Please someone help me. I am begging.

I am in need of help. For the longest time now I have been hearing
this bang come from the rear of my van. I have taken it to about three
mechanics and noone can figure out what the problem is. Of course it
is always dry out when the appointment is set to take the van in. They
drive it, slam on the brakes, and keep it for about 6 hours. I go back
and get charged nothing because they found nothing wrong. Next night I
drive it, it rains and BAM, sounds like someone rear-ended me
everytime I make a stop. Van runs fine other than that noise.

Last year I was having trouble with my abs light
kept coming on. I was driving one night and it was raining. I was
going down a hill, and I felt the van slide a bit even after I had
applied the brake all the way, and instantly my abs light came on. I
turned the van off and the light went out. I started it back up and I
continued down the road,
and as I stopped at a traffic light I heard a *LOUD BANG* in the rear.
It's as if something is slamming into the back of the van. It only
does it when you stop so I know it is something to do with the brakes.
I was afraid to stop normal again so I gradually slowed down and
stopped sooner all the way back home.

Now for the past year i have had this same problem. It is ridiculous.
Whatever it is it sounds like my tire is slamming into the body of the
van when I stop. It did it last night, and of course it's raining. Any
advice would be greatly appreciated. I do think one time I needed a
new ABS relay, and that fixed the problem. The mechanic took the old
relay apart and it was soaked with water. How water is getting in I
have no idea, none of the other relays are wet. PLEASE, PLEASE help if
you can.

 

Check the bushings in the rear spring shackles. Also check the rear sway bar
links (if you have one). If it's brake related I'd start from scratch and
puut new rear linings on, all new hardware, and turn drums.
Larry

 

You don't mention specifically what van so - May not be related - or you may
have already had checked - but two items on third generation vans, early
ones anyway, starting in 96. Spare tire loose or not positioned correctly -
especially if there is a class 2 or 3 hitch installed. It makes it hard to
get the tire into the correct position. Also they have a known problem with
the plastic gas tank sliding fore and aft in its straps and thumping against
the floors support beams. For this there is a padding kit that can be
installed to cushion the bang. This problem can often be correlated to the
amount of fuel in the tank. Often it isn't noticeable with a full tank, of a
nearly empty tank. Problem is also often noticeable just after starting a
quick acceleration.

Just a though.

 

Thanks alot for the advice. I will mention this to the mechanic
Wednesday. I'm hoping this time he can solve the problem. I have been
told this guy is really good, so we'll see.

 

Thanks alot. We did check the spare tire last year, and however that
wasn't the problem either. It is a brake problem for sure, just got to
pinpoint where it is coming from

 

instead of using the brake pedal use the parking park pedal and see is it
makes the same noise but do it in a parking lot were it's open and safe
and then see if the noise is there then you might have some new info for a
tech to use

 

It's possible that the power is being disconnected then re-connected while
in deceleration. This would suck gas through the engine and into the exhaust
where it is ignited when the power and spark return. This does produce a
very loud "bang" and could blow a hole in your muffler or converter.
- Bill