Solved - Rattling noise from rear, with lowered springs!

Ben Harris · Post by **Ben Harris** » Mon Oct 17, 2005 5:51 pm

At last.... I've managed to cure my 480 from the rattling noise at the back it's been plagued with ever since I fitted my lowering springs, and thought I'd share the information with you guys. I know that others have a similar noises - Chris1Roll, and Mr. Groom, for example.

The cause of it is the Bilstein rear shocks. Now forgive me if I'm wrong, but I seem to recall that everyone who has complained of rattling from the back with lowered springs, has had Bilsteins fitted. I did an experiment last weekend, and completely removed the shocks from the back of the car and took it for a (very brief) test drive. Apart from the 'interesting' handling, the rattling noise was completely gone.... so I decided it must be the rear shocks.

I ordered some replacement Sachs (OEM) rear shocks from PFS Parts Ltd (www.partsforvolvosonline.com), and fitted them today. The rattling noise was completely gone.

The Bilsteins I had fitted hadn't done very many miles - maybe 12,000 at most, and I'd also had another set of Bilstiens fitted to my last 480, and that rattled with the lowering springs too. As soon as I replaced the lowering springs on my previous 480 with standard Volvo springs (to sell it), the rattling went away. When I put the lowering springs onto my current 480 (which also had had Bilstien shocks fitted a couple of months previously), the rattle was instantly back.

So.... my conclusion is - Bilstein shocks are great for standard height 480's, but they rattle like b#gg3ry when combined with lowering springs. As far as I can tell (well, from my 5 minute test drive), the new Sachs shocks I've don't rattle with lowering springs.

- The disadvantage of this though, is that I can now hear every other, quieter rattles and squeaks on the car that I couldn't hear before! DOH!

Ben.

[EDIT]

I should probably add, that this is with Fintec springs, not PI springs. But... when I swapped the PI's for the Fintec's, there was no change in the rattle - it was still there, just the same.

Murf · Post by **Murf** » Mon Oct 17, 2005 9:14 pm

hmm, my car is lowered and has bilsteins all round!
did you have bllies on the front as well ben and did they rattle too?

anyone with a non lowered car want a set of full bilsteins? only done 3k at the most

Ben Harris · Post by **Ben Harris** » Mon Oct 17, 2005 10:13 pm

I have got Bilsteins on the front, and (having taken the car for another drive), now that there's no longer any noise from the back, I can now hear a slight noise from the front, although nowhere near as bad as the back was. I'm sure it's probably been there all along, but the rear shocks were drowning it out! I've a suspicion that it's not shock related though - I suspect ball-joint or track-rod end possibly. At about Â£12 each, from PFS, I might find myself replacing them too, soon.

I'd have to say also, that the new Sachs on the back feel a bit firmer than the Bilsteins that I had on there before, although that could be because they're new, and don't yet have 12,000 miles on them.

Interestingly, PFS don't have gas Sachs listed for the front, only oil, which strikes me as a bit odd. I wonder if they do a gas part, or if oil is all that's available for the front?

Ben.

martinholmesuk · Post by **martinholmesuk** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 9:09 am

Good work Ben, I have Sachs and Pi's on the rear with bilstien/pi on the fronts.

Not had any problems!

VanDerGraaf · Post by **VanDerGraaf** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 9:25 am

Good detective work Ben! I'll certainly keep that in mind.

480_rocket · Post by **480_rocket** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 5:33 pm

What bilsteins did you have fitted, was it the cheapy ones (around Â£25 each) or the streetline shocks?

Ben Harris · Post by **Ben Harris** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 5:39 pm

They were the cheapy ones. I couldn't find anywhere that would sell the Streetline ones without the whole shock/spring package.

Ben.

480_rocket · Post by **480_rocket** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 6:30 pm

GSF do I think, at leats last time i looked a couple months back

JohnTurbo · Post by **JohnTurbo** » Thu Oct 20, 2005 11:54 pm

yes good work...i'd always been sketchy with the droplink idea, and had started to blame the springs themselves.

Its annoying though!!

Rytis · Post by **Rytis** » Fri Oct 21, 2005 8:02 am

Yeah, I have -40mm and Bilstein gas shocks - the same rattling...At least I know now where does it come from

catgroom · Post by **catgroom** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 11:13 pm

Okay,the reason why the Bilsteins rattle is because the other types of shocker have wider top mounts on them (the part where the bush/bolt goes through).

Theres about an inch and a half more width on my new Monroe rears,and absolutely no rattling at last!

Yipee!

Nice discovery Bennus!
Just thought I'd post to back you up!

Mind you,a certain Milf Hunter of West Londinium seems to have no rattling from his.Mind you he has a boot full of Milf-wigs he can slip on for when he's out kerb crawling for mothers!

martinholmesuk · Post by **martinholmesuk** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 8:25 am

ROFL

my boot is full of tools!

Steve you talking about the front shocks or rears?

catgroom · Post by **catgroom** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 3:02 pm

@Milfus Rears matey!

@Rytis There is a solution i think.This would be to put washers either side of the top mounting points.Therefore,no sideways movement in that space.

I can see where I threw Mart now,calling the tops of the rear shocks "top mounts" Stupidos Groomio!

Pink Lady · Post by **Pink Lady** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 4:33 pm

think im now suffering with this also!!

esta · Post by **esta** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 6:32 pm

Glad this post has been revived! When I put Lulas new springs on i will know to go for the Sachs on the rears!