Rattling noise from left rear wheel area

[stcharlesjohn]

I have a rattling noise from the left rear wheel area. Shocks were replaced a couple of weeks ago and they are tight. The noise seems to lessen when turning right. Jacked the car up and there is nothing obviously loose. Doesn't seem to be play in the wheel up, down or sideways. Could it be a bearing? What other symptoms would it have?

[ventura ace]

I have a rattling noise from the left rear wheel area. Shocks were replaced a couple of weeks ago and they are tight. The noise seems to lessen when turning right. Jacked the car up and there is nothing obviously loose. Doesn't seem to be play in the wheel up, down or sideways. Could it be a bearing? What other symptoms would it have?

If the noise was not there before the shocks were replaced a couple weeks ago, then it's likely something related to the installation of the shocks. Is the left rear spring seated correctly? Have you checked all 3 bolts holding the lower end of the shock? How about the rear suspension. That was probably loosened to swap out the shock. Are those bolts good and tight? (lower and upper trailing arms, panhard rod)

A

[narfire]

Try looking in the "black hole" around the rear shock tower. Perhaps a nut/washer has been swallowed and is rattling around in there.
I had a wrench dissappear in there and used a mirror and a longer reach magnet to get the thing out.

[stcharlesjohn]

I don't believe the noise was there prior to replacing the shocks. The spring is seated properly. The control arms do click but I think the it's a worn bushing.
THe noise definitely subsides if not goes away when I turn to the right. Nothing was dropped in the "black hole".
I've jiggled everything underneath and it all seems solid.

[ventura ace]

If the suspension arm bolts are tightened with the car's weight off the wheels (wheels hanging down), then the bushings can get damaged when the car is lowered to the ground and driven around. Do you think that is what happened?

Always tighten and torque the suspension bolts when the car is on level ground, and preferably with a normal load of driver and passenger and weight in the trunk.

Alvon

[stcharlesjohn]

Alvon:
That is what happened. Could I have done any other damage?

[ventura ace]

Probably just the bushings. The bushings can be replaced. However, they are not that easy to find, and not that easy to replace. Most people just buy replacement suspension arms. What year?

A

[stcharlesjohn]

Alvon:
It's a 78. Everything on the car seems to be original. The car has been sitting for several years. I'm slowly replacing the obvious worn components and learning on the way. Even the simplest of parts are hard to find for this car.
Thanks for your help so far.
John

[ventura ace]

I believe the design change was from between 78 and 79, so your car should be compatible with rear suspension arms from 67-78.

I replaced the complete upper trailing arms on my 70. For the lower trailing arms and the panhard rod, I replaced the bushings, which turned out to be a major chore. If I had it to do over, I would probably have just bought the whole replacement arms and panhard rod. I do have the old upper trailing arms off my 1970, in decent used condition. E-mail me if interested. The vendors sell the uppers for about $35-40 each, lowers for about $65 each, panhard rod for about $75.

You may want to pull your suspension arms off to look at them and access the situation before going any further. Be sure to put your car on jack stands (on the body, not the rear axle), so the car won't flop over when you remove the suspension arms!

A

[stcharlesjohn]

Alvo:
Thanks. Let me check the condition of the arms before I do anything. Why did you change your's out?
John

[ventura ace]

Oh, just part of a general rolling restoration that's been going on for about 5 years now. The car is 39 years old, 215K miles. Replacing rubber parts that have been around that long is a good idea if you want your car to handle its best. You could wait until they wear out or break, but I'd rather not.

A

[stcharlesjohn]

Alvon:
I discovered that the noise is the coil spring rattling. It would make sense that the noise would subside when turning to the right and relieving pressure from it. When sitting, the spring cannot be moved at all. I put the car on jack stands and relieved the tension on it. I turned it slightly and then drove it for a while. The noise went away for about a holf an hour but came back.
John

[ventura ace]

So, why do you think it's rattling? It should be fairly obvious how the spring should sit, since there is a shape in the lower bracket that conforms to the shape of the spring. Likewise for the upper end of the spring. Mine has a plastic spacer between the metal bracket and the spring. Is it there on yours?

Have your springs been replaced or modified? The spring should never be loose. There should always be some amount of the car's weight resting on the springs, keeping it snug.

Alvon

[pope]

John,
humor me, did you put KYB gas-a-just (white) shocks on the rear? If not what brand.

[stcharlesjohn]

Alvon:
This is probably the wrong answer but I installed Monroe. Bad choice?
Even on jack stands and the wheels lowered there is some tension on the spring. It can be turned when the wheel is fully lowered. The spring does conform to hub at the top and a groove at the bottom. There is a rise at the top that The end of the spring just about meets. That's was the location of the spring prior to putting in the shock.
I'm not absolutely convinced it's the spring but when I try and reposition with the tension loosened the noise goes away for a while but it has come back twice now. Nothing else is loose or broken that I can tell. Granted, I am not a mechanic. The car handles well . I cannot move the shock at all and it is tight. There is no rust in the shock tower. I'm assuming the schock is seating in it properly.
John