front susupension

08_128i · 07-23-2014, 05:27 PM

I am hearing a clicking/clanking/rattling sound from my drivers front when I go over bumps. the odd part is if I apply the brakes while going over a bump it does not make the noise. any ideas? I thought for sure I just needed new sway bar links, but given the fact that braking makes the noise go away i'm at a loss. could it still be the sway bar links??

E82MSport · 07-23-2014, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 08_128i

I am hearing a clicking/clanking/rattling sound from my drivers front when I go over bumps. the odd part is if I apply the brakes while going over a bump it does not make the noise. any ideas? I thought for sure I just needed new sway bar links, but given the fact that braking makes the noise go away i'm at a loss. could it still be the sway bar links??

This really could be a number of issues. Can you give us the run-down of the condition of the vehicle? Meaning - mileage, suspension (stock or modified), brakes (last changed- modified or stock), suspension work done...all the details. When did this start happening?

You might be on the right track with the swaybar links, as they seem to wear quicker than the rest of the suspension parts.

More detail please

ShocknAwe · 07-23-2014, 09:45 PM

Sounds like the brake pads may just be rattling around in the caliper, or alternatively that one of the caliper bolts is loose (slightly less likely).

andrey_gta · 07-23-2014, 10:10 PM

Could be the front shock. Mine dribbled over bumps....

Is your front wheel clean?

BratsForBilstein · 07-24-2014, 10:26 AM

Check for oil loss on your front dampers. This condition could produce a rattling type noise.

08_128i · 07-24-2014, 07:59 PM

Car is all factory suspension, just replaced the driver front caliper about a month ago. I pulled off the wheel yesterday to check the caliper and everything was tight. Car just hit 80k.

I did think maybe it was related to the brakes as I just replaced that caliper and it goes away when I apply the brakes, but upon inspection I didn't notice anything wrong or loose with the caliper/brake pads. I spun the rotor while the wheel was off and the pads seemed to be sitting correctly, like they were touching the rotor but not squeezing it which is how they should be. no movement in the caliper at all. how tight is the retaining spring supposed to be?? there was a little bit of play in it but the noise seems more significant than a loose retaining spring.

ShocknAwe · 07-24-2014, 08:14 PM

OK, so brakes it isn't.

80k on stock suspension? Could be a lot of things. First bits to go for me were sway bar end links or control arm bushings, could be a leaky damper like someone else posted.. I was surprised at how many of the suspension parts broke/failed within 50k miles on my 1er vs previous cars I have owned.

Can you replicate the sound with the car on jack stands? It will help a lot to pinpoint the problematic part.

08_128i · 07-24-2014, 08:22 PM

I was even tapping things with a rubber mallet to see if I could find anything loose or moving, like control arms, ball joints, spring but everything was snug and that was with the wheel off, car jacked up.

sway bar end links are pretty cheap and easy enough to replace so I might just give that a shot and see what happens from there.

08_128i · 07-25-2014, 08:27 AM

just a little more info.....the noise is not a solid clunking noise, it's more of a light rattling, tinny sound. also, i cannot feel it at all. steering feels normal and it rides normal, it's not taking bumps hard. i have had blown shocks in other cars and it does not sound like that. if i roll up the windows i cannot hear it at all inside the car, i can only hear it if i roll the window down and turn the radio off.

UPDATE: i stopped at an indy foreign repair shop near my work that came highly recommended by a few people who have dealt with them. i told the guy what was going on. i told him how that retaining spring/clip felt loose to me upon inspection, and when i replaced my caliper i did not install the new clip that came with it because i was having trouble getting it on, i just re-used the old one. his advice to me was to get that new clip on and see if the noise goes away. he has seen this happen before. alot of times when those clips are removed and reinstalled they get bent/stretched/compromised and lose their retention properties, causing them to fit loosely and rattle. he also said if it was the sway bar end links it would still make the noise whether i apply the brakes or not. the fact that braking makes the noise going away indicates there is something loose in the braking components. i am going to install that new spring and i will report back. i am hoping this is a quick simple fix.

andrey_gta · 07-26-2014, 08:20 PM

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...1#post16359871 Maybe this will help

ShocknAwe · 07-26-2014, 09:54 PM

If your retainer clip is loose the pads will jiggle. Jiggly pads sounds exactly like what you are describing. They will clink against the rotor and caliper every time the hub is jostled hard (start/stop/bump etc).

08_128i · 07-29-2014, 02:53 PM

problem solved....brake caliper/pad retaining clip was the culprit. installed the new clip and no more noise!! i did bend the arms out a little more to make sure the resistance would be enough to keep it snug and tight. sometimes it's the stupidest things, i swear. gotta remember to start with the simple things before diagnosing sway bar end links or blown shocks.

Ultimateone · 05-16-2015, 05:22 PM

Glad I searched I think I have the exact same rattle and checked the retaining clip also.

07-23-2014, 05:27 PM	#1
08_128i Private 4 Rep 80 Posts Drives: 2008 128i Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Massachusetts iTrader: (0)	front susupension - weird noise I am hearing a clicking/clanking/rattling sound from my drivers front when I go over bumps. the odd part is if I apply the brakes while going over a bump it does not make the noise. any ideas? I thought for sure I just needed new sway bar links, but given the fact that braking makes the noise go away i'm at a loss. could it still be the sway bar links?? __________________ BMS Power Box Magnaflow Exhaust AFE CAI 264's
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07-23-2014, 09:45 PM	#3
ShocknAwe 1Addict 3231 Rep 7,889 Posts Drives: E82 Mutt, M57 Truck Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Charleston iTrader: (22)	Sounds like the brake pads may just be rattling around in the caliper, or alternatively that one of the caliper bolts is loose (slightly less likely). __________________ 2010 135i 6MT Jet Black N54/3 FE82 Mutt \| BUILD THREAD \| GARAGE SALE
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07-23-2014, 10:10 PM	#4
andrey_gta Brigadier General 298 Rep 4,040 Posts Drives: 130i coupé ;) Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Bimmerpost iTrader: (1) Garage List 2008 BMW 128i [10.00]	Could be the front shock. Mine dribbled over bumps.... Is your front wheel clean? __________________ 128i Sport 6MT converted to Euro 130i spec, 3.73 diff, tuned by evolve ~220 whp 207 wtq(ft-lb) SAE In-progress: //M front arm, M3 rack, e36M lip Wishlist: Coils, n55 mnts, headers, LSD, e60 finn diff "The 1-series is the last car that BMW engineered before the Germans, as a car-making culture, fell out of love with driving." - R&T 2013 135is
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07-24-2014, 10:26 AM	#5
BratsForBilstein Damped 3 Rep 27 Posts Drives: 2009 135i Join Date: May 2014 Location: Cincinnati, OH iTrader: (0)	Check for oil loss on your front dampers. This condition could produce a rattling type noise.
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07-24-2014, 07:59 PM	#6
08_128i Private 4 Rep 80 Posts Drives: 2008 128i Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Massachusetts iTrader: (0)	Car is all factory suspension, just replaced the driver front caliper about a month ago. I pulled off the wheel yesterday to check the caliper and everything was tight. Car just hit 80k. I did think maybe it was related to the brakes as I just replaced that caliper and it goes away when I apply the brakes, but upon inspection I didn't notice anything wrong or loose with the caliper/brake pads. I spun the rotor while the wheel was off and the pads seemed to be sitting correctly, like they were touching the rotor but not squeezing it which is how they should be. no movement in the caliper at all. how tight is the retaining spring supposed to be?? there was a little bit of play in it but the noise seems more significant than a loose retaining spring. Last edited by 08_128i; 07-24-2014 at 08:13 PM..
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07-24-2014, 08:14 PM	#7
ShocknAwe 1Addict 3231 Rep 7,889 Posts Drives: E82 Mutt, M57 Truck Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Charleston iTrader: (22)	OK, so brakes it isn't. 80k on stock suspension? Could be a lot of things. First bits to go for me were sway bar end links or control arm bushings, could be a leaky damper like someone else posted.. I was surprised at how many of the suspension parts broke/failed within 50k miles on my 1er vs previous cars I have owned. Can you replicate the sound with the car on jack stands? It will help a lot to pinpoint the problematic part. __________________ 2010 135i 6MT Jet Black N54/3 FE82 Mutt \| BUILD THREAD \| GARAGE SALE
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07-24-2014, 08:22 PM	#8
08_128i Private 4 Rep 80 Posts Drives: 2008 128i Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Massachusetts iTrader: (0)	I was even tapping things with a rubber mallet to see if I could find anything loose or moving, like control arms, ball joints, spring but everything was snug and that was with the wheel off, car jacked up. sway bar end links are pretty cheap and easy enough to replace so I might just give that a shot and see what happens from there. Last edited by 08_128i; 07-25-2014 at 08:30 AM..
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07-25-2014, 08:27 AM	#9
08_128i Private 4 Rep 80 Posts Drives: 2008 128i Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Massachusetts iTrader: (0)	just a little more info.....the noise is not a solid clunking noise, it's more of a light rattling, tinny sound. also, i cannot feel it at all. steering feels normal and it rides normal, it's not taking bumps hard. i have had blown shocks in other cars and it does not sound like that. if i roll up the windows i cannot hear it at all inside the car, i can only hear it if i roll the window down and turn the radio off. UPDATE: i stopped at an indy foreign repair shop near my work that came highly recommended by a few people who have dealt with them. i told the guy what was going on. i told him how that retaining spring/clip felt loose to me upon inspection, and when i replaced my caliper i did not install the new clip that came with it because i was having trouble getting it on, i just re-used the old one. his advice to me was to get that new clip on and see if the noise goes away. he has seen this happen before. alot of times when those clips are removed and reinstalled they get bent/stretched/compromised and lose their retention properties, causing them to fit loosely and rattle. he also said if it was the sway bar end links it would still make the noise whether i apply the brakes or not. the fact that braking makes the noise going away indicates there is something loose in the braking components. i am going to install that new spring and i will report back. i am hoping this is a quick simple fix. __________________ BMS Power Box Magnaflow Exhaust AFE CAI 264's Last edited by 08_128i; 07-25-2014 at 02:24 PM..
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07-26-2014, 08:20 PM	#10
andrey_gta Brigadier General 298 Rep 4,040 Posts Drives: 130i coupé ;) Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Bimmerpost iTrader: (1) Garage List 2008 BMW 128i [10.00]	http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...1#post16359871 Maybe this will help __________________ 128i Sport 6MT converted to Euro 130i spec, 3.73 diff, tuned by evolve ~220 whp 207 wtq(ft-lb) SAE In-progress: //M front arm, M3 rack, e36M lip Wishlist: Coils, n55 mnts, headers, LSD, e60 finn diff "The 1-series is the last car that BMW engineered before the Germans, as a car-making culture, fell out of love with driving." - R&T 2013 135is
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07-26-2014, 09:54 PM	#11
ShocknAwe 1Addict 3231 Rep 7,889 Posts Drives: E82 Mutt, M57 Truck Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Charleston iTrader: (22)	If your retainer clip is loose the pads will jiggle. Jiggly pads sounds exactly like what you are describing. They will clink against the rotor and caliper every time the hub is jostled hard (start/stop/bump etc). __________________ 2010 135i 6MT Jet Black N54/3 FE82 Mutt \| BUILD THREAD \| GARAGE SALE
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07-29-2014, 02:53 PM	#12
08_128i Private 4 Rep 80 Posts Drives: 2008 128i Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Massachusetts iTrader: (0)	problem solved....brake caliper/pad retaining clip was the culprit. installed the new clip and no more noise!! i did bend the arms out a little more to make sure the resistance would be enough to keep it snug and tight. sometimes it's the stupidest things, i swear. gotta remember to start with the simple things before diagnosing sway bar end links or blown shocks. __________________ BMS Power Box Magnaflow Exhaust AFE CAI 264's
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05-16-2015, 05:22 PM	#13
Ultimateone OG E46Fanatic 173 Rep 845 Posts Drives: 24 Champ White CTR Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Boston, MA iTrader: (4)	Glad I searched I think I have the exact same rattle and checked the retaining clip also.
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