C5 base rear dragging/clunking
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Jul 2022
Posts: 14
Likes: 2
From: Las Vegas
C5 base rear dragging/clunking
hi guys 
c5 has been giving me problems recently. After replacing rear wheel hubs/bearings, lower ball joint, and new rotors/pads, I still have this noise that I can’t figure out. Video is attached to show underneath the car while it’s driving, so you can hear the dragging noise. (Nothing is actually dragging) this is my daily and any suggestions are appreciated.
c5 has been giving me problems recently. After replacing rear wheel hubs/bearings, lower ball joint, and new rotors/pads, I still have this noise that I can’t figure out. Video is attached to show underneath the car while it’s driving, so you can hear the dragging noise. (Nothing is actually dragging) this is my daily and any suggestions are appreciated.
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 183
Likes: 19
From: St. Louis MO
Mostly what stands out to me is this sounds like something small hitting something thin. Could there be something inside of the muffler moving around? Do you have to be moving or just have exhaust gases flowing?
Another thought is something inside the tire/wheel banging around. Sounds too sharp of a clunking sound to be a denser material like a rim barrel being struck by a loose object inside a tire.
Of course hearing it on my speakers could sound a lot different in person. If it seems left or right you could reverse the rear wheels for a test.
Another thought is something inside the tire/wheel banging around. Sounds too sharp of a clunking sound to be a denser material like a rim barrel being struck by a loose object inside a tire.
Of course hearing it on my speakers could sound a lot different in person. If it seems left or right you could reverse the rear wheels for a test.
Pro
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 622
Likes: 169
From: Montgomery Texas
Correct me if I'm wrong, but it doesn't appear to be road speed related, nor related to suspension movement ... at least not on this side of the car.
Before I read the post from @trloh, it had also occurred to me that it sounded somewhat like hot exhaust manifolds pinging, after a car was parked. That's obviously not what we are hearing, but it's the same sort of hollow pinging noise.
I'll think on it some more. In the meantime, you wouldn't happen to have any more footage, would you ... especially of low speed parking lot maneuvers, where there isn't so much road (tire) noise? Also, can you provide a better description of when it happens? Cold/hot day? Cold/hot car? Only happens after driving x number of minutes? Only happens with a full fuel tank? Only happens turning left/right? Only happens above/below x mph? Any small detail may help.
Before I read the post from @trloh, it had also occurred to me that it sounded somewhat like hot exhaust manifolds pinging, after a car was parked. That's obviously not what we are hearing, but it's the same sort of hollow pinging noise.
I'll think on it some more. In the meantime, you wouldn't happen to have any more footage, would you ... especially of low speed parking lot maneuvers, where there isn't so much road (tire) noise? Also, can you provide a better description of when it happens? Cold/hot day? Cold/hot car? Only happens after driving x number of minutes? Only happens with a full fuel tank? Only happens turning left/right? Only happens above/below x mph? Any small detail may help.
Last edited by Tron Z; Mar 23, 2024 at 09:57 PM.
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Jul 2022
Posts: 14
Likes: 2
From: Las Vegas
Mostly what stands out to me is this sounds like something small hitting something thin. Could there be something inside of the muffler moving around? Do you have to be moving or just have exhaust gases flowing?
Another thought is something inside the tire/wheel banging around. Sounds too sharp of a clunking sound to be a denser material like a rim barrel being struck by a loose object inside a tire.
Of course hearing it on my speakers could sound a lot different in person. If it seems left or right you could reverse the rear wheels for a test.
Another thought is something inside the tire/wheel banging around. Sounds too sharp of a clunking sound to be a denser material like a rim barrel being struck by a loose object inside a tire.
Of course hearing it on my speakers could sound a lot different in person. If it seems left or right you could reverse the rear wheels for a test.
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Nice find. A rather unusual cause of the noise.
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