jacked the back up by the diff to look around the rear wheel, but everything back there feels tight.
I'm thinking either a dragging brake shoe that's snagging, or perhaps a bad u-joint or the carrier bearing. I'm going to check that stuff out tomorrow, suggest you might do the same.

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I looked at my ujoints today they look good, I don't know how to check the carrier bearing.

I drove it today I put it in 4X4 and it felt like the rear end locked up for a few seconds, And I left skid marks in the road.  Something that I forgot to mention is the my car has been siting for months, waiting on tabs.

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U joints. if there is knocing coming from there check it NOW. You do not want to drop a driveshaft at any speed. Very ugly. First look for any freeplay by hand. Rotata the shaft and loof ro any delayed movement in the yokes. Next unbolt the drive shaft and check the universal joints to see if they are seized. This can be a potentially dangerous situation which needs to be investigated.

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I'm going to have to pull my drum off back there and see if it's the same thing. The noise comes and goes so I'm really thinking it's not a u-joint. I did, however, try applying the brakes while the noise was occuring and heard no change, so there's that, too.

Hoping the weather brightens up a bit here soon. I've been putting off a lot of maintainence because it's just been so cold and stormy out lately.

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I'm going to have to pull my drum off back there and see if it's the same thing. The noise comes and goes so I'm really thinking it's not a u-joint. I did, however, try applying the brakes while the noise was occuring and heard no change, so there's that, too.

 

Hoping the weather brightens up a bit here soon. I've been putting off a lot of maintainence because it's just been so cold and stormy out lately.

the lack of change you felt when applying the brakes could be attributed to the brakes not being attached to the wheel cylinder and thus, not moving

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Was searching for rear brakes and saw the awesome photo of what they are NOT supposed to look like.  So I'm guessing this thread topic should now be titled "Rear Brake Job".   I have not disassembled the brakes yet, but I'm looking at brake parts on rockauto... there's a bunch of #'s for the size... some in inches... some in mm.  Does anyone know the size of the rear brake shoes.   OP has 4wd... as do I. Does FWD or 4WD have different sizes?  I also want to rebuild the wheel cylinders... and rockauto lists the bore as 5/8" or 3/4" or 1".   Anyone know the wheel cylinder bore?  And of course, the spring/clip set.  4wd shows more/different springs...is that correct?

OntheRun... I don't mean to hijack the thread... maybe just co-pilot ?

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Was searching for rear brakes and saw the awesome photo of what they are NOT supposed to look like.  So I'm guessing this thread topic should now be titled "Rear Brake Job".   I have not disassembled the brakes yet, but I'm looking at brake parts on rockauto... there's a bunch of #'s for the size... some in inches... some in mm.  Does anyone know the size of the rear brake shoes.   OP has 4wd... as do I. Does FWD or 4WD have different sizes?  I also want to rebuild the wheel cylinders... and rockauto lists the bore as 5/8" or 3/4" or 1".   Anyone know the wheel cylinder bore?  And of course, the spring/clip set.  4wd shows more/different springs...is that correct?

OntheRun... I don't mean to hijack the thread... maybe just co-pilot ?

I don't mind, I like watching little threads grow

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Did you order your brake shoes and spring/clip replacements yet?   I'm heading back to rockauto and will use an '89 GL as my vehicle.  I just read that using an '85 Wagon (EA82) will also give you part #'s for EA81 Brats and Hatchies.  

That same brake situation happened to me a year ago on my other '85 FWD Wagon.   Bad rumbling, grinding and a 'pop' every now and then.   Opened it up and what was left of the springs and clips just fell out.   I bought the parts from Napa because I need them right away.  I should have taken pictures and sent them to the mechanic who had the car for 4 months and test drove the heck out of it.

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