Caravan rear suspension noise?

[Gareth111278]

Hi all Gareth from the Uk here, I've got a problem with a rumbleing noise from the rear suspension i've just fitted new gas dampers and now its making a noise like sway bar bushes are worn, they look OK though. Any ideas / common faults?? I'm at my wits end!!

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[dishdude2k]

if its rumbling.. might want to check wheel bearings.. jack it up.. see if you can move the tire in and out.. up and down.. left to right...

[next2pool]

Without hearing the noise first hand, it's hard to diagnose, but shock absorbers can do that when the damping is quite different from stock. They can transmit a lot more road noise as well as aggravate tire flat spot noises.

[Fortyfied]

I have that problem with my 97 GC. Passengers describe it as sounding like a percolator and say they can feel it in the floor near the leading edge of the left rear wheel well. The sound occurs in concert with road bumping. I'll check for axle play as recommended and report my findings.

[Gareth111278]

Its not wheel bearing, could be just the type of damper i'm running
but it sounds just like when you leave a rear door or tail gate not closed properly,
I'm gonna check all the seats too, make sure they're fully latched into the floor , hope its not the gas tank loose

[PartyOnWayne]

Same noise on my '93 caravan. It's the shock absorbers. If I jack up the rear end I can grab the top of the shock and make it rattle. Another noise you might get, using non-Mopar parts, is brake shoe noise. I put new brake shoes on my 97 caravan, a few years ago, and soon after there was this clicking noise when I hit the brakes. Turned out the brake shoe was stepping off the little raised area of the backing plate, that it's suppose slide on. Bought Mopar shoes and never had the problem again. It's a learning process of what you can buy after market and what needs to be Mopar.

[Gareth111278]

Right on there mate, it was the top bolt of both rear shocks loose! i'd just had them changed so no real supprise.
i'm just happy its sorted at no cost!

Thank for the break shoes info too, very useful.

Party on !