THE MYSTERY OF THE UNKNOWN RATTLE/CHATTER..PLEASE HELP ME

[AshVanguard]

Hi all
first of all sorry if this is in the wrong place - please move it if needed

Now, down to business
Me and my very good mechanic have been trying to find the source of an increasingly loud 'chatter' from my toyota yaris 01 T-sport. we have taken off the wheels, discs, calipers and checked the suspension and cleaned and checked them all and but them back, we have changed the bushes in the front suspension but still this massively annoying noise is there and is getting worse. the noise is coming from the left hand side of the car and is present when traveling along slightly bumpy roads. the sound is similar to the of a supermarket trolly or train. The noise subsides when the brakes are applied. since we have tried all the obvious things it may be and still not worked it out im thinking it must be something specific to the yaris.
if anyone can help shed any light on this issue then I would be so very eternally grateful
thanks for your time

[LuS1fer]

Sounds like brake pads/shims and possibly a sticky piston.

[Truckosaurus]

The workaround is to turn the radio up another couple of notches.

[AshVanguard]

the pads are less than a third worn, the shims are perfect. could you elaborate on the piston though?
thanks

[AshVanguard]

Truckosaurus said:

The workaround is to turn the radio up another couple of notches.

any rattle especially one this loud I find disconcerting..and since when did radio's have notches?

[Riley Blue]

"loud 'chatter' from my toyota yaris"

Leave your mother in law at home

[LuS1fer]

If the caliper piston is being pushed back and is sticking, it will allow the pad to rattle. Same applies if it is the slider pins corroded as the piston effectively pushes the pad and pulls the other pad onto the other side of the disc. If the rattle goes when you brake, it really points to this. Give them a clean and clean up the pins and apply smears of copper grease so everything slides nicely. Check the rubber seal isn't split or the piston may be scored.
Check the pins themselves aren't worn and rattling.

[J4CKO]

Could something have ended up in the floor under the seats, screwdriver, Coke can, small gold vibrator (I have actually seen that happen) ?

[Huntsman]

AshVanguard said:

the noise is coming from the left hand side of the car

Its not uncommon for a noise to sound like its coming from one place when in fact its another.

[NHK244V]

If it's on light bumps and not so much heavy/large bunps it's usually the ARB drop links or shoke/strut bearings, raise the and let the suspension drop then you need another jack under the suspension to just take the weight, that will allow the drop link ot move at the balljoint IF that's the problem, at the same time grab the strut inner piston and try and move side to side and up and down, 90% of the time it's the ARB but could be a broken spring ?

[*Al*]

Another vote for front drop links, we have an 02 model Yaris and have recently changed them because the rubber split on them. The noise would probably stop when braking as you are 'loading' the drop links. If it is that they are cheap and easy DIY.

[TonyRPH]

I was going to suggest something rattling in the rear silencer perhaps.

But a quick Google of images shows that the exhaust seems to exit on the right hand side on the Yaris.

Still might be worth a look though.

[buggalugs]

LuS1fer said:

Sounds like brake pads/shims and possibly a sticky piston.

Agree, stopping while braking and the description of the sound sounds like a pad rattling - missing shim, spring clip or whatever as mentioned above.