Rattle On Drivers Front Side Over Bumps-not Suspe?

[jjmmd2003]

I have an annoying rattle noise of sorta metal against metal in my ES 300 1988 with 145k on it.

In fixing a pax side (top) noise I replaced the top strut mounts which fixed that noise. I also replaced all 4 worn out shocks. Now I have this awful rattle that is low on the drivers side

sounds like near the wheel well area. I am using Tommy of Music Box in S. El Monte (CA) that I found here & he thought it might be the bottom mount on drivers side & replaced that

without success in fixing the noise.

I showed him the links here about noise from the bump stops of the strut, but he says that is not the problem & has thrown up his hands & says can't help me!! It does not matter if car

is cold or warm-no difference.

Any ideas please?

I don't want to spend a ton on fixing it, but would really like to fix it though.

It is not so much noise going over big bumps but rather small bumps particularly when small frequent bumps that cause the car to shake then makes the loud rattle.

Thanks for your help.

John

[blk_on_blk]

Trying to answer your question is like shooting in the dark. Your rattle could be coming from so many different things: A broken/loose exhaust bracket, a broken/loose mount somewhere in the engine compartment, something broken/loose under your dash, something in the body/fender/door area... something else. Plus, sound tends to 'jump' in a vehicle, especially when you are listening just from the driver's seat. You could get a sound that seems to be coming from your dash, but it's really from the door panel... it's hard to pinpoint in a vehicle situation where you have a bunch of other vibration going on, too.

To track down your problem you're going to need a friend (who has a good sense of sound direction) to really crawl around the car as you drive slow on a rough road that really amplifies the sound, and let them pinpoint it. Once you find out where it's coming from, it's much easier to figure out what the cause is.

[camlex]

Best things to do is take it to the good mechanic who do nothing but front end.

[gbhrps]

You might try thumping various parts under the car near that wheel with a large rubber mallet when the car is on a hoist. If the noise is not due to a part of the suspension, you might find it that way. I'd smack the subframe as well.