On the way to work on the interstate, hit a dip in the road at a bridge, at the same time I got a LOUD banging sound coming from right under the hump between the rear seats. My parking brake lever vibrates, and if I pull it up to the first click, the sound stops. It is very loud and is present in forward or reverse. Is this OK to drive 25 miles back home tonight?
Please help with any insight to this problem.
Thanks

 

It sounds like you may have broken a transmission mount. I had that happen to me. I hit a bad spot in the road with some pot holes and right after that I had a loud bang. I found that the transmisson mount had broken. They are easy to replace, and they run around $30.00 bucks. I hope this helps.


Tuff.

 

That helps, but I just had a new ES tranny mount put on last Thursday. I can see it from the drivers side and the rear of the car and it looks like it is ok. I also had a panhard rod put on at the same time. The mount looks like it is still tight, and if it did come loose, would I be getting the LOUD banging right under the hump between the back seats. It seams to go faster/slower, bepending on my speed.
Thanks for the help man. I really need to get a grip on what this is, if it's alright to drive home w/o wrecking or really busting something up.

 

does it make sounds when it shifts?

 

No sir, the banging goes along with how fast the car is going, not with the RPM's or transmission. It's banging the sh** out of something, when I push in the clutch, shift, and let off the clutch, the banging is always there. The only time the sound goes away mostly is when I pull the E-Brake up to the first notch. It's like it is putting an extra load on something, thus stopping the sound.
I think I might have to ride the E-Brake all the way home, at least on the first notch?????

 

it sounds like 2 things slapping each other?

this is weird-
the ebrake only connects the handle to a line back to the rear brakes... wtf is going on under there? i cant see how pulling cable would do anything-
did it go away when you used the brakes?

 

Try and get under there and move the emergency cable around to see if it's loose enough to hit something. If so, try and adjust the cable a little more tightly. I believe Helm manuals cover this.

 

EXACTLY. Like the U joint yoke is hitting the underside of the car. Now, this all started when I hit a small gradual bump before a bridge on the interstate, and then went down the decline. As soon as the suspension traveled up as the car's gravity forced it down, this banging started, and never stopped. The road is all smooth, no sudden holes, just gradual ups and downs, if that makes any sense at all.
I don't know either what difference the damned e brake would make, other than putting tension of the driveshaft (creating resistance)????
BTW, my fuel filter bracket isn't snug in it's fitting tight up against the frame, it's kind of out and loose. But I don't see what diff. that would make.

 

Oh, BTW, getting on the brakes does not stop this. Because of the lowering springs, I can't even get under it on ramps. And I'm at work, I just need to get it home first. Preferrable without being on the back of a rollback.

 

Guy at work suggests the rear pinion bearing?
I have 3 1/2 hours before I drive it home. If anybody thinks that is a bad idea, speak now or forever hold your...........

 

i had the same thing happen to me on my 82. It was the e brake cables. Also had something close to that happen to my 87 Firebird. I hit a few hard up and downs in New Orleans and that suspension travel caused the pinion bearing to go out. But mine went away when I hit the brakes as it would tighten up the drveshaft tension just the same as the e brake would. I had to drive home alomst power braking the car at stops. It was ok driving till I went to slow down . When I did I had to hit the brake and gas at the same time to keep the tension there

 

Hey, thanks Flamd. So would I be safe going say 55 mph all the way home. Nothing's going to fly apart or lock up is it? And maybe have the E brake lever up to the first notch to keep tension?
BTW, if it is the pinion bearing, was it the new ES tranny mount that caused this?
Thanks

 

dependig on how far away from home you are and how much "one notch" tightens the rear brakes-
you might warp rotors/ calipers (doubtful but possible) and wear pads a bit

i know on the cars i was working with 6 months ago-
3 clicks held it on a 30 grade for like 12 minutes of something


pic

 

All the way home is 25 miles, and one click isn't much as I was doing that this morning to see if the noise would go away. I have crappy rotors on the back, my good slotted/drilled are front only. I just want to get home.