Cyclic thumping sound from rear wheel
 

This is on my girlfriend's 2001 Escort zx2, when going around right corners somewhat fast the rear end seems to have this clunk/thump sound which sounds to be directly related to how fast the wheels are spinning. Not on left corners though, so I'm thinking it's the rear driver's side wheel area since that would be the outer wheel getting more force on a right turn. It doesn't make any sounds under slow turns, but gets louder the harder you turn.

Any ideas what it could be? It's got 95k miles on it, all original parts.

Re: Cyclic thumping sound from rear wheel
 

I'm not familiar with these cars, but... have you checked the rear sway bar links/bushings? Maybe the shift of weight when turning it causing it to make that noise. Or could it be a wheel bearing - if I'm understanding you right, it will clunk over and over with the speed of the tire.

Re: Cyclic thumping sound from rear wheel
 

Rhythmic sound related to speed and turning = wheel bearing

Re: Cyclic thumping sound from rear wheel
 

A wheel bearing would cause a whine typically, not a thump. I would say if the car have ball joints in the rear, it could be that.

Re: Cyclic thumping sound from rear wheel
 

Having the sound increase and decrease based on turning would have nothing to do with ball joints, specifically if it's also related to speed.

Re: Cyclic thumping sound from rear wheel
 

Sure it would, the tighter you turn the clunkier it could get.

It does sound like it could be a wheel bearing though the more that I think about it.

Re: Cyclic thumping sound from rear wheel
 

I'll do some more spirited turning today at different speeds to verify, but I'm pretty sure the frequency is speed dependent. Loudness is force dependent.

I was thinking wheel bearing at first, but was hoping for another possibility.

Re: Cyclic thumping sound from rear wheel
 

I'm voting wheel bearing. Ball joints and sway bar links/etc don't typically have a cyclic thump that relates to wheel speed.

Re: Cyclic thumping sound from rear wheel
 

loose lug nut...maybe

Re: Cyclic thumping sound from rear wheel
 

Check your lugnuts (ask Halon about that one :D)

Re: Cyclic thumping sound from rear wheel
 

I would say to check lug nut tightness, and if that doesn't fix it, it's most likely a wheel bearing.

Re: Cyclic thumping sound from rear wheel
 

Well I don't think I'll ever know for sure what it was. Emily took the car in for an oil change because I didn't have time before we left today, and they rotated the tires. They also said she needed new outer tie rod ends (I could shake the wheel back and forth a lot, it was bad), so we got some at oreilly's for 1/3 the goodyear cost and had that done too. Well now the problem seems to be gone, so who knows.

I know there was a vibration issue in the front end which I thought was a tire out of balance, but it was probably just the wheels shaking because of the bad tie rod ends.