Let's play...whats wrong with my car?

[F87LUV]

So to add to everything else wrong with my car...it now has a new sound effect....when the car is at a stop, theres a rattling from the rear and now when I go over any bump when Im driving, theres like a *clunk*ing sound. Any ideas? A little over a year ago, the passenger rear was hit and my suspension on that side was replaced. Is it possible that theres uneven wear and that couldve broken a component? I dont think its my exhaust.

Thanks

[ATX750i]

Who did the install on your new suspension?

[Incompatible]

Check your rear suspension springs, one or both may be broken. Another thing to check is your sway bar attachment points.

[JCz04Bimmer]

I would check a few things.

Check your rear shock mounts. This is the part that the shocks mount to which then mount to the body of the car. I've seen the stock mounts separate -- the rubber central part comes out of the metal surrounding part -- leading to a nasty clunking sound under any sort of upward compression of the shock. Its #8 below and you can see the circular center piece I'm talking about. That's what sometimes comes apart.



Check your sway bar endlinks and mount points, too. If anything has come loose it would certainly rattle and clunk. May as well look at the exhaust hangers while you're under there, too. Its easy enough to see when something is up with those. You're going to want to focus on #8 and #9 in the picture below.

Originally Posted by Incompatible

Check your rear suspension springs, one or both may be broken.

I highly doubt its the springs. That's the kind of failure I'd think you can't drive with and I have never seen a stock spring just break. I've heard of high-tension fixed rate springs break apart but that's only from high speed impacts on the track.

[ATX750i]

I was thinking that something might be loose. Lana, can you better describe the sound from the rear and what kind of bumps are you going over when you hear this sound?

[caseysc]

Originally Posted by JCz04Bimmer

I would check a few things.

Check your rear shock mounts. This is the part that the shocks mount to which then mount to the body of the car. I've seen the stock mounts separate -- the rubber central part comes out of the metal surrounding part -- leading to a nasty clunking sound under any sort of upward compression of the shock. Its #8 below and you can see the circular center piece I'm talking about. That's what sometimes comes apart.



Check your sway bar endlinks and mount points, too. If anything has come loose it would certainly rattle and clunk. May as well look at the exhaust hangers while you're under there, too. Its easy enough to see when something is up with those. You're going to want to focus on #8 and #9 in the picture below.





I highly doubt its the springs. That's the kind of failure I'd think you can't drive with and I have never seen a stock spring just break. I've heard of high-tension fixed rate springs break apart but that's only from high speed impacts on the track.

+1 on everything. VERY nicely done and very helpful post.

[F87LUV]

Originally Posted by JHastings0826

I was thinking that something might be loose. Lana, can you better describe the sound from the rear and what kind of bumps are you going over when you hear this sound?

Any bump/pothole/whatever. Im also still running my winter setup. Maybe I aggrevated something during last weeks storm- spinning in place. :X

Thanks guys.

I remember when the car was getting fixed someone mentioned replacing both shock mounts [I think that was the name of it] because later on it might become an issue since the wear would be uneven.

Ill try get under there to see if anything looks out of place. Im just petrified that Im going to be driving and somethings gonna fall off before I can get the car to the dealer!

[JCz04Bimmer]

Rear shock mounts are definitely wear items and are often replaced when upgrading shocks in the rear just because its super easy to do. In fact, swapping in aftermarket mounts is easy no matter what and you should definitely go aftermarket if replacement is required -- they're cheap enough and the stock part is a point of weakness. Replacement just requires dropping the rear shock and swapping the mount. Basically a 15-20 minute job per side.

Now, to check if they're damaged or worn in some way, though, its best to approach it from the TOP. Meaning, you don't need to get under the car. Just peel back the trunk lining on both sides to gain access to the mount and see if the rubber center piece I mentioned is detached from the metal surround.

[ATX750i]

+1 ^

Aftermarket FTW!

[GP20]

Originally Posted by ZGirl07

I remember when the car was getting fixed someone mentioned replacing both shock mounts [I think that was the name of it] because later on it might become an issue since the wear would be uneven.

Yeah. I remember that too.

If it's indeed the rear shock mounts, you'll be fine driving the car around and don't need to worry. Get the Roque Engineering rear-shock mounts and you won't have to worry about this problem again for a long long time.

[JCz04Bimmer]

Originally Posted by GP20

If it's indeed the rear shock mounts, you'll be fine driving the car around and don't need to worry. Get the Roque Engineering rear-shock mounts and you won't have to worry about this problem again for a long long time.

If the rear shock mounts are making loud clunking noises on pretty much every kind of bump, you should certainly get the car to a shop ASAP.

[DeepakG]

(have a shop) Check the exhaust mounting hinges/hooks - I've seen lots of these coming loose and causes clunks.

[Incompatible]

Originally Posted by JCz04Bimmer

I would check a few things.

Check your rear shock mounts. This is the part that the shocks mount to which then mount to the body of the car. I've seen the stock mounts separate -- the rubber central part comes out of the metal surrounding part -- leading to a nasty clunking sound under any sort of upward compression of the shock. Its #8 below and you can see the circular center piece I'm talking about. That's what sometimes comes apart.

Check your sway bar endlinks and mount points, too. If anything has come loose it would certainly rattle and clunk. May as well look at the exhaust hangers while you're under there, too. Its easy enough to see when something is up with those. You're going to want to focus on #8 and #9 in the picture below.

I highly doubt its the springs. That's the kind of failure I'd think you can't drive with and I have never seen a stock spring just break. I've heard of high-tension fixed rate springs break apart but that's only from high speed impacts on the track.

JC, Good detailed info. In regards to broken springs on the Z4; not common, but not unheard of either. Worth a read: http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=9219

[JCz04Bimmer]

Originally Posted by Incompatible

JC, Good detailed info. In regards to broken springs on the Z4; not common, but not unheard of either. Worth a read: http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=9219

WOW. I had no idea it was even that prevalent! What a lame part failure to have to deal with. Thanks for the link.

[Incompatible]

Originally Posted by JCz04Bimmer

WOW. I had no idea it was even that prevalent! What a lame part failure to have to deal with. Thanks for the link.

Doesn't seem to be an issue with the newer cars; it's hard to say if BMW corrected the problem or the cars just don't have enough time/miles on them.

[bkz4mc]

I double check the rear sway bar mounts first before jumping to conclusions of a broken spring...

[F87LUV]

So it turns out, my pipe/hanger that attach to the muffler are cracked but since its one piece, they had to order a whole new setup.

[GP20]

Originally Posted by ZGirl07

So it turns out, my pipe/hanger that attach to the muffler are cracked but since its one piece, they had to order a whole new setup.

Might as well go aftermarket now.

Eisenmann, ACSchnitzer, Supersprint, Remus, just to name a few.

[F87LUV]

Originally Posted by GP20

Might as well go aftermarket now.

Eisenmann, ACSchnitzer, Supersprint, Remus, just to name a few.

^ = $

OEM= free



Car is still not back yet. Apparently, car sounds like its got a turbo spooling upfront and they cant find where its coming from. Lol.

[ianbiz]

Originally Posted by ZGirl07

^ = $

OEM= free



Car is still not back yet. Apparently, car sounds like its got a turbo spooling upfront and they cant find where its coming from. Lol.

N54 equipped?