ThomasBorchers Posted October 29, 2001 Share Posted October 29, 2001 My Buick makes a noise in the rear of the car. I can't locate it. It sounds like a loosen hubcap. Wheels are fast attached but at the moment just with 3 bolts ( I ordered already new bolts). I removed the fuel tank but there is no noise in it. All bolts at the bumpers are fast. Exaust system makes no noise at the chassis. At the back axle I can't find loosen parts. I can feel that the brake drums have a bit play. If I jack up the car, and be in front of the wheel I can move a bit (around 2 millimeters, 0.08 inch if I converted this correct) the brake drum to me and back. There is no side play. It is no question how fast I drive. Even when I drive very slow I can hear this noise. I can shake the car at the bumbers up and down or to the side and then I can't hear this noise. A metallic clatter as I described above. If I drive over rough streets it is not louder. I even mean that it is not so loud if I drive more than 50 mph. <BR>Can you help me with this? <P>Tom<p>[ 11-02-2001: Message edited by: ThomasBorchers ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest scott mich bca # 6619 Posted October 29, 2001 Share Posted October 29, 2001 What type of wheels do you have? If they are the spoke wire wheels, that could be the source.<P>Otherwise I had a similar noise from the rear of my '55. It turned out to be the brake drum was out of round.<P>The way I disocvered this is that I jacked up the rear of the car and carefully put it on jack stands, and blocked the front wheels.<P>I then ran the car in drive at idle, while I listened at the rear of the car. I then by a process of elimination, removed first the wheels, and then finaly the drake drums. When the drums were off, then noise stopped. DO NOT step on the brakes while the drums are off otherwise you will extend the wheel cylinder pistons out of the cylinders!!!<P>I hope this helps.<P>P.S. Does the noise increase in frequency with the speed of the vehicle?<P>Scott Mich BCA # 6619<BR>Assistant Director<BR>Chicagoland Chapter<BR>1955-76C<BR>1959 Olds SS-88<p>[ 10-29-2001: Message edited by: scott mich bca # 6619 ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old-tank Posted October 29, 2001 Share Posted October 29, 2001 Hi Tom<BR>It could be the wheel cover centers are loose and rattling....try driving with the wheel covers off.<BR>Willie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasBorchers Posted October 29, 2001 Author Share Posted October 29, 2001 Thanks for your tips.<BR>Scott: I have the normal wheels. I will try this what you did with your car if the noise comes from the rear axle in the next days. <BR>No, the noise doesn’t increase in frequency with the speed of the vehicle. I can drive just 5 mph or 30 mph. There is no difference. Actually it can’t be a thing of an uneven drum because it is not a permanent noise. On even streets I can hear nothing but if there is a small cross groove or hole in the street. Then: Dong, dong.<BR>Willie: The centers of the wheel covers are fast and I don’t think that they could make such a loud noise, or? <BR>I can hear the noise inside and outside the car. <BR>Don 55 wrote me to check if there is a loosen spring in the drum. On the right side definitely not because I removed the drum. On the left side I don’t know but can a loosen spring such a loud noise? I don’t think so, or? I will check this out in the next days.<BR>Thanks for your help.<P>Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK Buickman Posted October 29, 2001 Share Posted October 29, 2001 Have someone get inside the trunk while you drive the car to listen where this noise is coming from. Then start looking for the source of the noise. <BR>It could be sheet metal related, like the trunklid rubbing against the body when driving, or suspension, or ???<BR>A common source of rattles in the rear can be worn or broken rear shock absorber LINKS. '55 Buicks use the hydralic lever rear shocks, not the airplane-type style (last year for these rear shocks at Buick). I've replaced a few rear shock links on '55's due to rattling noises.<BR>Have you narrowed down when this noise occurs??? Repairing unusual noises when driving are a process of elimination, unfortunately.<BR>One thing that I learned about "a rattle in the rear" repairs a long time ago, when working in a Buick Service Department, was to take everything out of the trunk. I've seen the jack, spare tire, or personal items causing the irritating noises. Talk about the customer being embarrassed!! Also, things moving around inside the gasoline tank can create some off-the-wall noises; sending unit, tank baffles, foreign objects, etc.<BR>There many other sources for noises.<BR>AK Buickman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 29, 2001 Share Posted October 29, 2001 If you have coil springs in the back, then you can skip this message.<P>I had the same problem that you're describing this past summer. I looked, shock, and did everything I could to find an rattle that sounded like metal on metal. I FINALLY found that I had a broken leaf spring. It was one of the leafs in the center, and I couldn't see it sooner because the only evidence was a thin vertical crack seen from the side. That rattle drove me crazy, and the last thing I expected was a broken leaf spring. Hope that helps.<P>I am registered, but for some reason I couldn't log on. Anyone else having trouble?<P>Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAD36 Posted October 29, 2001 Share Posted October 29, 2001 Thomas<P>Check the parking brake linkage back by the torque tube just before it mates with the rear axle. There is an adjustment fitting that has a nut in it and the parking brake cables go through this fitting. If the linkage is a little loose and the rubber spacer that it just before the fitting is missing or dry rotted, the fitting will bang against the torque tube while driving and give that dong dong noise.<P>Rear shock links is another good place to look. Both these sources are hard to replicate unless you are actually driving the car on a road that transmits alot of shock into the suspension.<P>Good luck<P>Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 31, 2001 Share Posted October 31, 2001 Wow, this is a very interesting thread, because I have been wrestling for months with almost the same exact thing on my 65 Riviera.<P>Coming from the back passenger side, I get a loud click click click, that sounds like a screwdriver tapping on dull metal. It's driven me crazy. I know it has nothing to do with the turning of the wheels, because even when I come to a stop, the noise still continues for a couple of seconds, then fades away, until I start driving again.<P>I think the noise is in time with the pistons of the engine. I thought for sure, it was in the exhaust system, as there are glass packs on the car, so I replaced the right side exhaust system, and guess what, the noise is still there!<P>It's a mystery to me. Hope you find the source of your noise.<BR>Riviera Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Chrome Posted October 31, 2001 Share Posted October 31, 2001 I had the trouble with handbrake cable, one of most irritating noise I know and very loud too.<P>One small but irritating noise is to have stone in your tire, argh made me crazy one day. Had to stop and take it away Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Chrome Posted October 31, 2001 Share Posted October 31, 2001 Oh yeah! forgot to mention tire squeek. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmartens Posted October 31, 2001 Share Posted October 31, 2001 After reading Ken's response about the handbrake cable, the "Dong, Dong" description sounds about right. I had the same problem on my '56 Century.<P>I could see where the cable had been slapping the torque tube and the guide at the tail end of the torque tube. After ensuring that the cable was adjusted properly--and the noise still there--I slit a piece of 1/4 inch fuel hose, popped it over the cable, and used tie wraps to tighten it down. No more noise. You'll want to be sure not to cause any binding as it goes through the guide.<P>Rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK Buickman Posted October 31, 2001 Share Posted October 31, 2001 Regarding the parking brake cable slapping against the torque tube, it is common as the car gets older, and the rubber grommet deteriorates, then eventually falls out. <BR>I used a generic rubber grommet that I cut to fit. This grommet supports the parking brake cable, and prevents the cable from slapping the torque tube. My repair has solved the rattling noise problem for many years.<BR>AK Buickman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasBorchers Posted November 2, 2001 Author Share Posted November 2, 2001 Hello you all and thank you very much for your tips.<BR>Still searching for the noise. One noise comes definitely from a worn out shock link. But it sounds different to the noise I can hear. Actually I hoped that this is the noise but heard the other noise two or three times as I worked in the car. I shook the car from inside but the noise came not back.<BR>With brake cable I was on this track very early as I start the search for the noise. This round rubber is there and in a good condition. As far as I see the cable does not hit anything. <BR>… Laid just under the car to check the thing with the brake cable. No, this can’t make the noise but found another possibility. The brake line which comes from the front and goes trough the frame, is very close to the frame. If I touch it with a stick it makes a loud metallic noise. This was a chance then actually I wanted to hit the brake cable and not the line. But I don’t know if this could make the noise? Actually I hear it always from the rear of the car.<BR>I ordered some grommets for the shock links and will see it then, if this makes the noise. But if not…<BR>Tomorrow I will “put” my father in the car and he shall hear if the brake line sounds like the noise we hear inside.<P>Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasBorchers Posted November 2, 2001 Author Share Posted November 2, 2001 Just tried these things above: Hit the brake line with a stick and moved the shock links while my father was in the car. Result: The noise we hear when we drive is different. <BR>Makes me crazy.<P>Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasBorchers Posted November 21, 2001 Author Share Posted November 21, 2001 Hi folks.<BR>Found the solution of the noise problem: It was a wrong, worn out shock link.<BR>Thanks for your help.<P>Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 26, 2001 Share Posted November 26, 2001 ok, call me stupid, but what's a shock link? I'm still having my noise problem, which as I said earlier, sounds like it's ticking in time with the pistons, coming from the passenger side rear, on my 65 Rivi.<P>Sounds like someone is clicking a screwdriver against metal. Happens while driving, and when I come to a stop, it keeps going for a second, then fades away.<P>This is how I know it's not in the wheels. I am curious about the Torque Tube theory, but I'm not sure what that is, or where it's located. Can anyone explain?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Guy Posted November 26, 2001 Share Posted November 26, 2001 The rear shocks on a 55 were mounted to the brake backing plate and connected to the chassis with a link. Later cars with tubular shocks did not need this feature. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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