<table>
Thanks for all the responses....I'll start checking things out.
Randy
<blockquote style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid">-------------- Original message --------------
>
> Randy,
>
> I used to have a bit of a "clunk" in the rear. It was a meaty low-frequency
> sound that one sort of felt in my butt as well as heard, like when my wife
> hollers to me from upstairs to take out the trash. At first I heard it only
> occasionally when starting off from a dead stop, or while braking and
> turning right, but gradually I heard it more often...like sometimes during
> gear changes on a hill. In my case it seems to have come from the swing arm
> where it fits over the stub axle.
>
> According to East Coast Amphicar's Billy Syx (see
>
http://www.amphicar.net/eca ) it is very common for these round swing arm
> "eyes" that slip over the stub axle to oval out over time, especially when
> the stub axles had been mounted without being properly spring loaded,
> something frequently overlooked during previous work on the car. (Billy says
> most of the Amphis that come in to him for restoration have stub axles that
> are not properly "sprung"), or if the pinch bolt that holds the swing arm to
> the stub axle is loose or stretched (the original bolts are fairly soft
> steel). In case it's just a stretched or broken pinch bolt, Billy has
> posted a quick fix for this common issue in the Amphicar.net "Parts Tips"
> section at
http://amphicar.net/partsinfo.htm . Here's the text:
>
> FullName: Billy Syx (East Coast Amphicar)
> Email:
eca@amphicar.net
> Website:
http://www.galloweb.com/~amphicar
> Original_Amphicar_Part_Name: Pinch bolt for rear axle oscillating arm
> Original_Amphicar_Part_Model_or_Type: Hexagon bolt M 10 x 75 S DIN 931 - 10K
> Original_Amphicar_Part_Number: 1.309 15.00 (Amphicar Parts Catalog, 4/1 --
> Item 11)
> Replacement_Part_Name: Any manufacturer
> Replacement_Part_Model_or_Type: 2 1/2 x 3/8" SAE (Minimum Grade 5, but the
> higher the grade the better)
> Replacement_Part_Number: Common U.S. hardware
> Manufacturer_or_Source: Any decent U.S. hardware store
> Actually_used_the_part?: I have actually used this part
> Price: $3
> Price_from_Gordon: n/a
> Date: October 26, 1999
> Modifications_Needed_or_Other_Comments
> Also purchase matching washers (2 per bolt) and nut. The original Amphicar
> bolt was a much softer steel with a very coarse thread. With this new
> stronger grade steel replacement and its finer (SAE) thread, it may be
> possible with a little "heave-ho" to tighten down a loose oscillating arm
> onto the stub axle, thereby vastly improving handling and safety, to say
> nothing of avoiding that $700 bite for a new oscillating arm assembly. The
> old original soft-steel bolts will usually snap if one tightens them down
> hard. Use of a thread locking compound like Loctite on the nut or
> double-nutting (tightening a second nut against the first) is advised.
>
> Of course, even if the tip above seems to solve your immediate issue, a
> thorough looksee at the whole wheel and suspension assemblies might be well
> advised while you're down there anyhow. It being the middle of winter and
> all, it's not like you really need just a "quick fix" to get you through to
> the end of the sailing season. There may be other issues causing or
> contributing to the clunk such as badly worn drive axle joints, bearings,
> etc., just as Larry points out below. Better to tinker with these in
> January than over a gorgeous cruisin' weekend in June, right?
>
> ~Bilgey~
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Larry & Nancy Solheim
> To:
amphicar-lovers@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Monday, January 03, 2005 11:18 PM
> Subject: Re: [amphicar-lovers] Clunking
>
>
> A bit more information would be helpful. Does it
> happen every time? More or less w/ a "hard" clutch
> engagement? Worse if you back up, stop, & then go
> forward?
>
> 1st though would be a U-joint, but brake shoes that
> "stick" then break-free as power is applied is also a
> possibility. Or even a bad axle bearing, but you
> would most likely hear noise if you jack up the rear
> and spin the tire by hand. While you have the rear
> off the ground, also hold the tire at 9 & 3 o'clock &
> push/pull to check the attachment at the pinchbolt
> swing arm attachment.
>
> Good luck,
> --Larry
>
>
>
>
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> </blockquote>
