Rear end "popping" noise, need help and opinions - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

Fiftydriver · 06-05-2011, 10:51 PM

To all,

I had a JRE complete rear end installed early this spring along with a set of Phaft trailing arms and upgraded Diff bushings and trailing arm bushings. The rear end was a complete unit built by Ted and his crew with 3.73 gear upgrade, billet caps and posi upgrade.

The rear end is VERY tight, has been from the start and has not loosened up a bit with around 1500 miles on the rear end. By tight I mean that when you make a tight turn at low speeds, you can actually feel the tires slipping and you can feel the "load up" in the gears as the posi upgrade prevents pretty much any slipping. If the road is wet, it will actually cause the traction control system to engage and you year all kinds of noised when this system engages.

This really is not the problem as I was expecting this to some degree, not quite this tight as I was told it would not effect daily driving at all but I can live with that.

The real problem is that there is a "popping" noise in the rear end. I can not really tell where the noise is coming from but at times, when I turn a slow turn there will be a sharp pop or snap come from the rear end. It does not repeat, generally its just a single pop noise. When it happens you can feel the car shift slightly but I can not tell whats doing this.

It ONLY happens when turning a tight corner at low speed and its worse when there is a significant shift in the cars balance. For instance, when you pull off the highway on a right hand turn off that is slightly declined and then make a quick left hand turn into a parking lot of something like that, you will hear the pop nearly ever time on the second turn.

Its almost like the rear end gets shifted to one side and then when the car shifts its weight something slips.

There is NEVER any noise from the rear end at higher speeds. Never any noise when normal driving or hard launching, ONLY when you make a turn a certain way.

I jacked the car up this weekend to check to make sure the Phaft trailing arm grease zerks had been lubed and they have been. I tried to get them to move side to side thinking that maybe there was some play in the trailing arms but they are right as can be, can not get them to move even trying to pry them with no weight on the suspended rear end.

If I had to guess, it sounds like the noise is coming from the middle to outer right side of the rear end but its really impossible to tell from inside the car.

I hope its nothing inside the diff that is popping that much. I have a hard time believing that if something was popping to that degree inside the diff, that something serious would not be wrong and that I would have problems at other driving conditions as well.

So here is my questions, have any of you ever experienced anything like this with similiar rear end conversions? IF so, how was it corrected?

For you experts including Ted, any ideas as to what may be causing this popping noise to happen. I am not saying at all that it is the diff at all. In fact I would guess it is not but something is certainly popping in the rear end at slow speed turns and it has me a bit concerned.

I asked the GM mechanics that installed the rear end and his comment was pretty much its an aftermarket part so they would not recommend anything except putting the car back to original condition.......

Any thoughts or opinions very welcome.

Thanks for your time.

GEEo · 06-05-2011, 11:01 PM

Sevn86 · 06-05-2011, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GEEo

GFORCE1320 · 06-06-2011, 07:26 AM

I know on an IRS rear with a spool you get a pop from the cv joints sometimes when they get bound up in tight corners. Doesn't hurt anything but they do make a popping sound when you turn tight one way and then straighten back out. Not all cars do it but some do.
Now that is with a spool, I haven't heard of a posi causing this but I guess if it was tight enough then it might.

Thanks
Chris

Fiftydriver · 06-06-2011, 08:21 AM

Would a set of upgraded axels solve this popping? I have been considering upgrading them anyway but if this would likely solve the problem, I would certainly replace them.

I have driven some cars with spools, not alot but a few and this rear end in my camaro is every bit as tight as those, at least it seems it from driving around town.

Thanks for your time.

GFORCE1320 · 06-06-2011, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fiftydriver

Would a set of upgraded axels solve this popping? I have been considering upgrading them anyway but if this would likely solve the problem, I would certainly replace them.

I have driven some cars with spools, not alot but a few and this rear end in my camaro is every bit as tight as those, at least it seems it from driving around town.

Thanks for your time.

In my opinion, no. If it is the axles popping then a set of race axles will probably pop as well if this is what is happening.
But.. if you would like to try a set I'd be willing to take them back if your not happy.

Thanks
Chris

Stingr69 · 06-06-2011, 09:30 AM

I have had that before and it has been an issue from any limited slip differential assembly from as far back as I can remember. On the old school GM posi units we would just add a bottle of limited slip additive and then drive in a parking lot in a figure-8 pattern and that would take care of it.

I would get with Ted and let him tell you what is wrong. It might be just as easy as adding some limited slip additive but be sure to contact him before you do anything.

-Mark.

GFORCE1320 · 06-06-2011, 09:31 AM

Yea, I forgot to mention that adding a little bit of friction modifier does wonders for popping around corners. Might be worth a try.

Fiftydriver · 06-06-2011, 04:33 PM

At first we thought that the tech had forgotten to add the posi additive to the diff lube so I drained the lube, put in a 7 oz bottle of additive and topped off with the recommended gear lube. Made no difference at all.

Ted told me to put in two bottles of additive so I drained her again, put in 14 oz of posi additive and then topped off with gear lube, still no real difference.

Well, let me say that it made no difference in the popping sound but it may have made the posi unit a bit less stiff.

This is what has me thinking its something possibly to do with the axles. Again, I can not tell all the time but it seems to be coming from the right side of the rear end.

I can live with a stiff posi unit but when you pull into a parking lot and your $50K camaro pops and snaps like a POS its hard to take. Just want to get this popping noise fixed.

Ted did say he would take the rear end back and check it out to make sure its alright. Only problem is that I am in Montana, he is WAY back east. My Chevy dealer said they would not allow the car to sit at the dealership until the rear end got shipped back and then returned. Plus it would cost me nearly $1000 just to pull it out and reinstall it. Want to make sure thats the problem before I do that and likely find out the damn thing is still popping when I get done and waste a grand.....

If it is the axles popping, WHY are they popping. To me that tells me something is binding up to hard and it CAN NOT be good for whatever is taking that abuse every time it pops.

I talked to one fellow member that had a similar rear end set up but with upgraded 1400 HP axles and never had any popping.

Just a bit frustrating. I will give Ted another call and see what he thinks.

Any more thoughts are welcome.

StreetStrip · 06-06-2011, 10:54 PM

I have the same diff clutch upgrade, and I also notice a little popping/binding when turning slowly. But it's not that bad (the stabilitrac service light has never come on) and I presume it'll loosen over time.

When I installed the posi mod I was sure to cover the clutches with friction modifier as per the JRE instructions.

Ovenmitt · 06-06-2011, 10:57 PM

Sounds like your posi is keeping one wheel from spinning, and the inside tire is just losing traction and spinning (skipping) a-la spool. This will sound like a pop, and if your posi is tight, is normal.

Fiftydriver · 06-07-2011, 08:31 AM

There has always been tire slipping with this rear end but the popping sound is not from the tire. I had my dad drive the car while I walked along side of it. Its definately NOT the tires. I can clearly hear the tires slipping on the pavement which I can live with but this is a metalic popping sounds.

Talked to Ted and he things a set of top quality aftermarket axles may solve the problem so I may save up and get a set and give them a try. My only concern is that GForce has said he does not think that will help the situation much....... Setting my car up for a S/C and possibly new engine anyway so the new axles were on the list for upgrades anyway. Guess I will do this and see what happens and hope it solves the problem.

Any more comments and opinions are welcome.

StreetStrip · 06-07-2011, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fiftydriver

There has always been tire slipping with this rear end but the popping sound is not from the tire. I had my dad drive the car while I walked along side of it. Its definately NOT the tires. I can clearly hear the tires slipping on the pavement which I can live with but this is a metalic popping sounds.

Talked to Ted and he things a set of top quality aftermarket axles may solve the problem so I may save up and get a set and give them a try. My only concern is that GForce has said he does not think that will help the situation much....... Setting my car up for a S/C and possibly new engine anyway so the new axles were on the list for upgrades anyway. Guess I will do this and see what happens and hope it solves the problem.

Any more comments and opinions are welcome.

Axles are not going to resolve the problem. You need to understand the motivation of people giving you advise. If you planned on getting new axles regardless then it's worth doing.

The only thing that can cause your binding is a differential unit that has clutches installed too tight.

Russell James · 06-07-2011, 11:01 AM

When was your car built? There is a bulletin for popping noises in the axles for cars built prior to June 1 2009.

I've driven one that makes that noise and it popped every time I got on the throttle hard. Maybe the posi mod is making it do it on turns? The fix in the bulletin is to add a special washer to the end of the axles.

Clutches slip/sticking can make a metallic pop sound. Did you do a number of figure 8s after changing the lube/additive?

I'd try some Royal Purple Max Gear, in the thicker weight (something/140), it already has the additive in it. Then take it straight to a parking lot and do a bunch of slow figure 8s over and over.

06-05-2011, 10:51 PM	#1
Fiftydriver Drives: 2010 Camaro 2SSRS RJT L99 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Fort Shaw, Montana Posts: 1,242	Rear end "popping" noise, need help and opinions To all, I had a JRE complete rear end installed early this spring along with a set of Phaft trailing arms and upgraded Diff bushings and trailing arm bushings. The rear end was a complete unit built by Ted and his crew with 3.73 gear upgrade, billet caps and posi upgrade. The rear end is VERY tight, has been from the start and has not loosened up a bit with around 1500 miles on the rear end. By tight I mean that when you make a tight turn at low speeds, you can actually feel the tires slipping and you can feel the "load up" in the gears as the posi upgrade prevents pretty much any slipping. If the road is wet, it will actually cause the traction control system to engage and you year all kinds of noised when this system engages. This really is not the problem as I was expecting this to some degree, not quite this tight as I was told it would not effect daily driving at all but I can live with that. The real problem is that there is a "popping" noise in the rear end. I can not really tell where the noise is coming from but at times, when I turn a slow turn there will be a sharp pop or snap come from the rear end. It does not repeat, generally its just a single pop noise. When it happens you can feel the car shift slightly but I can not tell whats doing this. It ONLY happens when turning a tight corner at low speed and its worse when there is a significant shift in the cars balance. For instance, when you pull off the highway on a right hand turn off that is slightly declined and then make a quick left hand turn into a parking lot of something like that, you will hear the pop nearly ever time on the second turn. Its almost like the rear end gets shifted to one side and then when the car shifts its weight something slips. There is NEVER any noise from the rear end at higher speeds. Never any noise when normal driving or hard launching, ONLY when you make a turn a certain way. I jacked the car up this weekend to check to make sure the Phaft trailing arm grease zerks had been lubed and they have been. I tried to get them to move side to side thinking that maybe there was some play in the trailing arms but they are right as can be, can not get them to move even trying to pry them with no weight on the suspended rear end. If I had to guess, it sounds like the noise is coming from the middle to outer right side of the rear end but its really impossible to tell from inside the car. I hope its nothing inside the diff that is popping that much. I have a hard time believing that if something was popping to that degree inside the diff, that something serious would not be wrong and that I would have problems at other driving conditions as well. So here is my questions, have any of you ever experienced anything like this with similiar rear end conversions? IF so, how was it corrected? For you experts including Ted, any ideas as to what may be causing this popping noise to happen. I am not saying at all that it is the diff at all. In fact I would guess it is not but something is certainly popping in the rear end at slow speed turns and it has me a bit concerned. I asked the GM mechanics that installed the rear end and his comment was pretty much its an aftermarket part so they would not recommend anything except putting the car back to original condition....... Any thoughts or opinions very welcome. Thanks for your time. __________________ Fiftydriver 2010 SSRS, RJTC, L99, Maggie 2300 SC, 3.4" pulley, Roto-Fab CAI, Dynatech Supermaxx LT headers, Dynatech High Flow cats, Corsa Cat back exhaust, Dual Elite Engineering catch can, MSD wires and Jannetty custom tune, JRE custom diff w/ posi mod, 3.91 LPE gears, Pfaht trailing arms, Pfaht trailing arm and Diff bushings, drop springs and sport sway bars front and back, Fesler dual guage pillar pod w/ AM Cobalt Boost and A/F guages. More to come!!

06-06-2011, 08:21 AM	#5
Fiftydriver Drives: 2010 Camaro 2SSRS RJT L99 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Fort Shaw, Montana Posts: 1,242	Would a set of upgraded axels solve this popping? I have been considering upgrading them anyway but if this would likely solve the problem, I would certainly replace them. I have driven some cars with spools, not alot but a few and this rear end in my camaro is every bit as tight as those, at least it seems it from driving around town. Thanks for your time. __________________ Fiftydriver 2010 SSRS, RJTC, L99, Maggie 2300 SC, 3.4" pulley, Roto-Fab CAI, Dynatech Supermaxx LT headers, Dynatech High Flow cats, Corsa Cat back exhaust, Dual Elite Engineering catch can, MSD wires and Jannetty custom tune, JRE custom diff w/ posi mod, 3.91 LPE gears, Pfaht trailing arms, Pfaht trailing arm and Diff bushings, drop springs and sport sway bars front and back, Fesler dual guage pillar pod w/ AM Cobalt Boost and A/F guages. More to come!!

06-06-2011, 04:33 PM	#9
Fiftydriver Drives: 2010 Camaro 2SSRS RJT L99 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Fort Shaw, Montana Posts: 1,242	At first we thought that the tech had forgotten to add the posi additive to the diff lube so I drained the lube, put in a 7 oz bottle of additive and topped off with the recommended gear lube. Made no difference at all. Ted told me to put in two bottles of additive so I drained her again, put in 14 oz of posi additive and then topped off with gear lube, still no real difference. Well, let me say that it made no difference in the popping sound but it may have made the posi unit a bit less stiff. This is what has me thinking its something possibly to do with the axles. Again, I can not tell all the time but it seems to be coming from the right side of the rear end. I can live with a stiff posi unit but when you pull into a parking lot and your $50K camaro pops and snaps like a POS its hard to take. Just want to get this popping noise fixed. Ted did say he would take the rear end back and check it out to make sure its alright. Only problem is that I am in Montana, he is WAY back east. My Chevy dealer said they would not allow the car to sit at the dealership until the rear end got shipped back and then returned. Plus it would cost me nearly $1000 just to pull it out and reinstall it. Want to make sure thats the problem before I do that and likely find out the damn thing is still popping when I get done and waste a grand..... If it is the axles popping, WHY are they popping. To me that tells me something is binding up to hard and it CAN NOT be good for whatever is taking that abuse every time it pops. I talked to one fellow member that had a similar rear end set up but with upgraded 1400 HP axles and never had any popping. Just a bit frustrating. I will give Ted another call and see what he thinks. Any more thoughts are welcome. __________________ Fiftydriver 2010 SSRS, RJTC, L99, Maggie 2300 SC, 3.4" pulley, Roto-Fab CAI, Dynatech Supermaxx LT headers, Dynatech High Flow cats, Corsa Cat back exhaust, Dual Elite Engineering catch can, MSD wires and Jannetty custom tune, JRE custom diff w/ posi mod, 3.91 LPE gears, Pfaht trailing arms, Pfaht trailing arm and Diff bushings, drop springs and sport sway bars front and back, Fesler dual guage pillar pod w/ AM Cobalt Boost and A/F guages. More to come!!

06-07-2011, 08:31 AM	#12
Fiftydriver Drives: 2010 Camaro 2SSRS RJT L99 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Fort Shaw, Montana Posts: 1,242	There has always been tire slipping with this rear end but the popping sound is not from the tire. I had my dad drive the car while I walked along side of it. Its definately NOT the tires. I can clearly hear the tires slipping on the pavement which I can live with but this is a metalic popping sounds. Talked to Ted and he things a set of top quality aftermarket axles may solve the problem so I may save up and get a set and give them a try. My only concern is that GForce has said he does not think that will help the situation much....... Setting my car up for a S/C and possibly new engine anyway so the new axles were on the list for upgrades anyway. Guess I will do this and see what happens and hope it solves the problem. Any more comments and opinions are welcome. __________________ Fiftydriver 2010 SSRS, RJTC, L99, Maggie 2300 SC, 3.4" pulley, Roto-Fab CAI, Dynatech Supermaxx LT headers, Dynatech High Flow cats, Corsa Cat back exhaust, Dual Elite Engineering catch can, MSD wires and Jannetty custom tune, JRE custom diff w/ posi mod, 3.91 LPE gears, Pfaht trailing arms, Pfaht trailing arm and Diff bushings, drop springs and sport sway bars front and back, Fesler dual guage pillar pod w/ AM Cobalt Boost and A/F guages. More to come!!

06-05-2011, 11:01 PM	#2
GEEo OKCamaros Drives: 4 banger Diesel Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Philippines Posts: 4,572

06-06-2011, 07:26 AM	#4
GFORCE1320 Drives: 05 GTO Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Wichita, KS Posts: 1,243	I know on an IRS rear with a spool you get a pop from the cv joints sometimes when they get bound up in tight corners. Doesn't hurt anything but they do make a popping sound when you turn tight one way and then straighten back out. Not all cars do it but some do. Now that is with a spool, I haven't heard of a posi causing this but I guess if it was tight enough then it might. Thanks Chris

06-06-2011, 09:30 AM	#7
Stingr69 '69 Owned Since '79 Drives: '69 Z/28 LeMans Blue w/White Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: LR AR Posts: 1,847 View My Garage	I have had that before and it has been an issue from any limited slip differential assembly from as far back as I can remember. On the old school GM posi units we would just add a bottle of limited slip additive and then drive in a parking lot in a figure-8 pattern and that would take care of it. I would get with Ted and let him tell you what is wrong. It might be just as easy as adding some limited slip additive but be sure to contact him before you do anything. -Mark.

06-06-2011, 09:31 AM	#8
GFORCE1320 Drives: 05 GTO Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Wichita, KS Posts: 1,243	Yea, I forgot to mention that adding a little bit of friction modifier does wonders for popping around corners. Might be worth a try.

06-06-2011, 10:54 PM	#10
StreetStrip Tyranny is Closing In Drives: 2010 Camaro SS Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: N.E. Florida Posts: 189	I have the same diff clutch upgrade, and I also notice a little popping/binding when turning slowly. But it's not that bad (the stabilitrac service light has never come on) and I presume it'll loosen over time. When I installed the posi mod I was sure to cover the clutches with friction modifier as per the JRE instructions.

06-06-2011, 10:57 PM	#11
Ovenmitt Account Suspended Drives: 2011 RJT 1SS Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Fort Lewis, Washington Posts: 730	Sounds like your posi is keeping one wheel from spinning, and the inside tire is just losing traction and spinning (skipping) a-la spool. This will sound like a pop, and if your posi is tight, is normal.

06-07-2011, 11:01 AM	#14
Russell James Drives: '15 SS 1LE, '69 Z28 drag car Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Mich Posts: 4,482	When was your car built? There is a bulletin for popping noises in the axles for cars built prior to June 1 2009. I've driven one that makes that noise and it popped every time I got on the throttle hard. Maybe the posi mod is making it do it on turns? The fix in the bulletin is to add a special washer to the end of the axles. Clutches slip/sticking can make a metallic pop sound. Did you do a number of figure 8s after changing the lube/additive? I'd try some Royal Purple Max Gear, in the thicker weight (something/140), it already has the additive in it. Then take it straight to a parking lot and do a bunch of slow figure 8s over and over.