accord 90 - clunk from rear when accelerating/tapping brakes/potholes

I've been hearing a sort of know or clunk coming from the rear
driver's side. It's an on and off phenomenon. Sometimes there is no
sound at all, sometimes it happens very often.

I can hear it if I tap the brakes, or even when I accelerate from a
stop. It also occurs when going over bumps/potholes. I wonder if this
could be a safety issue or whether I could postpone fixing it for a
while.

thanks in advance

 

I'd have it taken care of immediately. It could be a brake issue. Worn
pad can sometimes move just enough in the caliper to make a clunking noise.

 

Even if I have drum brakes in the back?

thanks

 

Especially.

 

Thanks, I'll have it looked at.

 

I am not familiar with the car in question but some years ago I had a
knocking at the back of a car when travelling over rough surfaces. It
sounded like a little guy underneath with a hammer. It turned out that the
handbrake cable pulled on the brakes via a lever mounted in the backplate of
each rear drum. The pins on the levers had worn allowing them to jump up
and down when slack and the noise was the lever knocking against the sides
of the slot it passed through. The cure, which lasted for the five years I
had the car, was four small pieces of leather from an old belt which were
glued to the top and bottom of each lever where they passed through the
slot. This may have nothing whatsoever to do with your noise but.....who
knows....

 

Inspect the rear suspension.

You may have a worn/nonexistent rubber bushing in the upper control arm
or trailing arm, and so you hear metal-on-metal clanging when the
suspension moves.

Before even removing the wheel to take a look, shake it
side to side. When the bushings aren't there, there is free play.

Worn suspension components are a potential safety issue since
they affect the overall handling of the car.

 

Very helpful, thanks a lot. I can do this myself in the parking lot.