Noise from rear

[donjonmaster]

Dear all, my 1995 Chimaera has developed a ch ch ch metallic noise coming from the rear of the car. I've looked under the car hoping it was something trapped but no such luck.
It is most apparent at low speed when feathering the gas in traffic and speeds up as you accelerate. It seems to disappear when you hit the throttle, but also stays when you lift off the gas or dip the clutch. I've only had the car (which I love) a couple of months. It's only done 45000 miles. Hopefully not an expensive issue......cheers, Lee.

[Silhouvette]

Check the dust plates are not rubbing off the inside of the disc.

[DHilly]

I had that, it was the rear wheel bearings on their way out.

[N7GTX]

Jack up the rear, use axle stands and spin the wheels by hand. You should be able to identify the source if it is related to the driveshafts, constant velocity joints, brakes or wheel bearings. If the wheels are too stiff to turn fast enough, chock the front wheels, start up, put the car in 3rd gear, let the clutch out slowly. The wheels will start turning and apply some revs if you want to replicate road speeds.

[donjonmaster]

Thanks for your advice. To complicate matters I took the car out for a spin today and no noise.....Could that be good or bad? I only did about 15 miles so I don't know whether running gear would have even warmed up. Cheers, Lee.

[Plan B]

I had a similar noise from the rear. It was a wheel bearing. I securely jacked up the back ( jack + axle stands) then spun the rear wheels up to replicate road speed to confirm this.

[Sardonicus]

Wheel bearings are either noisy or their not the noise wont come and go from nowt to noisy you cant always replicate/diagnose a noisy wheel bearing with the wheel hanging free as you cant load the bearing's correctly/enough the larger the bearings the harder it is to replicate especially when you have a heavy drive-shaft and all the differential gubbins hanging off it masking/dampening the rotation effect, that why non-driven wheels are always easier to diagnoise for noise/growling

[TVRPete500]

I have to say I had a big smile on my face when I read the title.
More surprising was having read the replies and found no comical mentions of baked beans / too much curry etc. So I couldn't help myself.
I have a wonderful sound from my rear end and it comes from my exhaust.

Anyway good luck with your noisy rear end.

Regards Pete

Edited by TVRPete500 on Thursday 7th December 10:35

[donjonmaster]

Ooooh err missus....

[donjonmaster]

After seeing John at Sussex TVR he suggested I check tyre pressures and wheel nut tightness. I feel like a complete numpty but the rears were loose and since tightening no more noise. Apologies all but hopefully my admission will help a similarly non mechanical type. Thanks again to Sussex TVR for not taking advantage. Cheers, Lee.

[QBee]

Good news.

I was going to add never to discount a stone wedged in the tyre tread.