Loud Snappy Boing Noise . . . Eek - Any Guesses Before I Look?

[xenodrew]

Coming back up from the beach with my kids - going over a speed bump on the road ( very slowly <5mph) - very loud, quick, snappy, crack, boing noise - loud enough to startle people walking their dogs some 30 yards away.

I couldn't really tell if the noise came from the front or the back - which makes me think it came from the rear - in a weird sort of way!

Had a quick shifty and could see anything untoward. Tried to feel if one of the springs had sheered at the back, they look okay from that veiwpoint but will investigate further in the harsh light of day . . . when I don't have two kids shouting to turn up the music! and me shouting back . . I think it may be a three wheel drive little dudes!

It sounded like I'd sheered a driveshaft - but the drive home, nearly two miles, didn't flag up anything noticable.

Anyone want to hazzard a guess before the snap-on box & trolley jack hit the driveway for some "Kerbside Motors Ltd" type action?

Answer on a postcard to:

I Hate the speed bumps at Portobello beach . . .

[anchorman]

Sometimes a broken spring can be very hard to spot. You need to get right under and look at them from bottom to top - right to the end of each coil. If they break they often twang when the two broken ends flick off each other especially when you extend or compress them more than usual.

If it is a spring it is worrth talking to a dealer beacause I think there is an open warranty fix;

http://www.vosa.gov.uk/vosa/apps/recalls/searches/search.asp

If not have a good look around and check all the steering/suspension joints with your snap on screwdriver!!!

Check the wheel nuts (they can make some wierd noises if unevenly tightend and if that fails relax until it does it more frequently.

Good Luck

[xenodrew]

Doh ! brake shoes and pads on the rear - who stuck them in there . . . after a blast up the road and nothing fell off, it's gotta be a siezed handbrake!!!

Told her indoors I'd spray it with WD40 so it wouldn't happen again for a wee while. It's either that or drag the compressor out into the drive and hunt for some brake cleaner . . . nah . . . WD40 will do . . .

[bothwell_buyer]

the 1995 model had a spring recall. However, it is quite common to have to replace a spring thats broken... and as ancs says, its not that easy to spot.

I've had new springs fitted on both RAVs, and broken springs on many other cars is very common due to the potholes, road humps etc that exist.

Portobello beach - sure you have n't dragged up a passing submarine???

[xenodrew]

the 1995 model had a spring recall. However, it is quite common to have to replace a spring thats broken... and as ancs says, its not that easy to spot.

I've had new springs fitted on both RAVs, and broken springs on many other cars is very common due to the potholes, road humps etc that exist.

Portobello beach - sure you have n't dragged up a passing submarine???

I'm all for fitting a snow plow to the front of the Rav to deal with speed bumps - don't think it would make the road conditions in Edinburgh (host of the world traffic cone convention for the past two years) any worse than they already are!

[bothwell_buyer]

the 1995 model had a spring recall. However, it is quite common to have to replace a spring thats broken... and as ancs says, its not that easy to spot.

I've had new springs fitted on both RAVs, and broken springs on many other cars is very common due to the potholes, road humps etc that exist.

Portobello beach - sure you have n't dragged up a passing submarine???

I'm all for fitting a snow plow to the front of the Rav to deal with speed bumps - don't think it would make the road conditions in Edinburgh (host of the world traffic cone convention for the past two years) any worse than they already are!

Another year and you can fit steel wheels from anchormans train so you can negotiate the tram lines....but get yer timetabling right! Ancs or Duncerduncs will teach you the art of signal reading. Then no more bumps!!

[xenodrew]

the 1995 model had a spring recall. However, it is quite common to have to replace a spring thats broken... and as ancs says, its not that easy to spot.

I've had new springs fitted on both RAVs, and broken springs on many other cars is very common due to the potholes, road humps etc that exist.

Portobello beach - sure you have n't dragged up a passing submarine???

I'm all for fitting a snow plow to the front of the Rav to deal with speed bumps - don't think it would make the road conditions in Edinburgh (host of the world traffic cone convention for the past two years) any worse than they already are!

Another year and you can fit steel wheels from anchormans train so you can negotiate the tram lines....but get yer timetabling right! Ancs or Duncerduncs will teach you the art of signal reading. Then no more bumps!!

With my luck, if I started using the tram lines the car would be full of the usual weirdos that stick to me like fridge magnets every time I get on a train

Ding ding, next stop Royal Edinburgh, Carstairs . . .