Ringing/rattling sound

[FF Drifter]

My car currently sounds like a late 80s winter beater. Whenever I am driving over bumps/rough roads there is a awful rattling sound, very similar to a children's bicycle bell. This started about three weeks ago after I had pulled my wheels off to give them a cleaning. Not sure if I bumped something or screwed something up but I took the wheels off again to check. I don't see anything amiss. I also had headers installed a two weeks ago or so but the sound did not go away or get any worse, so I think that is unrelated.

Here is what I've found gets the rattling/ringing going:
-rough roads
-lane changing over bumps
-more obvious/more likely to happen when turning left (probably because I can hear it better, but it does seem to be coming from my left rear wheel)
-more noticeable if I am driving with the windows open (duh) and along a wall, in a tunnel or along parked cars... something that can make the sound echo

Speed doesn't seem to matter and it only happens when the car is in motion. The faster I go, the more rapidly the sound rattles. The sound does not happen if I am on smooth roads (kinda makes me miss the mainland US). It sounds like a dust shield or a heat shield or something metal on metal.

The car functions beautifully otherwise. Brakes great, accelerates great, no funny suspension sounds.

Any ideas or is this something I should just suck up and take to a mechanic to figure out?

 

[jwmelvin]

I once had a loose bracket on the handbrake cable. Made sound. The brake heatshields also seem like a candidate.

 

[FF Drifter]

That's a good thing to check jwmelvin. I think it may be related because I pulled up on the handbrake while driving (slowly and carefully!) and I have had reduced rattles already. I will play with it more tomorrow.

 

[Lostbuckeye]

My car currently sounds like a late 80s winter beater. Whenever I am driving over bumps/rough roads there is a awful rattling sound, very similar to a children's bicycle bell. This started about three weeks ago after I had pulled my wheels off to give them a cleaning. Not sure if I bumped something or screwed something up but I took the wheels off again to check. I don't see anything amiss. I also had headers installed a two weeks ago or so but the sound did not go away or get any worse, so I think that is unrelated.Here is what I've found gets the rattling/ringing going:-rough roads-lane changing over bumps-more obvious/more likely to happen when turning left (probably because I can hear it better, but it does seem to be coming from my left rear wheel)-more noticeable if I am driving with the windows open (duh) and along a wall, in a tunnel or along parked cars... something that can make the sound echoSpeed doesn't seem to matter and it only happens when the car is in motion. The faster I go, the more rapidly the sound rattles. The sound does not happen if I am on smooth roads (kinda makes me miss the mainland US). It sounds like a dust shield or a heat shield or something metal on metal. The car functions beautifully otherwise. Brakes great, accelerates great, no funny suspension sounds. Any ideas or is this something I should just suck up and take to a mechanic to figure out?

Fred,Take the offending wheel off and shake it. If you have valve stems that have nut's securing them from inside the wheel, one of those nuts could have come loose and is rattling around in there. I had it happen to me and it almost drove me insane trying to find it. Then I took the wheel off and totaly by accident bounced it on the tire and heard that Damn sound. I hope it's that simple for you.Ed