Weird Thump at Rear

Post by **everettc1** » Sat Nov 23, 2002 4:41 pm

I've just replaced the struts and checked the sway bar on my S14, but it hasn't solved a weird thump I'm experiencing. If I break hard or take my foot off the gas at 60mph plus, I hear a slight audible thump from the rear of the car along with with a feeling of a weight transfer there. What else should I take a look at?

Thanks,Wayne C.

Post by **Lsnaple** » Sat Nov 23, 2002 4:41 pm

is your 240 auto or manual? i had an auto and it just shifted really hard, so i guess that my transmission was about to go.doesnt matter to me anymore,sold it and bought another better one for cheaper.

hope its not bad for you though.

Post by **NISMO24096** » Sat Nov 23, 2002 4:41 pm

WHAT YOU ARE HEARING IS THE REAR SUBFRAME MOUNTS CRASHING BACK TO THE FRAME OF THE CAR, MINE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM RIGHT NOW NEEDING TO GET SOME NISMO SUBFRAME BUSHINGS TO SOLVE IT, SEE AS YOU ACCELERATE THE CAR THE CONSTANT FORCE OF THE WHEELS AGAINST THE GROUND ROTATES THE REARSUBFRAME BUSHINGS IN FRONT OF THE REAR WHEELS IN A DOWNWARD MOTION AND AS LONG AS YOU HAVE A LOAD ON THE WHEELS THEY WILL STAY IN THAT DOWNWARD MOTION ACTUALLY SEPEREATED FROM THE FRAME OF THE CAR AND WHEN YOU RELEASE THE LOAD ON THE WHEELS (LET OFF THE GAS QUICKLY) THE SLOWING OF THE WHEELS QUICKLY ROTATES THE REARSUBFRAME UPWARD TOWARD THE FRAME OF THE CAR AND IF YOUR BUSHINGS ARE WORE OUT YOU WILL GET THAT THUMP THAT YOU ARE HEARING, SO DO LIKE IM GONNA DO AND GET SOME NISMO BUSHINGS SO THE REAR SUBFRAME WILL BE MORE MOBLELIZED (sp) and also this will help you with your launches as you will be moving the wheels first not the subframe lol. anyways i hope i have answered you question later....

Post by **psyclone69** » Sat Nov 23, 2002 4:41 pm

Hey NISMO24096, that sound about likt the same problem I have with my S14, it happens mainly when I get on it, and stop to hard, or when I let out on the clutch hard, It's a clunk that sounds like the whole rear end's about to fall out, and sometimes when I take turns, the whole back end feels loose, or just cruise at about 50, and let off the gas and push the clutch in, and let off, I get the clunking noise also. Does this sound like what you were talking about, I also just replaced the springs, shocks and struts.

Post by **NISMO24096** » Sat Nov 23, 2002 4:41 pm

yeppers, thats exactly what im talking about, and actually mine right now is getting to the point that its starting to worry me, man i really need to put it in the shop asap. but yeah thats what it is. if you happen to find a place that gives you a really good deal on nismo, or another performance rear subframe bushing kit let me know i will do the same if i find a good deal in my searches, later and good luck.....:ylsuper

Post by **b240** » Sat Nov 23, 2002 4:41 pm

I think whiteline has them and there not too expensive. =]

Post by **psyclone69** » Sat Nov 23, 2002 4:41 pm

Yep mines to the point to where it worries me too, feels like I'm gonna turn and the rears gonna go straight. I think Nismo has the rear suspension mount kit, which should be the stuff I need, for around 186. Ya'll know how hard they are to install?

Post by **Bbill528** » Sat Nov 23, 2002 4:41 pm

I got the same problem, getting a full kit of polyurethane bushings from Options autosalon.

Post by **psyclone69** » Sat Nov 23, 2002 4:41 pm

I am ordering the whiteline KCA 349 Rear Nissan Sub-Frame Align and Lock Kit, and supposedly should fix the problem.

Post by **NISMO24096** » Sat Nov 23, 2002 4:41 pm

where is a website for ordering whiteline products....thanks

Post by **psyclone69** » Sat Nov 23, 2002 4:41 pm

http://www.pdm-racing.com

Post by **NISMO24096** » Sat Nov 23, 2002 4:41 pm

thanks for the quick reply, so what kind and year is you car. just wandering and what kind of mods?

Post by **themadscientist** » Sat Nov 23, 2002 4:41 pm

I had solid aluminum ones made for the old S12, no movin baby!

Post by **psyclone69** » Sat Nov 23, 2002 4:41 pm

NISMO24096, I have a 95 base model, I've had it for about a month, only paid 3000 for it, decent condition, been ran off the road twice in it, one time it demolished the driversdie rear quarter, so far all I've done is 2.5 inch piping after the cat to a PT muffler, removed clutch fan, NGK plugs and wires, Fidanza 11lb. flywheel, SPEC Stage 2 clutch, B&M short shifter, thats about it. Now after dong the clutch flywheel and shifter, I think has caused my **** to fall even more apart in the rear, at first I had the whole clunking ordeal, which I'm hoping these whiteline bushings shall fix, and now it bucks bad when taking off, when I'm trying to get going slowly, trying to keep from clunking.

Form what I heard, the solid aluminum ones transmit alot of noise through the car.

Post by **240 or die** » Sat Nov 23, 2002 4:41 pm

Anybody know how hard the install is. I think thats my prob. too but i hate to go through all of it for nothing, or should i say to not fix the problem. Keep me updated guys, PEACE

Post by **psyclone69** » Sat Nov 23, 2002 4:41 pm

I ordered my the whiteline kit last night, supposedly even if your old bushings are blown, all you need to do is install these, the guy at pdm racing said it takes about 20 minutes to do the whole car, and it should fix the problem.

Post by **240 or die** » Sat Nov 23, 2002 4:41 pm

Whoa, 20 mins. ya gotta be kiddin me. I cant even fill up my gas in 20mins. Hey, i just checked those out on the website today. Im gonna give em a call too, this soundss too good to be true. Did he give you any details on the install?

Post by **NISMO24096** » Sat Nov 23, 2002 4:41 pm

OK guys im gonna let you two be the test monkeys on this one and if you say that it works great and only takes 20mins to install than buygosh i will get them too. for real though let me know how well they work....:ylsuper

Post by **psyclone69** » Sat Nov 23, 2002 4:41 pm

Well the kit arrived today, I had the spacers installed in less then 20 minutes. **** rides a hell of a lot better, and theres no clunking in the rear. Handles much better. All of my problems are solved, only 75 bucks, and 20 minutes. The only problem is, it transmits more vibration when slowing down, nothing too bad, just a little. Other than that, I love it.

Post by **NISMO24096** » Sat Nov 23, 2002 4:41 pm

hey man thats great to hear, so how do you set it up for drag racing , drifting and so forth, it says that you can set it up more than one way, which way did you set it up, oh yeah and as soon as i get payed i will be ordering mine thanks for keeping me posted, let me know how things go this next week if anything bad comes from having them installed, tire wear, transmission wear anything like that .... thanks alot.....

Post by **psyclone69** » Sat Nov 23, 2002 4:41 pm

I have mine set up for the all around performance, put all for spacers below the subframe, which compresses the subframe against the unibody. For the drag setup, you install the spacers at the front of the subframe between the unibody and subframe, and for the drift, install them in the rear instead. What this will do in incline or decline the diff.

With the subframe compressed to the unibody, you do have a little more drivetrain noise. So I'm gonna take the 2 extra spacers, cut them in 2, and install them all the way around between the unibody and subframe which should help out a whole lot more.

Post by **NISMO24096** » Sat Nov 23, 2002 4:41 pm

sweet let me know how that does, so the install was easy, what kinda tools did you need to do it, just a jack some jack stands and a good breaker bar and some tools, tell me all about it so i know what to expect with mine.... thanks alot....

Post by **psyclone69** » Sat Nov 23, 2002 4:41 pm

Lay on the ground, you only need 2 deep sockets, I forget the size, and thats it, no need to jack up the car, really easy.

Post by **NISMO24096** » Sat Nov 23, 2002 4:41 pm

wow that sounds great, so how big are these spacers you know around and thick, and do you think its really worth it to get them or just go out and buy some washers and hard rubber spacers and make your own, i know 70 bucks isnt much really but hey if you can save a buck i say save it, and let me know if you have cut the others in half and installed them im curious how its going i will most likely just order them this week though, and how long did it take you to get them in after ordering them. i know im just full of questions huh:D later on man and thanks for taking the time to answer all my crazy questions....

Post by **psyclone69** » Sat Nov 23, 2002 4:41 pm

I'm sure you could make it on your own, might be a pain, I'd say jump under and remove one of the rears nuts, and you'll possibly figure something out, 70 bucks, and 5 days of waiting didn't seem too bad, I think it was worth it.

Cutting them in half was a major pain in the as$. COuldn't get them to fit up between the subframe and the unibody, wasted my time and 2 spacers, but I think its defintely worth it.

Post by **NISMO24096** » Sat Nov 23, 2002 4:41 pm

well im off tomorrow so im gonna give is a look and see what i can come up with, just out of curosity what is the overall diameter on the ring that you install and how big is the inside cutout, and how thick are each one. just trying to get an idea what im looking to copy, i will let ya know if it works out , thanks for the info, and i agree i will most likely order them as well but i just want to try this first, besides im sick and tired of that damn thumping in the rear, also have you noticed if you car shifts harder between the gears seeing that there is no more slop in the rear end, is it easier to chirp the gears. just another question.....Lee

Post by **NISMO24096** » Sat Nov 23, 2002 4:41 pm

ok i went to the Ace Hardware and picked up 8 1-1/2 14 gauge machine bushings and 2 7/8 flat washers. and you can place then below the rearsubframe mount that located in front of the wheel closest to the the front of the car, ok heres what i did i stacked them as follows the ones im stating first will be the ones that are closer to the ground and the last one is the one that it closest to the car, stack 4 bushings and one 7/8 flat washers on top then jsut tighten everything down, and no more thump, and it hits the shifts alot harder.....and all for $7.50..... IM SO HAPPY...... If anyone wants more info just email me....Lee

Post by **psyclone69** » Sat Nov 23, 2002 4:41 pm

You have any noise transmitting through your car when downshift?

Post by **NISMO24096** » Sat Nov 23, 2002 4:41 pm

no not that i can really tell my exhaust is kinda load getting my new hot shot header put on thursday. but it feels good and tight, and when you downshift you can really feel the engine grabbing the tires and slowing you down and no thumpingi am going to leave it like it is for now and see how it does, but as of right now its great and i love it....oh yeah and i did not put any one the subframe mounts behind the rear tires so that might be where you are getting your noise from....hell take the rear ones out and just use the front ones and see if its still there that should give you alittle play in the rear but not the slop up front.... hope that helps let me know.....Lee

Post by **volty** » Sat Nov 23, 2002 4:41 pm

I've been having the same problem as described. I searched for it and came up with this. I'm a fair novice at car-repairs... How hard would it be for me to install these handy dandy bushings? And is it fairly obvious where to put them? Lastly, (a real newb question) do they come with instructions?

The thump is very audible, and very annoying, right when I get off the gas, and put in the clutch. I'm worried I'll hurt something bad without something...

Weird Thump at Rear

Weird Thump at Rear

Nissan Forums

Infiniti Forums

Datsun Forums

Technical Forums

Classifieds / Marketplace

Nissan Motorsports

General Forums