Loud noise from back of car
 

Last night I took a turn too fast and ended up hopping a curb on only the driver side. The front lip was ripped off the whole front bumper, the driver side fog light area of the front bumper has a small crack, and both drivers wheels are very slightly dented but still straight. No damage to side fender, door area, door jamb, rear quarter, back bumper, side skirts, or interior other than drivers side curtain airbags. No leaks anywhere, car drives flawlessly as if it never happened, alignment is still perfect. No lights, tires took no damage and have lost no air over night. Steering is exactly the same, nothing is crooked, and nothing is rubbing.

So from the looks of everything, it's only cosmetic damage of the wheels and bumper, and then the curtain airbags. Insurance said they will cover it under single car collision with my deductible paid by me and fault being placed on me, which is fine. They are sending an adjustor out tomorrow

The problem now currently is that there is a noise coming from the back of the car like something is bouncing around in my trunk. At first I thought it was all the cracked pieces of my lip I threw in there or tools, so I took everything out of the trunk and put it in the back seat or passenger seat, yet it still sounds like something heavy is being thrown around. This is a loud, obvious thump, and a bit of creaking, not a slight rattle. Yet I've looked over the entire car front to back, underneath, in the trunk, and can't find ANYTHING wrong with the back of the car, inside or out or underneath. The back didn't even go over the curb, only the driver side front wheel and corner of the bumper did. I can't find the source of the noise anywhere. Could this be inside the headliner maybe since the airbags deployed? It only seems to happen during take off or during a turn.


How she looks right now:


http://www.ft86club.com/forums/pictu...ictureid=10354


Front Wheel:


http://www.ft86club.com/forums/pictu...ictureid=10357


Back Wheel:


http://www.ft86club.com/forums/pictu...ictureid=10358


Fog Light area:


http://www.ft86club.com/forums/pictu...ictureid=10356


Where bumper separated (Side marker is fine, just haven't put it back on yet):


http://www.ft86club.com/forums/pictu...ictureid=10355

Well that sucks! There are several things it could be that just don't show well with a quick look. The suspension is obviously not designed to take a lateral impact like that and with how bent that rear wheel is you could have warped or loosened several different thing. Get it checked up on a hoist and the issue may be more apparent once the weight comes off the wheels.

What kind of suspension problems could there be that do not affect driving or handling in anyway? Other than the noise, I wouldn't even be able to tell it was curb wrecked. It literally drives like new lol it's weird

In one of my old cars I had right front control arm bent slightly (twice), not from a single hit but from continuous abuse on roads with a lot of potholes next to the curb. Combined with poor/cheap design probably.


Anyway, the car drove fine, but there was thumping noise when suspension moved.

Hmm I'll get the car on a lift and check it out. Thanks for the input!

Like MDM said. I bent a LCA on one of my Lancers (same sort od scenario as you described) and didn't realize it. The car drove fine and there was zero indication that anything was wrong. Then after just a few days I noticed the one back tire was showing wear. A few days after that the tire was down to the steel belts almost half way across. Although the car looked fine when standing it was giving me hellaflush camber whenever I turned or even went around a gentle curve. Some weird shit can go down when you side impact suspension.

That's a shame you slammed you car into a curb ....... don't do that no more ..... :slap:

It could be that you have a messed up wheel bearing/spindle, that wouldn't necessarily effect handling, but could make a bunch of racket.


humfrz

I took it for a drive for lunch right now and noticed it only makes the noise when the wheel is all the way cranked in one direction. Either one. I managed to get a vid of the noise but don't have a youtube account or anything lol


It's definitely a creak from under the car that's all I'm sure of

It's definitely from the rear of the car?

That makes it sound like it's a problem in the diff. Does it happen when the rear suspension flexes at all, or only when the two wheels are going at different speeds (cornering)?

Absolutely no noise on strights, small wheel turns such as trying to get straight in a parking spot, or turns that don't require much steering wheel movement. For example doing something like a U-turn, even at slow speeds, I hear it every time. Going down the highway and even taking curves or turning to change lanes, no sounds.

So small differences in wheel speed (lane changes, minor corrections) don't make noise, but large differences in wheel speed (low speed u-turns) produce noise.

If it is coming from the rear, I vote that your limited slip is tweaked. A horizontal impact on the rear wheel will transmit force up the axle to the diff and potential break something.

That sounds like it could be a messed up rear axle universal joint.

Like mentioned above, I reckon you're going to have to take it into a shop and have it looked at.


humfrz

I appreciate all the responses gents!

Jack up the rear end so both rear wheels are off the ground and use jack stands. Then manually turn the wheels forward and back and shake side to side. See if there's any play or noises from the rear end. Really yank on the rear end and try to rip it apart using your hands. Let us know what you find.

Also, get in to an empty parking lot and do some circles. Tight left and right circles with your windows open and a friend watching the wheels. Also do some short sudden stops and goes. See if anything looks or sounds funky while turning and which side.