Sounds like I'm dragging a metal rake

[gsmiller]

OK, so the title of the post is a bit more severe sounding than it is, but my 02 S (97k miles, owned it for 2 months) has some interesting noises coming from the wheel area, more from the back. Not sure if the two symptoms are related but:

1) When going over speed bumps (at a very slow speed) there is an obvious "ka-chink" noise from each wheel as they go over.

2) Occasionally when slowing down, as slow speeds, I'll hear a noise from the back wheels (more from the back right) that sounds like a metal rake is dragging on the road under the car. That's the best I can describe it. It only lasts for a second and then goes away and can be tricky to reproduce.

I know this isn't a ton to go on but any ideas? Maybe wheel bearings? I really don't have a clue. When I had the car up on stands last I shook all the suspension components I could and wasn't able to get anything... but that doesn't really tell me that much.

[ProjectM96]

It sounds like it could be serious. I would not ignore it.

You should get it on a lift as soon as you can and look for cracks or broken suspension pieces. Check the engine mount and look for any loose pieces of trim or hoses.

[BYprodriver]

The little springs inside the rear rotors that hold the parking brake shoes in place have been known to come loose. Anytime you have a noise coming from the wheel area simply jack it up & spin it.

[mcmike27]

+1 on the tension springs for the parking brakes...they can pop loose and fall in between the inner shoe and the dust cover. The whole brake assembly has to come off to put them back in place. It's a pain in the butt but it's pretty straight forward. I'd also be concerned since you are mentioning that it sounds like both wheels at times that is odd. Double check the 1/2 shaft glange bolts for tightness. Several of mine on the driver side came loose and it CLUNKED at low speeds until the bolts hit the shaft hub and their was tension. When I slowed down they shifted and CLUNKED...your issue doesnt quite sound like that but it's a easy check just to make sure. The other thing would be wheel bearings...but both sides at the same time is a bit rare even though you would replace them in pairs if one side was failing.

Good luck

m2

[bklyn]

As mentioned earlier a clunk sound could very well be your motor mount, that is what mine turned out to be so I ordered it from our host recently. Also mentioned, yes get it on a lift or get under there, it could be a sway bar bushing gone or the mount broken or even a cv joint going bad. Any of these issues are a do it yourself project. When possible get Wayne's book 101 projects, it has good do it yourself stuff and for the things you cant at least you will know if you are getting the right scoop from a dealer. Enjoy!!

[gsmiller]

Thanks for all the tips guys. Part of my goal in buying the car was to learn some DIY maintenance so I will definitely go that route and am planning on buying Wayne's book. Since buying the car I've done the water pump, the AOS, spark plug tubes and plugs so I'm slowing gaining some confidence. Last time I had it on stands I couldn't find anything obviously loose or making noise... even spinning the wheels. I had an independent look it over too and he didn't find anything obviously wrong when he had it on the lift. Unfortunately, I am also dealing with a broker arm right now (that made my 1,400 mile road trip last week a little interesting with the 6-speed so I won't be putting the car on stands for another 4 weeks to investigate more, but these are all good places to start. Much appreciated advice here on the forums! I'll follow up with what I find when I get to it.

[scots]

Did you ever find the cause of this problem. I'm experiencing the same problem.
That's the perfect description of the sound - dragging a metal rake behind the car.

[Wayne 962]

In addition to the springs, it could be the dust shield that is bent. I've had this happen on at least one car in the past, and it was indeed a bit difficult to reproduce...

-Wayne