Topic: New Member asks Could the rear spring cause this
in Forum: C3 Driveline Components
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I’m a new member and my complements everyone here, what a fine site. I have read nearly all the of threads and have learned a lot. If this topic has been covered will someone please point me in the right direction.
I have bought a 1975 L48 last July from someone who owned it for 10 year and put approx. 3k miles during the time he owned it. This car was a garage decoration for him but I bought it to drive, around 3k to 5k per year. I live in Virginia Beach and can drive the car almost year around. There are only a few days during the winter months worthy of taking it out of the garage. The car preformed well last summer and fall and I planed to change the engine this winter. The 75 sat in my garage without being driven for the months of Jan & Feb and finally a nice sunny day in March I took it out for a short drive. With in a mile it started making a clunking \ grinding sound from the front end. It became so bad I didn’t think I would get it home and thought the noise was coming from front and back. Making it home (idling) the car was parked until the end of the month when it was towed to the shop for the engine replacement. My mechanic drove it a couple of times prior to the engine swap and told me it made no noises and it seemed fine. The engine has finely been installed after a number of delays (very cool, very happy) however on a short test drive the grinding \ clunking sound has reappeared (guess I’m not crazy after all). It was defiantly coming from the back of the car. Mechanic said it sounds like U-joints, but they all check out as do the ball joints, wheel bearings, breaks there is nothing obvious except the bushings in the center for the rear control arms. These bushing are almost non existence and the control arms are twisted toward the front. The noise happens when the car is traveling forward in a straight line. It does not seem like the control arm could be making this noise.
I have a cool new engine but the car is still in the shop & spring is the time to drive. Any suggestion would be appreciated.
Also the WAVE seems alive and well in Southeastern Virginia, it was just another pleasant surprise for a first time Vette owner.

I have bought a 1975 L48 last July from someone who owned it for 10 year and put approx. 3k miles during the time he owned it. This car was a garage decoration for him but I bought it to drive, around 3k to 5k per year. I live in Virginia Beach and can drive the car almost year around. There are only a few days during the winter months worthy of taking it out of the garage. The car preformed well last summer and fall and I planed to change the engine this winter. The 75 sat in my garage without being driven for the months of Jan & Feb and finally a nice sunny day in March I took it out for a short drive. With in a mile it started making a clunking \ grinding sound from the front end. It became so bad I didn’t think I would get it home and thought the noise was coming from front and back. Making it home (idling) the car was parked until the end of the month when it was towed to the shop for the engine replacement. My mechanic drove it a couple of times prior to the engine swap and told me it made no noises and it seemed fine. The engine has finely been installed after a number of delays (very cool, very happy) however on a short test drive the grinding \ clunking sound has reappeared (guess I’m not crazy after all). It was defiantly coming from the back of the car. Mechanic said it sounds like U-joints, but they all check out as do the ball joints, wheel bearings, breaks there is nothing obvious except the bushings in the center for the rear control arms. These bushing are almost non existence and the control arms are twisted toward the front. The noise happens when the car is traveling forward in a straight line. It does not seem like the control arm could be making this noise.
I have a cool new engine but the car is still in the shop & spring is the time to drive. Any suggestion would be appreciated.
Also the WAVE seems alive and well in Southeastern Virginia, it was just another pleasant surprise for a first time Vette owner.

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Former Member
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BRADENTON, FL - USA
Joined: 8/4/2002
Posts: 669
Vette(s): 1972 convertible 350 auto trans, delux int, air, ps, pb, t/t wheel, pw, 79,000 org miles Rare one year only color
have the rear differential gear fluid changed and add 1 or 2 bottles of POSI ADDITIVE -- GM PART # 1052358
from the chevy dealer. sounds like the clutches in the rear end may be making the noise if no bad U-joints can be found.
from the chevy dealer. sounds like the clutches in the rear end may be making the noise if no bad U-joints can be found.
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Thanks for all the info, Remember the duck, If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, it must be a duck! And if it sound like a bad bearing it a bad bearing & of course spindle. Hope to have my hands on the new spindle tomorrow and be on the road this weekend. Thanks again for all the input.
Paul
Paul

Former Member
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Annapolis, MD - USA
Joined: 11/7/2001
Posts: 225
Vette(s): 1965 white with red stinger Coupe HotRod
1970 Bridgehampton Blue Convertible - NCRS / Stock
2019 Sebring Orange Coupe 3LT
Gone but not forgotten:
1987 Yellow Convertible
2003 Yellow Convertible
2007 Atomic Orange Coupe
2007 Lemans Blue coupe
Does it make the sound in gear or in neutral or both? If it's in gear only it could be rear end related. If it does it in neutral too, it's likely suspension related. Check the driveshaft Ujoints too. ~Juliet
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in Forum: C3 Driveline Components
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