clanking noise in the rear

i know our rear suspension is pretty complex, or so i am finding out. for the past, well, i dont know how long (long time) my rear suspension has been making a awful clanking sound when i go over bumps. i have inspected everything and nothing looks out of place, broken or loose. i have brand new rear shocks (Monroe's), but i had the sound before and after the install. it only happens when the rear passenger tire goes over a bump. most notably a speed bump. fast or slow, it sounds the same. if i brake or dont break it still happen.
it sounds as if the control arm is loose and bouncing up and down.
i know this is a long shot, but any ideas would be great. what components are back there that could have that symptom? i dont want to just start replacing everything.
i had my dad listen behind the car as i backed up over a driveway bump and he couldnt pinpoint the location of the sound. he said its coming from the center of the right side...w/e that means i can maybe get a sound clip if anyone thinks it would help.
i also replaced the RR sway bar link hoping it might help, but now it squeaks too b/c i used a poly link
Matthew

Hmm, check out the upper shock mount, and make sure it's tight, I recall it was a bit difficult to get those tightened down when I replaced my rear shocks.

Have you taken the wheels off in a while? I had a similar noise in the front, turned out to be a cracked wheel lug.

Could also be the control arm bushings.

i got new tires 1000 miles ago and the noise was from before that.
is there a way to check the UCA bushing?
i will also double check the shock mounts, but the shock isnt loose when i have the car jacked up.

Try bumping the adjustment link (the long rod running from the CA to the center support) with your hand. Mine rattles on the passenger side and drives me crazy. I just haven't made the time to fix it yet.

Check the rear sway bar end links. They are just plastic spacers with a very thin bolt that can rot right off. The default position for the sway bar might make it look like it's still hooked up.

right rear sway bar link is brand new with polly bushings. i didnt replace the driver side b/c that's not where the noise is and the link wasnt in that bad of shape.
it sounds like it's comming from the adjustment link, but it felt tight when i had it up on the jack.

maybe i can get some pictures of different rear parts to aid in my noise, and in future troubleshooting for the rear.

Something rolling around in the spare tire well?

Jack the car up and put on jackstands, then use floor jack to raise and lower rear wheel while chekcing suspensions components (that is, get it jacked up then raise the wheel an inch or 2 at a time to reaching normal ride height, then beyond that a ways - this will take a while). Sometimes a loose part jams into place when the car is jacked up and the rear suspension is hanging free. If htat happens, you'll never find the loose part when the car is jacked up. (BTDT)

Also check 'silly' stuff like the antenna mounting. And the battery. If your power antenna mount has come loose for some reason, depending on *how* it is loose it could clank or clunk. And I posted elsewhere that I check my bettery once a year (pull out rear seat & make sure vent is in place). If you have never done this you could be in for a rude surprise... if vent is not in place the acid fumes rot out the floor under the battery.

Good luck

Albertj

Don't you like all this free advice! You should be able to bang on the adjustment link with the car sitting on the ground.

i'll check the link while it's on the ground.

it's not the battery or antenna.(i too check the batter for corrosion at least every 6months due to FL humidity) not the ELC motor(not there any more) spare tire isnt in my car, neither is the jack, etc.
i did put the car on stands and jack up the hub/rotor. nothing looked to be out of place but i did not check it every 2 inches. i did however drop the jack out from under the rotor to let it free fall. nothing seems to bounce, but there is too much noise when you do that to get anything helpful lol

i appreciate all the advice. you're giving me things to try this weekend

yep i agree with everybody else, and this would be inorder for least expensive to most expensive....
1.shock mount bushings and brackets
2.sway bar links
3.rear tie rod ends
4.both rear hub bearings
5.both upper and lower spring jouncers(they are rubber)
6.both lower control arm bushings
7.frame bushings

things that you should be able to do with no problem would be 1-4. now 5-7 might be a lil harder especially 7. please take caution if you are goin to replace the jouncers releasing the pressure from the spring will is highly dangerous.[/img]

ok i checked everything out again yesterday and found out the bolt holding the center arm bushing was loose causing the end to bounce under different loads. it doesnt move by hand, so i found out what it was by laying under the car (rear shocks filled high) and my dad bounced on the rear end making the noise. this is what i am talking about:


noise is completely gone and i couldn't be happier it's fixed and didnt cost me a thing...well i did discover my farthest exhaust hangers need replacing so that is a to-do now. thanks everyone for you input!
Matthew

that picture is up-side down btw. sorry

Yeah I recognized that even upside down (since I'm usually upside down when I see that part!) I had somebody at an alignment shop tell me I needed those bushings replaced. I couldn't find any play in them at all and they don't make any noise. I haven't replaced them and don't plan on it. I had a few other people look at it and nobody else sees anything wrong with them.

Glad you found it!