I found the rattle coming from the rear driver side. It is the bushing holding a sway bar? that links the two back suspension systems together. Now how to fix it?
The rear bolt has a visible nut, The front bolt runs into the square tube frame with no visible nut. If I take this off, will I be able to get it back on?
A photo can be found on my NAM member photos. I hope this link gets you there.
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...6/limit/recent

The rattle was most noticeable going over small bumps in the road. The sound seemed to come from many different places, including the boot, wheel wells, heat shields, gas tank etc. But a firm fingernail pressure on the bushing/rod crack stops the rattle.

Any ideas on stopping the rattle. (WD-40 did not work)

 

It was hard to track this rattle down.
It sounded like it came from:
the boot rattle
gas tank rattle
rear rattle
back rattle
wheel rattle
left side rattle
Shock rattle

This was because the sound traveled along the sway bar.

Our mechanic could not find it.

 

Well I figured out a "farmer fix" to the bushing rattle.

I hammered a nail into the joint between the bushing and the bushing frame. This pushed the bushing tight against the sway bar and eliminate the rattle.

This should last until I can take it to the dealer in 6 months. Which is 2,000 miles away. (but that is another story)

 

Here is a photo on how I fixed this rattle.

 

Well I cant figure out how to post a photo.
you can see it here
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...2/ppuser/65619

 

Just buy new bushings, or better yet upgrade the swaybar. There is a tutorial on how to swap the bar if you need help. IIRC the factory ones are split and you don't have to slide them down the length of the bar. Not too hard at all to do.

 

Interesting solution, I like it. I think I've replaced my rear bushings twice now in 45K miles. I recommend poly bushings now. I got some from Way for $30 and they have a zerks fitting to grease them without removing.

I have the same kind of noise in the front and I suspect the front bar bushings. I've replaced my struts and lower control arm bushings hunting down this sound. Since replacing the front bushings are probably a little more involved I might try your method until I can get them replaced properly, at least to see if it is in fact the bushings and not something else like the ball joints.

 

I have had a huge rattle in my 07 Mini and it has been driving me nuts for a while now. Thanks to this forum I was able to direct my local mechanic to the problem. Apparently mine is the inner sway bar bushings and I am having them replaced this week or the begining of next week. Yay! I'll keep ya's posted on the fix.