Loud banging noise in front suspension [Archive]

View Full Version : Loud banging noise in front suspension

bmwpwr

07-19-2005, 05:56 PM

I am getting this loud metal to metal noise out of the front left from the suspension. I will also hear a noise that sounds related when I apply the brakes. I pop from the left side. I took the brakes apart last night and pushed and pulled on all kinds of stuff last night but couldnt find anything.

May car sounds like a ford truck when I go over a bump. Any ideas??

CirrusSR22

07-19-2005, 06:04 PM

Could be a front left ball joint. There are two of them up there.

maherbaz

07-19-2005, 06:52 PM

I have a metal noise coming from the front left when I hit a bump also. I did the same thing as you, lifted it up and shook everything I could find, but couldn't find the source. If you find it, please let me know.

L84THSKY

07-20-2005, 02:26 AM

Motor mounts????? :_paper:

I am getting this loud metal to metal noise out of the front left from the suspension. I will also hear a noise that sounds related when I apply the brakes. I pop from the left side. I took the brakes apart last night and pushed and pulled on all kinds of stuff last night but couldnt find anything.

May car sounds like a ford truck when I go over a bump. Any ideas??

mischief

07-20-2005, 06:38 AM

my car the nois comes from the right front
could be it the mounts or i replaced the drivers side wheelbearing last year the right side make the same nois i shacked the tire and felt some play

have you had anywork done anytime soon

i replaced all the lowercontrol arms,tie-rod,calipers,bushings,bushing mounts,shocks and springs and left side wheel bearing few months back

bmwpwr

07-29-2005, 07:50 PM

Ok, this is making me crazy. I have tracked the problem down to the left front brake. I took it a part and put it back together to make sure everything was tight. Everything seems to be tight. Ive still got the noise.

The reason I think it has something to do with the brake is because i can modulate the rattle sound by applying the brakes. With the brakes on there is no noise.

I cant figure it out...

stormos

07-29-2005, 08:10 PM

mine has squeaked from the front right since i owned the car, has a new calliper too, stereo has helped to fix it..... well drown it out.....

angel318ti

07-29-2005, 11:27 PM

I'm willing to bet that it is the motor mounts. I had the same problem. I had not 1, but 2 broken motor mounts.

angel318ti

07-29-2005, 11:28 PM

just grab a hold of your engine and shake it. That should be enought to tell you if they are bad

96ti

08-02-2005, 09:41 AM

kind of glad to know I'm not the only one

maherbaz

08-02-2005, 03:19 PM

anyone know how i can find the motor mounts or how hard they are to replace?

maherbaz

08-04-2005, 12:42 AM

I've been trying to find where this rattle has been coming from for a month.....raise the car up, shake everything, take off the bumper, shake the engine, everything. Can't find it. Finally I notice I'm missing the brake pad clip, DUH. So anyone else hearing a rattle in the front, don't look beyond the obvious, is your clip still on?

96ti

08-05-2005, 07:41 AM

Yeah, it is the anti rattle clip that causes the noise. I over look it because the old clip was still on, but it doesn't work. I replaced it today, problem's gone.

bmwpwr

09-12-2005, 10:13 PM

I finally discovered what the noise was. it was the left front brake pads. They fit in the caliper and move around. I put new pads in and the noise is gone.

FMD

05-13-2006, 02:59 AM

Sorry to raise the dead but this problem has come up for me.

My left front suspension bangs, clunks, pops, whatever like crazy over dips and bumps and it even pops when I turn the wheel hard left to right while driving. I took the car up to 70 or more and let off and over uneven surfacings the front suspension (left) banged and clunked rapidly BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG and I can feel it very strongly in the steering wheel at this speed as well (wheel bangs slightly left and right with the sound).

My steering also seems to be out of alignment pulls to the right a bit with the wheel held straight.

I took the car to my mechanic today and we went for a drive and put the car on the lift; he inspected the front and he says he doesn't see anything out of order and checked torque on some of the nuts for the lower control arms, etc. We moved the swaybar (eibach) endlinks to soft since they looked like they were binding at the tight setting. The bang / clunk didn't go away and seems even more powerful now.

We're pretty stumped, and this sound is unbelievably HORRID. Like someone is letting the car have it with a mallet.

Anyone have any suggestions or ideas?

Edit: I should add that I've got Koni shocks on vogtland springs, control arms, polyurethane 'lollipop' bushings put in 2 summers ago.

Adog2107

05-13-2006, 04:03 PM

make sure u check to see the big screws are holding the caliper down....its the 2 big thick screws on back of caliper retainer.....I think they are something like 10mm x 1.25....one could be loose

FMD

05-13-2006, 11:19 PM

Hm, I have the solid guide bushing upgrade installed in the calipers, but I'll check it out.

b.u.ti-ful

07-29-2007, 01:56 AM

b.u.ti-ful

08-02-2007, 09:59 PM

I put the new anti rattle clips on and its a little better on small bumps, but still clunks on the big ones. The old clips were flattened somewhat from age. Could be I need new pads that take up more of the space in there.

jekaio

08-12-2007, 05:37 PM

check your motor mounts everybody.

after you check them, do this.

just be driving at any speed, and TAP on your brake pedal kind of hard, and if you get the bang then, its your control arm bushings. AND you can feel it through the steering wheel, also the steering wheel can shake also if they are really really gone.

im a bmw tech, and ive had 2 sets of motor mounts go on me because i rev so hard and am heel-toeing all day every day. plus your c.a. bushings are just going to go from time, get the e36 m3 bushing to replace them, they are solid rubber, so it will take longer to have them completely wear out,and you will get quicker and more resposive pedal feel

speedracerf4i

08-27-2007, 10:08 PM

Guys,

After refreshing my suspension with new tie-rods, control arms, ball joints, m3 solid bushings, Bilsteins, bav-auto springs, strut bearings, and swaybar-link. I noticed a loud bang everytime the suspension articulates. I couldn't trace the problem so I took my car to the shop and they checked everything but found no slack.

After re-tracing all the nuts and bolts, I found the culprit. It was the sway bar link. You must tighten the swaybar link with compressed wheel. Otherwise, the contact plane between the link and the swaybar won't be flush.

Try it and it may help

b.u.ti-ful

09-08-2007, 11:58 PM

Hooray, I solved my clunking over bumps noise. I just put new front pads in and the rattle is gone. With the fat new pads, the anti rattle clips go in a LOT tighter and everything is less sloppy. I followed this guy's directions exactly: http://hock.net/m-brake-pads-step-1.php Next I will do the rear pads and install speedbleed valves like I have on my bike - they are great and make bleeding your brakes easy - get them here: http://www.speedbleeder.com Thanks to http://www.bavauto.com for the Pagid pads, wear sensor and great service.