Is a spring about to break?

S

setyourselfonfire

New member
Hi guys,

I have been extremely fortunate to have owned a very low mileage 2003 Z4 2.2 for about a year now. It had only done 9700 miles when I bought it and I have done almost 7000 miles since.

However, during the past couple of days I have been hearing a very slight metallic knocking sound from the rear driver's side whenever said wheel goes over a slight bump... Almost as if there is a teaspoon or a marble rattling around in the boot. It doesn't happen when both rear wheels go over a bump though. As I live in darkest Nottinghamshire, the roads here are bloody awful most of the year thanks to perpetual council public works cuts, so this metallic noise has become quite concerning!

I have had a look through a few articles on here, with diagnoses ranging from knackered springs, loose assemblies, shocks slipping off the bushing, exhaust heat shields, loose undertray panels (this is a possible candidate thanks to an unlucky magpie in the summer) and even handbrake cables!

What is the forum's consensus? Worst case scenario perhaps? I'm aware that this car is now over 10 years old (late 2003 reg) but it was effectively mothballed for a long period of time! I love it!

Thank you for your help :)
 
Rear spring is easy to check, just put up on a jack and take a look with a torch. I would also check the exhaust brackets and heat shield.
 
setyourselfonfire said:
I have been hearing a very slight metallic knocking sound from the rear driver's side whenever said wheel goes over a slight bump... Almost as if there is a teaspoon or a marble rattling around in the boot. It doesn't happen when both rear wheels go over a bump though. As I live in darkest Nottinghamshire, the roads here are bloody awful most of the year thanks to perpetual council public works cuts, so this metallic noise has become quite concerning!
Click to expand...

Based on my experiences, this sounds like a spring that has already broken. If it has, then the noise is that of the broken-off piece of spring bouncing up and down in the coil seat when you hit a bump. You should be able to put your hand around the wheel and poke your finger in the coil seat - and see (feel/hear) if there's a broken-off piece of coil in there. I have driven thousands of miles with broken coils on my Z4 - it's has only ever been the end bit that broke off, so there wasn't much difference in overall springing. But it's an MoT failure, so has to be fixed eventually. I have now had 4 rear springs replaced in my 7 years / 65,000 miles of driving my 2004 Z4.

If it is the spring, I wouldn't get talked into changing the pair - the other one might last ages. Mine have failed at very random intervals.

I'm still on my original front springs (and rear discs too).
 
...and lo, for a spring hath broken.

The previous owner had to change it as just 6000 miles! I've done another 7000 miles in it and it's gone again! Talk about POS quality :-|
 
So now you need to join this club :D :D

http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=9219
 
Just found a broken spring on mine to passenger side rear the drives side rear looks brand new tho! (only had mine a couple of months)
 
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