95 caravan loose

Hello Caravan Enthusiasts,
Mine finally started giving me problems. When making a fairly sharp right
turn and at least 40 MPH the rear end feels like my lugs are loose. The van
has new tires, brakes and bearings. It has been to a mechanic who installed
new motor mounts, a sway bar, new transmission mounts, removed all tires and
checked the struts. The van still knocks when going around a corner to the
right only. He now seems to think the drive shaft is working itself in and
out. Can this be the problem? I'm a backyard mechanic and can't do no more
myself. Can anyone help me?

 

Check the rear leaf springs shackle bushings, if they are shot they will
cause that type of noise.

Glenn Beasley
Chrysler Tech

 

Check Ball joints too.
Larry

 

Dumb question here but if the noise is coming from the "rear" why are you
have all the work done to the front?

Glenn Beasley
Chrysler Tech

 

Hello Glen,
Naw. that aint a dumb question. I ask that one too.
At first I thought I had a broken belt in the rear tire; so I replaced the
two rear tires, they needed it anyway.
After that didn't fix the problem I replaced the drum brake pads as they
were getting half way there and repacked and tightened the rear bearings.
I just visually checked the rest for anything obviously broken and didn't
find anything- there really isn't much to the rear.
I told the mechanic all I had done and I guess that's why he figured it must
be coming from the front.
This is kinda crazy but I had my girlfriend drive while I lay in the back
and the only time I felt the vibration it felt like it came from the
opposite(passenger side) wheel. It seems my weight had done something.
P.S. Thanks for the response and advise. rrj

 

Not crazy at all!! I have to do that all the time to find noises. You say
oppisite passenger side ........vibration, you didnt say front or rear???? I
would assume you mean the rear and once again, by putting your weight in the
back may have just diagnoised your problem to those rear leaf spring shackle
bushings (they are rubber) being bad. If there is weight back there it will
cause the shackles to not bouch around alot.Thus making the noise go away

My opinion

Glenn Beasley
Chrysler Tech

 

This is so obvious you probably have already checked it but my 99 T
& C made a clicking noise in the rear area that turned out to be a
bent shock mounting bolt. Those lower mounts are exposed and I must
have hit something at some time. had to look closly to see it but it
put the shock off center enough so that it had a maddening click at
low speeds.

Frank