DutchDoofus

Since i lowered the car (Eibach pro-kit) i have a strange phenomenon in the rear left of the car.
It started about a week after lowering the car.

When i drive off after the car has been standing stil for a few hours all is silent. Not a peep, rattle, squeak or anything. Even on high speed-bumps which really compress the rear shock, all is quiet.

But then, after a few miles, i start hearing a clunking, clappering sound coming from the rear left wheel area while driving over speed-bumps and other object which makes that wheel move up and down in it's wheel-housing.

It's impossible to locate where the sound comes from exactly. I already sat on the rear-seat (while a buddy drove the car) to try to locate the sound to no avail. I only know that "it roughly comes from there somewhere".

Then, after about half an hour of driving, the clunking sound is joined by a squeaking sound (like an old wooden door in desparate need of lubing the hinges).
When driving up and down speed-bumbs or other things that compress and depress the rear of the car, something back there squeaks...

The next morning -> same thing. First nothing, then clunking and clappering, then again after quite a while, the squeaking starts.
So it goes every day now. Annoying...

*Important detail*
The noises can only be heard inside the car while driving.
When it has become so bad that the squeaking has started and i stop the car, i kill the engine and jump out, and bounce the back of the car up and down with force, all is totally quiet.
I can open the trunk and stand with my feet on the ridge over which you load stuff in there (i don't know what's it called in english) but in other words, i use my full body-weight to bounce the back of the car up and down, it moves up and down in silence (like it should by the way).
This i totally, totally do not understand...


I already replaced the top control-arm there (and the other side as well while i was at it) but to no avail. It changed nothing.
The shocks (OEM) and the springs are also new by the way.

It started not long after lowering the car so it must have something to do with that activity i guess.
I loosened all the control-arms bolt enough so they could move freely and withou friction and then, when the car sat with the wheel on the ground, fastened all nuts and bolts according to the correct torque-specs.
I cannot see how i could have made this problem happen :-(

The car does have around 180000 miles on it.
Experiences from the past with these kind of clunking and clappering noises has lead me to replace the rear control-arms which holds the shock-absorber first as it normally is the most likely candidate.
The rear lower control-arms do not work with rubber metal-bushings but with full metal bearings if i interpret ETKA correctly.

I had everything regarding the rear suspension and control-arms etc. checked for wear/playroom but it still feels solid and all *looks* well.
With a metal pry-bar we cannot move any of the rotating-points of the lower control-arm around.
Besides the top control-arm which uses rubber-metal bushings, i cannot think of a reason that something in that rear-left wheel-arch is causing this behaviour.

Any thoughts on this ?
Do the rear control-arms of the facelife D2 have a reputation of being worn out at these milages ?
Maybe the lowering excellerated the wearing of a bearing even though i loosened them all and re-fastened them at their new (lowered) angle.

mikebessxxx

I think it was there from the begining when I bought my car, but not as much. At first it sound it like it was inside the car. When driving aggressivily, taking turns and over bumps (mostly the combination of all) thought it could be the seats, or the car seat or the door panels but all seems wrong as more I listen to it I think its comeing from the rear suspention or control arms or hell knows where!? It also squeaks (somewhat like an old door) any thoughts ???

P.S. it is not the exhust system that is another sound I have

TimD

the pistons were retracting too far back into the housing allowing the whole assembly to rattle when going over bumps.