Odd rattle from rear of car

[Aphix]

My car has a rattle in the rear end that keeps getting worse. I've had the car in the air three separate times hammerin around looking for a rattle with no luck. No rattles from the calipers, no rattles from brake pads, or anything else I can find underneath the car. It only happens when the car has picked up speed, it doesnt react to using the brakes, or the e-brake. It sounds like I'm dragging a piece of tin underneath the car.

I have experienced bad wheel bearings before and the way you can kind of "feel" the bearing being out, this rattle can't be felt, only heard. Could it be a halfshaft or differential bearing? I've been chasing it for months with zero luck and it is getting pretty loud.

 

[GRAVEDIGGER]

I have seen instances where the dust shields will just barely contact the rotor causing a noise similar to the one you're describing. Any way that could be it? Maybe try bending them away from the rotor a little bit. Good luck

 

[gusu]

Is the whole car rattling or is it just a rattling sound? My friend's Eclipse needed the tires balanced very badly and after 45mph it would shake and make the most ungodly rattling sound, it sounded much more like a loose piece of metal than a out of balance tire.

I'm not saying you wouldn't know to check that but I don't have very much information to work with.

I agree it could be the dust shield, I didn't notice I bent mine a bit when I changed my rear brakes and it did a crazy screeching sound after about 40mph. I bent it back into shape and it went away and I haven't had a problem since (about a year later now).

 

[Aphix]

I will have to look at the dust shields, as far as being out of balance, the car runs very smoothly. The rattle cant be "felt" only heard.

Just to clarify, the dust shields are the round thin piece of metal surrounding the rotors right

 

[GRAVEDIGGER]

Just to clarify, the dust shields are the round thin piece of metal surrounding the rotors right

Yes, that's correct.

 

[Aphix]

Hmm I took a look at the front and the rears and tried to bend them all back a little. Unfortunately it still didn't change the sound. Although it does look like the type of metal that would make the sort of sound im hearing. Like a thin metal rattling. They were all really sturdy when I tried bending them too.

Damn DSM always somethin

 

[Aphix]

Well, the rattle ended up moving up to the front passenger caliper, and then the front driver side caliper. At that point I realized that it really couldnt be the calipers because of how "omni-derictional" way it sounded on bridges with railings, cars, curbs, etc. The sound would really reflect off anything from any angle. (And it made it sound like a piece of junk). I decided beit must because of that it must be coming from the drivetrain.

So for anybody out there using the search tool, if you are hearing a rattle underneath your car that sounds like a piece of tin dragging, refer to the sleeve between your transfer case and the first u-joint. There is a thin metal sleeve that must have been press fit on to the transfer case (at least that seems most logical), mine was clearly hit by something, knocking it loose. I intend to tack weld it and will update if something doesnt go as planned.