driving around in NYC, rough roads from hell, I get persistent knocking, rattleing, clunking from the suspension (?) both front and rear. Stock struts, springs, upper srut bearing plates, control arms, sway bar links, brakes; H&R sway bars, front and rear.
I have tightened the usual suspects: sway bar link bolts, front strut top nuts, control arms ans shock bolts, sway bar to frame bolts, exhaust system.

what am i missing?

 

The brake rotor shield is one possible source. Try the finger flick test to see it vibrates and makes a familiar sound; it can be pushed slightly rearward to make positive contact as a correction. The outboard exhaust hangers on my Milltek knock over bumps and at sharp turns. Forgive me for this one but the rear boot hatch latch ring can knock and rattle. The noise can reflect from another location in the passenger compartment creating a false source direction. The heat shields over the header, the one attached to the head and the one attached to the firewall have caused clanging noises over sharp bumps for me; missing bolt for the header shield and improper bend for the firewall shield.

 

heim joint?

 

Yeah, check those first. When my friend upgraded the swaybars on his MR2, the 15 year old stock end link joints couldn't take the load and started creaking and rattling around on bumpy roads.

 

the parts that rattle, that's what you're missing! (Just earning my handle....)

I have some thunking in the front passenger that I didn't hear until I fixed my shot adjustable end-links in the rear (bought used). But you're running stock? What happended to all the goodies?

When I went to front camber plates with stock springs/struts, I was rubbing the driver shock tower, but only when turning..... I noticed it when I went to coil overs.

I agree about the sound bouncing around. I spend two hours on the rear driver side hunting down a bad end-link on the passenger side! Felt like an idiot when I found it and fixed in in 10 min. The passenger side rear seat was up to make room for the kiddie seat, and the driver side was down. It made everything seem like it came from the driver side.

What about having a passenger in the back poking around while you drive around?

One other to look at, but it's a bit of a pain. Upper rear strut nut. But you have to drop the strut to check.

Matt

 

 

yeah, I gotta get in back while someone else drives. I used to have this rattle in my 2002 BMW; got in back, located the source. removed the boot floor.......and no shiit, found a baby rattle under it!

has anyone ever found the gas tanks to be slightly loose?

 

John,

Ball joints or bearings or CV joints? Bearing and CV joints usually give off very typical sounds before complete failure, but ball joints clunk right from the beginning.

Strut bearings? Worn engine mount which might allow some odd movement in the driveline...

Sway bar endlinks?

Loose steering rack bushings?

...perhaps one of the nuts responsible for clamping the front dampers in place at the hub is loose enough to allow some movement and therefore clunking?

Damper trouble? I used a stethoscope to chase down a clunk once. It was a brand new Tokico damper. The stethoscope made finding the source very easy. Twas repleced under warranty.

 

I had a similar annoying rattle recently. I noticed after a KW coilover install and a track day. It sounded like it was coming from the passenger side strut area. I could only hear it when driving slow, parking, etc. Double checked the suspension, everything was fine.

Two weeks later, I finally found the rattle. It turns out the bracket that holds the coolant reservoir was vibrating against the firewall. I simply bent it forward a bit ... no more rattle. Something to check.

 

thanks boys...I'll follow up.

Meb: I forgot about the ball joints!

 

please keep us posted wat it was

 

John, don't know if you've been driving much lately in this weather, but I'm curious to know if you ever detected the cause of the rattle... I've got one that is not exactly easy find...

 

There was a noise coming from what I thought was the passenger front strut. This week I pulled the passenger side kick panel and discovered a loose cover on the central module. The cover is taped down and the noise is gone; it only took two years to find it.

 

k-huevo, thanks for sharing. A nice feeling for sure... except it taking so long I suppose...

The "fixes" that I've found by doing plenty of reading tonight is just amazing! John and others, this thread is just full of goodies, and worth checking-out:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ighlight=noise

I feel like putting-on my headlamp and going at it now. Heck, it better not be the boot again!

 

,aybe in the next week or two I'll dig in. One suspect is the front control arm bushimg...I've got Powereflex substitutes in there now. When I can jack it up, I'll pry it around to check.

The rear may just be the shock topping out...?