While on a road trip this last week I noticed some load noises coming from the rear suspension. I first heard it while coming to a stop. It was a grinding or rubbing sound. I also noticed a clunk or thud when I start from a dead stop. But it doesn't happen every time. It feels as if there is some play in the rear suspension.

When I am turning and driving slowly through a parking lot or over uneven pavement, there is a very annoying growning sound coming from the rear suspension. I have never noticed it this bad before. Also the noises are more pronounced when the car has been driven for a while.

The rear of the car now seems less stable. Rear suspension feels loose. I feel I have to work harder to keep it straight, but I'm not fighting it, just lots of little corrections.

I got home this evening and jacked up one rear wheel with the other wheel still on the garage floor. I could turn the suspended wheel back and forth about a degree. While doing this I could see the universal twisting with it. There did not appear to be any wear in the universal. The transmission was in neutral and hand brake was off.

I am going to take the car to the dealer tomorrow.

Any help or opinons are is appreciated.

Thanks in Advance

 

My guess is your limited-slip device is going out. The clutches in it are probably worn out.

 

Change the fluid and get a bottle of limited slip additive.

I had the change the fluid in mine about ever 12,000 miles or so, when it got time to change it, it would let me know by making noises at slow speeds in a parking lot just how your describing. Hell it has almost 100,000 miles on it now and she's working just fine

 

Thanks guys

I took my car to the dealer (a good one). They took the back plate off and found the wrong fluid in there. Changed it out with the proper fluid. No more noise so far.

Just a week ago I had the oil changed at one of those drive in drive out places. I also had the tranny and rearend fluids changed as well. Apparently the oil change place didn't know about the special requirements of the limited-slip differential.

Makes me think twice about having anything but the most basic work done on my car at those places.

But hey, at least they used Mobil 1.

Thanks for the replies. Oh, and can the limited-slip differential be rebuilt within the rearend?

 

No it can't be rebuilt in the car, i don't believe it can be rebuilt at all.

 

I was going to say "Can you replace it?". But rather than playing a guessing game, I just ask. How do you repair the rearend once the differencial clutch plates have worn out?

 

My car is a 96, so i don't know if the 98 cars are different or not as far as the differential is concerned, But mine has spyder gears, instead of clutches. And these can not be rebuilt. You have to replace it.
For our cars, Auburn makes one, Eaton, or you can get different style Torsen units from SLP or from Strano Performance.
If you are planning on replacing it, i would highly recommend talking to Sam at Strano Performance, he can stear you in the right direction. That's where i got my Eaton posi from.

 

Thanks for the information.

At this point the differential appears to be working fine. I put allot of miles on it with the wrong fluid, but 95% were highway i.e. straight line and ery little differential use.