Metallic rattle

[Scamp's Walker]

Hi, have e39 and noticed when going over sleeping policemen, dropped kerbs, rough road surfaces etc that I seem to be getting a tinny rattle coming from the front of the car on the driver's side, I think. Any ideas of what it could be? Bought it from an indie dealer who is v good and it is going in tomorrow to have a door seal replaced and so whilst it is in I am going to have them check it out, but fore warned is fore armed. It sound like a metal on metal vibration but stops once the car has cleared the kerb etc and on smooth road surfaces it is fine. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated as always.

[Scamp's Walker]

Could it be related to the anti roll bar? I noticed elsewhere on the forum that the drop links can be an issue but as I have only just acquired the car and have no previous experience of the e39 I am a little in the dark!

[Egbert Nobacon]

Scamp's Walker said:

Hi, have e39 and noticed when going over sleeping policemen, dropped kerbs, rough road surfaces etc that I seem to be getting a tinny rattle coming from the front of the car on the driver's side, I think. Any ideas of what it could be? Bought it from an indie dealer who is v good and it is going in tomorrow to have a door seal replaced and so whilst it is in I am going to have them check it out, but fore warned is fore armed. It sound like a metal on metal vibration but stops once the car has cleared the kerb etc and on smooth road surfaces it is fine. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated as always.

This is normally caused by the backing plates behind the discs.

They either rust through one of the mountings and rattle (it can be unbelievably loud) or if not that, then stones can get trapped at the base of the plates and rattle as well.

Very common on E39's and I used to leave it until the discs needed replacing as they have to come off to replace the backing plate.

Edited by Egbert Nobacon on Tuesday 12th December 13:34

Edited by Egbert Nobacon on Tuesday 12th December 13:34

[Scamp's Walker]

Can it cause any damage or is it just irritating. Presumably it will get worse! I will chance my hand with the garage tomorrow! I would imagine it's a main dealer only part,or will those lovely people at German and Swedish or eurocarparts have them?

[StuB]

Heatshields above the cats make a very tinny rattle too. Bigger penny washers sorts it!

[mr_oversteer]

on my e34 i had the same problem as you, check the bolts that hold the shild behind the disk onto the strut, one of mine had got loose and fell out.

[Scamp's Walker]

Just collected the car, apparently there is nothing wrong with the front end but one of the rear stabilizer bar links has gone. Plus the bushes on the front tension strut mounting bushes (I think they may be called brake reaction bushes) have split. Are these normal faults, or do they point the finger to something else? I am assuming that the bushes are a garage only job!

Edited by Scamp's Walker on Wednesday 13th December 17:17

[blackspider]

Scamp's Walker said:

Just collected the car, apparently there is nothing wrong with the front end but one of the rear stabilizer bar links has gone. Plus the bushes on the front tension strut mounting bushes (I think they may be called brake reaction bushes) have split. Are these normal faults, or do they point the finger to something else? I am assuming that the bushes are a garage only job!

Edited by Scamp's Walker on Wednesday 13th December 17:17

Quite normal for the rear stabilizer/antiroll bar links to give up.Replace loads of them.

The bushes I presume they are talking about the compliance bushes on the front arm.These will always show signs of cracking due to the stress its under but this is normal.The bushes are hydrolic filled so if they fail they tend to burst-this then gives a loud knocking under braking.

[Scamp's Walker]

Thanks for the advice and the pm.