Hey I need some help. I got a MY06 with just over 70k on it.

I noticed this last weekend when I was driving home with the stereo off.

It sounded like a clunking sound from the rear passenger side as I was accelerating. The commute home was only like 15 minutes of traffic light stop and go. Next morning, it got slightly worse as I hear it with the stereo off again. It sounded like the same clunk, but more metallic and kinda like rubbing.

I took the rear passenger wheel off and didn't see anything loose or suspicious. But it was just a quick check, nothing thorough. Koni shocks look fine, no leaks or anything since that's what's easiest to see and inspect.

FAST FORWARD TO TODAY
I wake up this morning to drive to work the noise seemed like it got hell of a lot worse. It sounded like metal on metal action, that's for sure. I accelerated slowly (under 10 mph) and I can hear it clearly. Loud metal clunking, rubbing.

Little more info - after some short time of driving (say 15 - 20 minutes), it would be more subtle. It also doesn't seem as noticeable at speeds higher than like 30mph, and don't hear much at all on the freeway.

I hear it when accelerating at low speeds, decelerating, and coasting in neutral. It doesn't sound any worse or better when going over bumps or even pavement. If it helps, I hit a monster pot hole like few weeks back, but i only noticed the noise like a week or so later.

I've done a thorough search on the forum and read about bad wheel bearings, bad diff, axle nut torque, cv joints, loose nuts and bolts on sway bar ends, bearings in the tail shaft, but haven't found a clear answer.

This is really bothersome. I've made an appointment to take it into the shop tomorrow but just wanna know what it could possibly be so I can tell the techs and get it fix asap. Thanks for reading and any help is appreciated.

 

I had a similar noise that scaredthe hell out of me. It turned out to be the exhaust touching the output flange/inner cv flange as it rotated. Single exhausts can have a lot of sway left to right, so this *could* be it.

. . . other times, it was the diff or axles

 

I just looked under this morning after arriving at work. I highly doubt it is the exhaust but I'll check again at lunch time.

 

Do you have a single? If it's a quality dual, I wouldn't even bother checking.

 

Yes it's a greddy single 70mm. Had it for over a year now. When I looked under the car over the weekend, I noticed the crossbar under the car was slightly bent at the left end - most likely from running the disastrous pothole.

 

I hope (and don't think) it is the differential. I've never launched the car or peeled out from a stop.

When I hit the pothole, I definitely bottomed out. Thus I checked the shocks first but no visual evidence of blown shock (leaking fluid). So I'm guessing the problem is some where between the cv joints and the hub.

Any ideas?

 

Can you take a picture of it?