Rear end rattle and shake at speed and slow

Discuss your 2000-2005 Bonneville SE, SLE, SSEi, Buick Le Sabre 00-05 and Buick Park Avenue 97-05. Please use General Chat for non-mechanical issues, and Performance and Brainstorming for improvements.
Post Reply
ericm88
SLE Member
SLE Member
Posts: 62
Joined: Wed May 21, 2008 10:49 pm
Year and Trim: 2001 SE
Location: Slickville, PA

Rear end rattle and shake at speed and slow

Post by ericm88 »

Hi everyone, here is my mess of questions. Please excuse my ignorance and thank you for all your help.

I've got a rattle in the rear end when I go over bumps at slow speed. The guy at advanced suggested to just shake things until I find the rattle. Any ideas of what it could be before I starting shaking everything? It sounds like a bushing that has gone bad.

The car starts to shake around 55 mph sometimes. It started doing this after I hit a bump pretty hard with the front end. Should I get the wheels balanced or something else?

I have brake problems. Any ideas on what I can do when I get new rotors and pads again? I had the front rotors turned when I bought the car 2 years ago, it still shook so I replaced the rear rotors. This year it has started shaking again, so bad sometimes that I can hear the rattle in the rear end.

Thank you for your help again. None of these problems make the car feel unsafe none of the shaking is very intense I would just like to fix whatever is wrong before it gets very bad.
2001 Bonneville SE
- K&N Filter Charger
User avatar
Archon
Resident Gearhead
Resident Gearhead
Posts: 8781
Joined: Mon May 19, 2008 10:30 pm
Year and Trim: 2014 Cadillac XTS Vsport.
Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan

Re: Rear end rattle and shake at speed and slow

Post by Archon »

The most common things to cause a rattle in the rear are: the shock mounts and the alignment links. Both are generally described more as a clunk than a rattle. Shaking the shock won't produce the noise, but if you remove the mount, look at the bottom of it and see if the rubber is starting to crack around the metal sleeve. If so, replace the mount. I'd suggest getting the Moog mounts. Other brands may be noisy.

To check the alignment links, jack up the rear of the car so the control arm drops and hangs free. See if the end that looks like a tie rod end pulls free. That you may be able to shake and see if it rattles. Make sure the vehicle is properly supported if you have to get under it.

The rear rotors have a tendency to warp more than the fronts, although the fronts will also. Can you feel any vibration in the steering wheel, or mostly from the rear? To keep them from warping, you may have to buy a higher quality rotor.

You can have the tires balanced again, in case one of the weights came off, but you may also want to check to see if the rim got bent when you hit the pot hole. Check suspension parts for any damage.
*Gone, but not forgotten* - Black 2000 SSEi, HIR Headlights, Angel Eyes fogs, 3rd brake light overlay, hi-flo cat, 180 degree thermostat, HS 1.9 rockers, LSx yellow springs, Intense FWI, PCM, shift kit, push rods, and 3.4 Pulley. ZZP Power Log.
ericm88
SLE Member
SLE Member
Posts: 62
Joined: Wed May 21, 2008 10:49 pm
Year and Trim: 2001 SE
Location: Slickville, PA

Re: Rear end rattle and shake at speed and slow

Post by ericm88 »

The sound in the rear now that you say that is more like a clunk. I know someone with a full car lift so when he has time I will get under the car and check those two.

The brake vibration is mostly from the rear. Although sometimes I can feel it in the steering wheel most of the time I can only feel it in the brake pedal. I replaced the rotors with the mid grade napa brand. Is there a brand that you suggest or would high grade napa work well?

It wasn't a pot hole that I hit it was on a gravel road where piping runs underneath, the little roll in the road from the pipe.
Last edited by ericm88 on Tue May 11, 2010 5:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
2001 Bonneville SE
- K&N Filter Charger
User avatar
Archon
Resident Gearhead
Resident Gearhead
Posts: 8781
Joined: Mon May 19, 2008 10:30 pm
Year and Trim: 2014 Cadillac XTS Vsport.
Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan

Re: Rear end rattle and shake at speed and slow

Post by Archon »

This is the rotor that I bought when I did the fronts. They also have them for the rear. I've been happy with them, but they do cause a slight groaning sounds when you brake.

[The extension jpg has been deactivated and can no longer be displayed.]

OK...bump or hole...if you've hit hard, the things to check would be the same. ;)
*Gone, but not forgotten* - Black 2000 SSEi, HIR Headlights, Angel Eyes fogs, 3rd brake light overlay, hi-flo cat, 180 degree thermostat, HS 1.9 rockers, LSx yellow springs, Intense FWI, PCM, shift kit, push rods, and 3.4 Pulley. ZZP Power Log.
00Beast
Retired Site Developer
Retired Site Developer
Posts: 20960
Joined: Tue May 27, 2008 10:30 pm
Year and Trim: '17 Silverado 1500
Location: MN/IA
Contact:

Re: Rear end rattle and shake at speed and slow

Post by 00Beast »

Napa Ultra Premium Rotors/Pads are a good choice. Other than that, I agree with everything Archon mentioned.
Bye Bye:
Image
RIP sandrock
Sirius wrote:Think about it. You’re tooling down the road in your Prius, knowing full-well that this thing being green is as big a sham as federally mandated ethanol-enriched gas, Russia pulling out of Ukraine, and Obamacare.
golfyeti
Posts like an LG3
Posts like an LG3
Posts: 347
Joined: Thu May 22, 2008 10:29 am
Year and Trim: 2000 SSEi
Every available option
Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba

Re: Rear end rattle and shake at speed and slow

Post by golfyeti »

ericm88 wrote: I've got a rattle in the rear end when I go over bumps at slow speed. The guy at advanced suggested to just shake things until I find the rattle. Any ideas of what it could be before I starting shaking everything? It sounds like a bushing that has gone bad..
check out this thread: viewtopic.php?f=18&t=18305&p=194873
Mark
The Familyman's Trans-Am
Intense 3.4 MPS, Intense FWI, Intense PCM, copper NGKs TR55's, MSD wires, MSD coils, BWD ICM, MagnaFlow High Flow Cat, drilled 180 'stat, solid front mount, Monroe Max Air rear shocks, Moog rear mounts, Moog suspension bushings, cleared front corners, 190,000 miles
Image
edawg.motorsports
LE Member
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri May 21, 2010 12:41 pm
Year and Trim: 2001 SSEi

Re: Rear end rattle and shake at speed and slow

Post by edawg.motorsports »

Had the exact same problem and got the car jacked to look after months of this rear end shimmy with bumps and the left rear shock was cut in two (yes no you read it right, no longer a one piece shock!). Replaced both shocks and 100% immediate improvement, the shocks are now heavier and much better than factory and cheap. $56 each CDN
Post Reply