Rear suspension problems Options

[JonMarkos]

Hey guys, looking for some input from those with more knowledge than me. My right rear wheel clunks when I drive. It sounds almost exactly like it would if you have ever driven off from somewhere without tightening your lug nuts all the way (my lug nuts are tightened all the way). I also have on new tires so that is not the problem. Is there a bearing in there that will go out causing this to happen? I noticed that the clunking goes away when I am going around corners which I attribute to the wheel being pushed up against whatever is loose (if that makes sense). Any help is greatly appreciated, thank you.

[Galcobar]

Figured that'd be the cause -- those are the suspension arms, and they are infamous for the mysterious clunk when driving over less than perfectly flat roads.

Unfortunately, it's not a bushing. The ends of those arms use spherical bearings, which while theoretically replaceable would cost about as much or more to get the bearings, plus the cost of removal and replacement.

The rearmost of the pair is the No. 2 suspension arm (the front is the No. 1 suspension arm, further differentiated by L -- driver's side -- and R). You're pretty much stuck replacing the entire arm, which runs about US$90 from 1sttoyotaparts.com (it's identified there as a lateral arm under the rear suspension section).

The long bolt running through the axle carrier is likely seized and will be extremely difficult to remove -- albeit not impossible. If you can get the nut off it, replacing the No. 2 arm is actually quite easy. The No. 1 arm is much more involved.

Actually, I had to replace both my No. 2 arms on my 1990 GT, and decided to use the sixth-gen suspension arms because the toe adjuster is threaded rather than the easily misaligned eccentric cam used on fifth-gens. Here's a link to a guide I wrote for Celicatech: http://www.celicatech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34935