Clunking Noises Under Car When Going Over Bumps!

[Delmarco]

So I'm driving today with all the windows down and the music off something I haven't done since Sept 2004 and you'd be surprise how much you hear from your car...

I noticed that everytime I went over bumps there was a "clunking metallic sound" from the under carriage. The best way to describe it is to liken it to 3 or 4 steel pipes in bag that is shaken up and you hear the pipes knocking about....

I'm wondering of this is my bearings, suspensions....but I don't know...I checked my undercarriage and everything is well connected...no lose exhaust pipes or metal stuff dragging...

I also noticed that my brakes were squealing but only when I slowed the car down at high speeds...There was no squeals at low speeds braking and no squeals when I stopped hard and mashed the brakes.

What is this about? Is it the Pads or the Calipers? I just got my brake fluids and oil serviced and changed on 4/27/2005!

[netdude]

Originally posted by Delmarco@May 31 2005, 11:01 PM
So I'm driving today with all the windows down and the music off something I haven't done since Sept 2004 and you'd be surprise how much you hear from your car...

I noticed that everytime I went over bumps there was a "clunking metallic sound" from the under carriage. The best way to describe it is to liken it to 3 or 4 steel pipes in bag that is shaken up and you hear the pipes knocking about....

I'm wondering of this is my bearings, suspensions....but I don't know...I checked my undercarriage and everything is well connected...no lose exhaust pipes or metal stuff dragging...

I also noticed that my brakes were squealing but only when I slowed the car down at high speeds...There was no squeals at low speeds braking and no squeals when I stopped hard and mashed the brakes.

What is this about? Is it the Pads or the Calipers? I just got my brake fluids and oil serviced and changed on 4/27/2005!

[snapback]349196[/snapback]

Hey, i have the exact problem with my 94 318i. I've tried so many things but no luck. I thought it might have been my rear springs and shocks, but that didn't fix it. let me know if you ever do figure it out.

[BeemerMan]

ahh yes!!! the mysterious rattle. used I to have that same problem. ghead

[Delmarco]

"take a rubber mallet and smack your muffler a couple times. check the exhaust hangers and the muffler itself. In my last car i had a loose piece in my muffler i think because it rattled."

QUOTED frm SPEILHUR

This is adviced given to me at another site!

[BeemerMan]

hmmm i'm gonna smack the shit out of my exhaust tomorrow

[Furious]

smacking the exhaust does work but not always. usually this noise isnt the exhaust, it can be a whole lot of other things.

a. loose heat sheild. but the noise can vary
b. possible that the spring pad has shifted , it can make quite an alarming noise
c. RSM could be starting to go, when they get loose they make a pretty annoying metal sound.
d. check the obvious, jack isnt loose, or anything inst banging around in the spare tire well.
e. ummm im sure theres more that i cant think off right now but im pretty tired

[matt_5112]

damn these bimmers seem like nothing but problems!!!!! i bet my bimmer will be doing the same thing next

[Gator]

One trick I've seen done is to use a small microphone and attach it to a magnet with hot melt glue or epoxy. Plug the mike into some portable recording device like a laptop or a tape recorder. Drive over bumps and then move the mike around. You can ususally pinpoint where the rattle is coming from by listening to where the mike picks up the loudest noise.

[Delmarco]

Originally posted by Furious@Jun 1 2005, 12:02 AM
smacking the exhaust does work but not always. usually this noise isnt the exhaust, it can be a whole lot of other things.


d. check the obvious, jack isnt loose, or anything inst banging around in the spare tire well.

[snapback]349211[/snapback]

duh.....I'm such a ditz!!!! :lol:

i had my emergency hammer and my BMW tire jack loose in the tire well! It was a party in there everything dancing around.... :P

anyway it would have also been RSM as Furious said...this sound is a popular diagnosis for that problem guys....

[fresh328]

That same rattling sound drove me nuts a couple of weeks ago and it turned out to be the rear shocks. Check your rear shocks one of them my be loose. Mine fell out after a couple of hard bumps.

[94BMW325i]

My car is really bad at going over speed bumps at the "normal speed", but I took one today at around 45 and it was really smooth used

[bmwfanatice36]

I found out the problem!!!
well i was having a similar sound...

i brought it in today.. i have to replace my Rear Upper Shock Mounts.
they are known to wear out and create a ticking soudns from the back rear suspension, check yours out!

hope this helps

[Furious]

glad to help boys

[Delmarco]

it was the rear shock mounts

[BMWICKED296]

Yes, I'm glad you brought this up, because I have the same problems too. Brakes and Clunking...go figure