rattle noise right rear

[condor27596]

Hi,
I am new here.

I needed some help. I have to drive to NY this comming weekend.
Pretty much since I have had this car (about December 06, but
only started working things out on it since July, I had a 99 323is
but it was totalled) there is a weird noise.

When I turn right, I hear a rattle sound, from the rear.
I can't say 100% from the right rear. But I've taken out
the carpet and seats, and it is definately from the rear.
I also took everything out of the trunk.

It is a rattle. No grinding. It sounds very similar to if you had
an old MG, and the muffler was rattling against the suspension.
But just a little faster. That's the best way I can explain it.

I can't say it has or has not gotten worse in the past few months.
I have the opportunity to get some things fixed in NYC for best
friend price. But I have to get the parts here.

I have been under the car, nothing seemed loose.
I have taken both tires off, nothing seemed loose.

Any ideas are appreciated.

Thank you.

[condor27596]

I meant to say it is a 93 325is, 141k miles.
E35 M50 motor.

[SHAHAB323IS]

good luck, i've had a rattle from the right rear while going over bumps for three years now, replaced probably everything possible, still haven't found out what's causing it

i'll be tackling it again in a few weeks, i'll let you know if i come up with something

some common things are rear shock mounts, parking brake shoes, and sway bar end links, that cause the rattle from the rear

[condor27596]

Thank you. I will be posting too, if I find it.

I have an 1100 mile trip this weekend........

I guess if nothing has fallen off in the past
6 months, maybe nothing falls off on the trip
(sure....)

If I find it I'll post too.

[froderickskulldigger]

I had noises (rattling) in the back end on my 97 328 and on my current 99 m3 and my mechanic says it is crappy clips on the rear brakes. To prove this he had me drive over a bumpy road so I got the noise, then did it again with the brake pedal slightly depressed. It went away. It is a new garage and he promised that he would have a higher grade pad/clip combination.

[4inPWR]

hey guys, the rattle noise is most likely coming from inside your wheel drum thing where the handbrake system is. my mechanic took everything off and realized that the ring with the pads for the handbrake is just dancing around in there because rust corroded the holes through which the bolts that held the handbrake ring, and made them big enough for the bolts to fall out.

[condor27596]

What is the fix for it and is it hard?

I'm figuring my handbrake is about gone since
you can pull it all the way up. But I won't have
the time/money/energy to do anything to it
for a couple of months anyway.

[drz]

The fix for what 4inPWR mentioned is to replace the rear brake dust shields. It is not a huge deal, but it does involve removing the rear brakes. If that is the problem, however, you should be able to hear the noise if you simply jack up the rear of the car and spin the wheel (be sure to leave the car in neutral and to release the hand brake).

[Teh Prof]

Also it's worth checking the sheet metal around the rear shock mounts. That tore on my E36 M3, and started out as a rattle. The permanent fix involves buying reinforcements from Turner Motorsports and having them welded in with a replacement shock tower.

[condor27596]

is this readily visible from the trunk or do you have to
get under the car?

[Teh Prof]

Readily visible from the trunk with the carpeting removed.

[condor27596]

thanks, i will check it today.

[condor27596]

I think I found the source of the rattle.

There is a beam, support, that goes from one
side of the car to the other. It makes a big
"U" at the rear differential.

Llike this:

X_____ Diff. _____X
|____|

Where the X is there are two long bolts. At the end of the bolts
is a rubber bushing, and a big washer.

On the left side of my car the bushing is split.
On the right side, there is no bushing at all.

What is the name of this bushing?

Is it easy to change?
Will I need a wheel alignment if I undo it?

I plan to jack the car up (all 4 wheels), and then put the
jack under this thing for support, and change out one
bushing at a time.

Unless you all have specific information.

Thanks.

[drz]

I am not sure what you're talking about. Around that area, tehre are the upper and lower control arms, which each have bushings at the ends. Hmm. Is it possible for you to get a picture? It does sound like somthing that would cause a rattling noise, however.

[condor27596]

I have now determined that I have to
replace the rear subframe bushings.
That is what I found out that thing is called.

I'm still driving it. The car came like that to me, and
I'm sure it has needed the bushings for years.

I hope to fix it next month or so.

Although I now realize the most important thing to do
when I get paid is tires for my honda.