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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.

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.

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.

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. OK...bump or hole...if you've hit hard, the things to check would be the same.

Napa Ultra Premium Rotors/Pads are a good choice. Other than that, I agree with everything Archon mentioned.

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

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