The awful rattle!!!!

[bobalong135]

So I drive a 2009 tsi 1.4 vw scirocco and the last couple months there’s is this metal on metal rattle noise coming from the wheel/suspension area of the car at the front whenever
I go over pot holes at any speeds no matter how gently.

The strange part is when I brake and
Go over these pot holes harsh braking or gentle there will
Be no rattling noise.

Anyway so I’ve taking apart my calipers completely and they are fine, spent 6hrs stripping parts in the area making sure nothing was loose and no
Luck, took it to 2 garages and they can’t find the issue.

Any ideas? Anybody had any similar problems

[alorotom]

Wheel bearing??

[DJP]

Spring seats.

[Puddenchucker]

Anti-roll bar bushes?

[hooblah]

Wheel speed sensor?

[mygoldfishbowl]

Anti roll bar link arm.

[Scrump]

Anti roll bar drop links.

[Blaster72]

Scrump said:

Anti roll bar drop links.

Agreed, quite common.

[bobalong135]

Would it be common for the drop link on both sides though? It’s deffiantly worse in the drivers side then passengers

[anonymous-user]

A quick google shows the bonnet stay can cause a metal on metal rattle or the other option is a broken spring.

[Blaster72]

bobalong135 said:

Would it be common for the drop link on both sides though? It’s deffiantly worse in the drivers side then passengers

They get hammered by speed humps and potholes but unfortunately the best process is to replace them and see if that eliminates the noise. They often don't seem to have a lot of play in them but still make the noise you describe.

As you've had it checked out by a garage it's down to slowly eliminating possibilities now, well worth checking out the bonnet suggestion and visually inspecting for broken springs as suggested before doing the drop links though as both of those will cost you nothing.

[E-bmw]

If it stops when you brake it is either caliper or pads, or it wouldn't go when you are braking.

Likely pads rattling against pads shims.

[parabolica]

What sort of rattle sound? Heavy knocking = drop link or ARB bushes or similar. A tinny rattle = possible broken spring, or incorrectly fitted anti-rattle clips on the brake calipers or something similar to that.

[Mr2Mike]

E-bmw said:

If it stops when you brake it is either caliper or pads, or it wouldn't go when you are braking.

Braking causes both sides of the suspension to compress, and loads up balljoints and bushes so it's quite possible for suspension related rattles to change or vanish under braking.

[datum77]

From your description, I would hazard a guess at it being nothing to do with the brakes. When driving over a pothole "freewheeling", the suspension isn't under any load. Anything that is knackered will rattle. With the brakes on, you are tensioning everything up - so no rattle.

Sounds like a worn out ball joint/strut top mount/roll-bar link.

[bobalong135]

Yeah its definitely not anything to do with the brakes as I’ve had them
All stripped down and they are sitting nicely.

I’ve ordered some new drop links and
Il take the other ideas into account

[Scrump]

Mr2Mike said:

Braking causes both sides of the suspension to compress, and loads up balljoints and bushes so it's quite possible for suspension related rattles to change or vanish under braking.

Agreed.

[burnsdavies]

it was the strut top mount on mine and the cheap copy did not last long so hope the genuine one lasts longer

[bobalong135]

burnsdavies said:

it was the strut top mount on mine and the cheap copy did not last long so hope the genuine one lasts longer

How much was a replacement?

[burnsdavies]

Under 40 I think it was not a vw but same set up,
to test well it works on mine Jack the front till the wheel is off the ground find the strut top mount lever under the strut top washer look for slack mine had a good bit
not a bad job to do on my car please post when you find what cures it