E39 Knocking Suspension

[Challo]

Need some help with a new shed I have bought. It had a knock on the suspension on the test drive and I thought it would be the drop links or arb bushes. Changed these and the knocking is still there.

Got the car checked over at ATS and they said all the bushes are fine, nothing seems loose or worn and they couldn’t recreate on the rocker plates. Just had the alignment done and while improved the drivability the knocking is still there.

The don’t want to start chasing the issue with replacing various bits and bobs but couldn’t it be shocks or top mounts? The knocking is pretty loud and continuous unless the tarmac is like glass. I front of the car does seems bouncy if you push down on the corners.

[E-bmw]

You don't really say where the noise is coming from.

Could always be something as silly as a loose "thing" in the car somewhere.

[RLK500]

Don't know if they have the same rear setup as an E36, but suspect it is similar. They always used to suffer from the rear trailing arm bushes that sit inside the floor ahead of the rear wheel. They provide a nice clonking sound when they are toast.

[njw1]

RLK500 said:

Don't know if they have the same rear setup as an E36, but suspect it is similar. They always used to suffer from the rear trailing arm bushes that sit inside the floor ahead of the rear wheel. They provide a nice clonking sound when they are toast.

Completely different rear suspension set up on an e39 compared to an e36, the e39 has lower wishbones, upper control arms and Mcpherson struts rather than the trailing arm set up of the e36, the e46 has basically the same set up as the e36.