Sounds From the Rear: Explained

Occam's razor for sure. Changed to summer tires today and no noise!

I have posted some shot on another thread of the axles I purchased from Rock Auto from Cardone. $55 plus shipping and limited life time warranty. That's less than an hour of labor at most shops. Just a FYI for you consideration if you have joints going bad. I am putting mine in this weekend.

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...21#post6748921

Hi Guys. I am new to the site and have recently purchased an e36 328i. Just recently it developed a clicking sound , from the drivetrain, while pulling away (especially when cold). I have visited the resident mechanic and he suggested it could be the centre bearing. Has anyone experienced this problem, and found the cure???

clicking would lead me to think cv joint on shafts. You can jack the car up and put it in gear, have some one else out side listen. Start simple think it through, keep us posted.

Theres a rubble coming from the rear passenger side when I pull off in first gear this rumble rattling sound happens whether I pull off fast or very slow the faster I pull off the louder the rumble or knocking is but this only happens in first gear every other gear is good does anyone have a.idea what this knocking noise can be.....

Are you diagnosing that while you are in the car? If so it might not be from that location. It is very hard to tell while driving with the windows down and listening. If it goes away as you accelerate i would look to the tires first. Balanced? uneven wear or just normal noise. If it is mechanical in most cases speed will not make it go away. It could be a bearing or cv. Jack up that corner and check the wheel for play. Put your hands at the 3 and nine position on the tire and check for movement. DO the same at the 12 and 6 location. If you have play in the wheel it should be the bearing. Start simple first. Check you pressure wear on tread bearing and look for any grease inboard or at the hub and get back to us. Also you might want to actually read some of this thread to see what other have dealt with and what it eventually was.
Good luck and patience.

If it soudns like a un godly whine at high speeds / grinding at low speeds, then My best bet is the diff, havent fully confirmed that yet but im 99% sure lol.

Also gets worse with accel and deccel (different noises)

le sigh poor lola

how does a 318 ruin a diff

Yeah, definitely sounds like the diff. At least they're cheap and easy to replace.

Thanks for all the advise guys......... If this helps I did recently change 1 rear tire but I didnt hear this knocckin noise untill about two Weeks after I put on the new tire I did a small burn out and thats when the knockin noise started it feels like the car is doing a burn out but its not the rattle only happens in first gear from 1500- 2500 rpms its smooth over rough roads and only rumbles n acceletation AZ

great thread

Hey sorry for the wait, but thank for all the advise it was all very helpful..... The knocking noise was coming from a combination of problems 1) a loose brake hose thats was knocking agaist the body
2) to much air in tires
3) top strurt mount was bad

I fixed all these problems myself but theres still a small ruff rattle knockin noise redused and doesnt last that long guess it tom fore me to take my baby to the shop........ Smh but no shop want to work on my car they its to low......haha

But this is a great website

some of those sounds apply to other cars as well! thanks

On my way to work, got progressively worse...a wub wub wub sound from the rear, you can feel it in the seat of your pants, no sound or vibration whatsover when under accceleration, but as soon as you let off it starts, I only went to 80 km/hr, it's much worse and more solid sounding at higher speeds...driveshaft bearing? flex disc?

In a matter of miles, it has progressed to fulll blown helicopter...I mean Huey coming in over the water like in Apocalypse Now helicopter noise...I'll go back to the top...

Wow! this is why I keep the stereo cranked!

jack up your car and make sure ALL your wheel bolts are tight.


im guessing they arent


dont just drown out the sounds with the radio..... /sigh

SAME THING happened to me it sounded terrible and i could feel it in between the seats!!! i fixed the frame work but still get a knocking do you know if its the drivetrain torqueing itself into the underbody or how i can prevent the the knocking???

My 94 with 224k makes a squeak over bumps. The noise is comming from the left rear and sounds like bouncing on an old matresss. I need a "if the bimmers a rockin sticker". The prior owner said its been doing it a while. I had just put a rsm and sway bar link on that side so I dropped the shock but it still makes noise. I put a scope on all the bushings and couldn't hear anything. Could it be a worn out spring? I sprayed silicone lube on the spring pads but that didn't help. Any ideas?

Hi all, I am experiencing a noise from the rear as i drive over a speed bump the car will go up and down as normally would driving over the bump but after the rear tires goes over and the car is bouncing up i hear a thump. I just changed the rear springs because the ones that were on broke at the top of the coil, could it be the shocks? and if so should the springs and shocks be changed a the same time? The noise only thumps once but after the rear is being pushed back up from coming out of a bump. Thanks in advance

96 328i I'm gonna suggest taking a look at your rear trailing arm bushings (aka RTABS). My car made a knocking noise over bumps until I replaced those. Now she's golden.

You only have a few options here so work through each one. As suggested it could be RTAB. Are the shocks securely fastened. Are you running out of travel. Spring rate could be different and as such bottoming out. If the noise is coming when the car is actually going up the shock would be extending. How old are they. When was the last time the RTAB were replaced? Do you access to more than one suitable jack? If so lift rear and then jack on that side trailing arm and look for something out of normal.
Keep in mind that you might not have enough strength or force to cause the sound. Work slow and think it through. Safety first and keep us posted.

@Veteran011 & @JayMan this next week Friday I'm doing the head and intake manifold gaskets because i found a small amount of oil in spark plug bay #1 but the following week i will do a check list type inspection of the rear end and keep you guys posted thanks for the help much appreciated!

And if all else fails check your rear window is still sealed to your car!!!! MINE made a thumping noise when going over bumps i found that i could pick up on the glass and only the corner was holding it on!!!

Changing your shocks might solve the problem it could also be a tie rod and or a bushing form your stabilizer bar and or rack and pinion.

lol