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Topic: Loud pop then a strong pull

in Forum: C3 Driveline Components


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Loud pop then a strong pull (1/11)
 6/9/14 6:14pm
BT_JettLifetime Member
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Woodland Park, CO - USA

Vette(s):
1973 T-Top, Red, 4spd manual, L82


Joined: 2/19/2007
Posts: 268

Drivin' the 73 the other day and pulled up to a stoplight.  As I pulled to a stop there was a loud pop from the back of the vette, like a bolt snapping.  Started to pull away from the light and the car pulled hard to the right and made a little slapping noise (not very loud just noticeable) so I got off the gas pushed in the clutch and the car took off to the left.  Found the side of the road and looked under the car and saw nothing hanging down.  Long story short -- got the car home, jacked her up and crawled under expecting to see a sheered bolt, nada, zip...nothing unusual.  
 
Anybody got any ideas. 


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Re: Loud pop then a strong pull (2/11)
 6/9/14 6:41pm
F4GaryGold Member
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Grapevine, TX - USA

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Half-shaft universal?

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Re: Loud pop then a strong pull (3/11)
 6/9/14 10:44pm
Adams' AppleLifetime Member
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Duncanville, TX - USA

Vette(s):
#1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/ Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight" #2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas


Joined: 11/8/2003
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Check the brake calipers....might have a sheared bolt in one of them.
Could also be a problem in the parking brake....or a wheel hub bearing.
Did it make any noise at all before this happened?


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Joel Adams
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Re: Loud pop then a strong pull (4/11)
 6/10/14 11:56am
BT_JettLifetime Member
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Woodland Park, CO - USA

Vette(s):
1973 T-Top, Red, 4spd manual, L82


Joined: 2/19/2007
Posts: 268

Nope, no noise, just cruising down the road.

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Re: Loud pop then a strong pull (5/11)
 6/10/14 12:31pm
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Duncanville, TX - USA

Vette(s):
#1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/ Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight" #2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas


Joined: 11/8/2003
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Did the azz-end of the car shift from side to side when you got on/off the accelerator? Like it had rear-steering?
I just considered it may have popped the shims out of the trailing arm(s) at the front. That would let the arm toe in/out, creating a steering motion from the rear...and some noise like you described. Might be a good idea to have a peek at that, while yer at it. Geek


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Re: Loud pop then a strong pull (6/11)
 6/16/14 10:14am
BT_JettLifetime Member
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Woodland Park, CO - USA

Vette(s):
1973 T-Top, Red, 4spd manual, L82


Joined: 2/19/2007
Posts: 268

That was it -- finally got a chance to get under the car and sure enough the drivers side shims are missing at least one if not two.  Nice and loose on the trailing arm.  So now to get 'er down to the shop and have the alignment done. 


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Re: Loud pop then a strong pull (7/11)
 6/16/14 1:44pm
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Duncanville, TX - USA

Vette(s):
#1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/ Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight" #2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas


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Well that sux.....but at least ya know now. Are all of them gone from both sides of the t-arm, or just off of one side? There should be a cotter pin that goes thru the bottom end of the shims, and thru the frame to keep them from falling out. However, if someone has done an alignment on it before, or have had the t-arms off, they may have used the earlier shims, which do NOT have the holes in them for the cotter pins. Those will fall out eventually...




Of course...if ya leave the cotter pin out, even with the correct shims, they will fall out, too. Unhappy

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Joel Adams
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"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

Re: Loud pop then a strong pull (8/11)
 6/16/14 4:37pm
BT_JettLifetime Member
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Woodland Park, CO - USA

Vette(s):
1973 T-Top, Red, 4spd manual, L82


Joined: 2/19/2007
Posts: 268

YHup -- no pins on either side, they were their when the car went in for the last alignment and not now.  Seems I must find a different shop.
 
Thanks for the help!


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Re: Loud pop then a strong pull (9/11)
 6/16/14 8:08pm
dyoes
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Zachary, LA - USA

Vette(s):
1974 L-48 Auto. Just your basic Vette. GM crate motor w/vortec heads and intake. Crane cam. Scorpion rockers, Edelbrock carb. Lots of parts still in boxes... :(


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Adams' Apple said:
I just considered it may have popped the shims out of the trailing arm(s) at the front. That would let the arm toe in/out, creating a steering motion from the rear...


Cool   Holy moley, you're good!!


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Re: Loud pop then a strong pull (10/11)
 6/16/14 9:57pm
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Wichita, KS - USA

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dyoes said:
Adams' Apple said:
I just considered it may have popped the shims out of the trailing arm(s) at the front. That would let the arm toe in/out, creating a steering motion from the rear...


Cool   Holy moley, you're good!!

Darryl, we've known Joel was good for many years... he's the one to ask if you need some advice on a C3 or for that matter many different model Corvettes.  We're all lucky we've got him. 
 
Larry



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Re: Loud pop then a strong pull (11/11)
 6/17/14 12:58pm
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Duncanville, TX - USA

Vette(s):
#1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/ Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight" #2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas


Joined: 11/8/2003
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Oh STOP! Embarrassed

I ain't always right, but I'll throw out every idea I come up with.....one of them has to be close! LOL   Just glad to help when/if I can.....same as everyone else here. Thumbs Up

Just to clarify the reason for the holy shims, and the cotter pins that go thru them. When the rear suspension moves up/down, the t-arm shims are held tight to the arm, and want to move with it. Once they move upward, out of the "pocket" in the frame where the end of the shim with the hole sits, there's nothing to keep them in. The more movement on them, the farther out of the slot for the bolt they come. Eventually, they simply fall out. Originally, there were NO holes or cotter pin in the t-arm shims. Shims were falling out left and right. Once GM figured this out, they came up with the holes in the shims, and holes in the frame to insert the cotter pins, to hold the shims both down, and to keep them from falling out, even if the bolt gets loose, or the bushings fail. Most Corvette alignment places have the holy shims in stock, but rarely have the un-holy shims....which are needed if doing a full-on resto on the older cars. Sometimes they get mixed up, or the alignment guy just ain't paying attention.....or he just flat out forgets to reinstall the friggin cotter pins, which is apparently what happened here. Censored 





|UPDATED|6/17/2014 9:58:55 AM (AZT)|/UPDATED|


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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    

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(click for Texas-sized view!)
             NCRS

"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

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