clinking sound, 1987 town car.

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J J - 20 Dec 2006 11:19 GMT

1987 Town Car. Makes a odd tinking sound when first backing up. I only
hear it in first 10 feet when backing up. Sounded high pitch and tinny
so i thought it was hub caps. I took off all hub caps and tightened
lugs. The noise is still there. So far I have tried the following with
no solution:
1. Took off all hub caps. tightened lugs.
2. At street or highway speeds no noise.
3. Bounced all four corners to see if it was springs or shocks, no
noise.
4. Stopped and started on steep slope to test transmission for noise. No
noise.
5. Removed everything from trunk.
6. Drove over railroad crossing and speed bumps but no sound.
7. Brakes are smooth and quiet.
The sound is so tinny it sounds like rocks in the hub caps but thats not
it. Any ideas?

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Kruse - 20 Dec 2006 11:36 GMT

> 1987 Town Car. Makes a odd tinking sound when first backing up.

Have you checked the U-joints?

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J J - 20 Dec 2006 12:35 GMT

Would heavy parts like drive train, differential, bearing, or U joints
make a heavier thud sound and at all speeds?

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Mike - 20 Dec 2006 14:20 GMT

> 1987 Town Car. Makes a odd tinking sound when first backing up. I only
> hear it in first 10 feet when backing up. Sounded high pitch and tinny
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
> The sound is so tinny it sounds like rocks in the hub caps but thats not
> it. Any ideas?

Sounds like bad u-joints. If you find one bad replace them all.

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lugnut - 20 Dec 2006 15:55 GMT

>1987 Town Car. Makes a odd tinking sound when first backing up. I only
>hear it in first 10 feet when backing up. Sounded high pitch and tinny
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
>The sound is so tinny it sounds like rocks in the hub caps but thats not
>it. Any ideas?

My first thought would be U joints. The tinny sound is
because of the tubular drive shaft.

Lugnut

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MasterBlaster - 21 Dec 2006 10:41 GMT

> 1987 Town Car. Makes a odd tinking sound when first backing up.
> I took off all hub caps and tightened lugs.

And left the hubcaps off for testing?

Kruse > Have you checked the U-joints?

> Would heavy parts like drive train, differential, bearing, or U joints
> make a heavier thud sound and at all speeds?

When my U-joint went, it sounded like a pop can scraping the driveshaft.
The tiny little needle bearings in the joint were being ground into powder.

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