Thumping sound in rear end, 60 Spider

[AlfaNeely@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 5/21/2003 6:53:29 PM Central Daylight Time, 
owner-alfa-digest@domain.elided writes:

> Date: Wed, 21 May 2003 12:52:03 EDT
> From: Jhartcal@domain.elided
> Subject: Thumping sound in rear end, 60 Spider
> 
> Hi all,
> My dad's recently restored 60 Giulietta Spider Veloce has developed a 
> strange 
> sound that seems to be coming from the rear end/differential. While driving 
> at almost any speed there is a pronounced thumping coming from the rear of 
> the 
> car. This happens under load and while coasting but the noise is somewhat 
> intermitent. We through it was either brakes or wheel bearings and pulled 
> both 
> rear drums but there seems to be no problem with the rear brakes and the 
> wheel 
> bearings seem ok.
> Is there possibly some rear bushing or other bearing that might be causing 
> the noise, or is it maybe a wheel bearing going and with the bearings 
> unloaded 
> (on jack stands) it can't be felt? This one has me stumped, any leads are 
> appreciated. I realize my discription is pretty weak but the noise is 
> difficult to 
> describe.
> 
> Jim Hart
> Oceanside Ca
> 

       Check the U Joints.  One could be working poorly and causing the 
driveshaft to move up and down.  That would cause the center carrier to move around 
and thump.
       An 87 spider I once had did that.  I did not find it until I put the 
car up on stands and had my wife run it through the gears with me underneath.  
And I could not tell which u joint it was until I pulled the drive shaft.  
Once out, I found one u joint that was virtually bound up in one direction.  The 
other half worked find and there was no slop that could be felt by trying to 
twist the u joint.  Of course, the normal failure mode for a u joint is that 
the bearings wear out and there is obvious slop.
       Even if it is not a u joint, you might find the source of the problem 
by running the car on stands.  By the way, if you live in California, I do not 
advise putting a car up on jack stands and getting under it for any reason.  
I do it here as we never get earthquakes.  <grin>

Ciao,
Russ Neely
Oklahoma City
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