Rear Clunk

I've got a clunk in my rear axle/suspension that has creeped up over the last few hundred miles (Im at 50,000). Its sounds just like a single clunk, and Ive narrowed it down to being outside the VX, and from the rear (nothing inside the truck). It makes it going over small impacts, bumps etc at low speed (0 - 35 mph). I can also duplicate it by going in reverse at idle speed, then locking the brakes. As the VX settles I hear the clunk. Doesnt do it forward with this lock test, but only does it when driving as mentioned above. I did try the reverse brake lock test with a slight drag on the parking brake and it seem to get ride of the clunk. Could my rear parking brake shoes be loose or need adjusting, and are clunking over bumps, etc? Does anyone have a proceedure to do so?

Thanks

Just a suggestion... tighten the spare in the back of the vx. I had a klunk for a while and after much debate as to what it was it turned out to be the spare...., make sure your jack is tightened down as well....good luck

Do a search for "Klunk". I posted a thread months ago and alot of people responded to it. It might have some infor you need.

It sounds as if you have the same problem I had last year. If its the same problem, the fix is easy.....just tighten one of the skrews on the side of the rear door. It's been perfect ever since. I hope it works for you as it did for me!....let me know how it turns out! That KLUNK drove me nuts

I have the same clunk, it is none of what has been suggested so far.

...... there could be a million .......... ok, maybe a thousand .......
reasons for the clunk .......
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could be a bad u joint ..........
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or could be a dry (driveshaft) slip joint ......... grease the slip joint and then see if the clunk (klunk ...... klink .... ? Colonel Klink ....... ) ........... goes away or is diminished ........... this was just covered (thoroughly and with humour I might add) this past week on this forum ...........
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this is a very common trait with the Ford Explorer ....... when dry,
the slip joint will clunk significantly ......... sounds like the trans has a problem ...... or the rear end is about to sign off ....... fresh grease just about eliminates it ..........

hmmmm ..... happens on small bumps .............
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suspension component ...........
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???
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bushing ........ sway bar ......... control arm ...................

just stuff some paper towels between the spare tire and the rear door. It is how i fix the problem eheheheh

Same---comes from right wheel well. No trans or U joint type stuff,it's still under 12000 mi. old and made the noise since day one. Particularly over speed bump stuff. Pulled the rear seats, then the jack, handle, and spare(plastic doors from back too). Everything underneath (calipers,shocks etc.) are fine. Torn between the reality that I never go to Wallyworld or any other place with speedbumps and a sane human would forget the whole thing, and that obsessive car lover thing where the slightest squeak, leads invariably to disassembly of entire systems or sections of the vehicle, all the while knowing, mostly,a squeak is just a squeak The seat and interior plastic panelare still in the garage.

mine has a noise in the back too ,but i think it is the rear door not closing tight enough.. shawn

Wasn't there a post about adjusting the rear door latch to cure a clunking?