E30 with 17 inch wheels noise

[Tappets]

Hi all,

I recently bought 17 inch wheels and I encountered an unusual problem whilst test driving with the larger wheels on. The rear left wheel/hub is making an intermittent metalic noise that is similar of a rubbing/hitting/scraping that would occur every rotation. However there is an immense amount of clearance and upon closer inspection of the wheels off the car there seems to be no signs of rubbing or scraping on the wheels.

The noise is rotational and as I speed up the noise becomes faster. Also I swapped the wheels around to see of it was just the wheel and tyre combination but the noise still remained at the rear left hub. I then resorted to placing the stock bottle caps on and the noise disappeared.

Has anyone had this problem before or possibly know the cause to this noise?


Thank you

[Sambe30]

It will probably be rubbing on the lip part that sticks under the rear arch, I have lowered my car 40mm on the rear and my l/h side was rubbing and I had to get my arches rolled, just have a look and see if you can see marks on the tyre or the inside of the lip in the arch

[Tappets]

Unfortunately its not the tyres rubbing on the arches, stacks off clearance there. Its a very metallic sound

[HairyScreech]

Have you checked to make sure the ends of the wheel bolts are not hitting the hand break pads?

Are both hand brake retaining pins still in the back plate and not dropped into the hand brake drum? (visible from under the car).

[Tappets]

I will check tonight but why would the noise cease from changing to stock wheels?

[Brianmoooore]

Aftermarket wheels probably allow the ends of the wheel bolts to protrude inside the drum slightly more than the standard wheels. If you're lucky, they've just been lightly rubbing the brake parts, and haven't done any serious damage yet.

[Tappets]

Ah that makes so much sense. Thank you heaps