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Identify the Click - not what you think??? UPDATED with new video
So, the car had the normal "Your CV is bad" click...so, being proactive I ordered new everything....new OEM CV's installed buy a Mercedes Master Mechanic...new rotors and pads (Brembo / EBC from FCP Euro). Since I also had them install OE wheel bearings on both front wheels....
Consider noise from poorly seated brake pad, control arm or center noise actually coming from the wheel and lugs
that is if the new cv and axle has been ruled out
was the wheel off recently?
That is the thing - the sound is identical as before. I saw a post the other day about non-MB clips and brakes rubbing the rotor, I need to tear the wheel off and check that out. Where I question that is why it would do it more on a radius, however, once warm it will do it in a straight line.
The car has EBC something or other pads...I did take off the caliper a week or so ago and did not see anything up with the pads, was not looking for the rubbing of the spring clip thing however.
Oh, and it is both sides. I was almost wondering if it was starting in the TC????????
That is the thing - the sound is identical as before. I saw a post the other day about non-MB clips and brakes rubbing the rotor, I need to tear the wheel off and check that out. Where I question that is why it would do it more on a radius, however, once warm it will do it in a straight line.
The car has EBC something or other pads...I did take off the caliper a week or so ago and did not see anything up with the pads, was not looking for the rubbing of the spring clip thing however.
Oh, and it is both sides. I was almost wondering if it was starting in the TC????????
Transfer case up front....I am grasping at straws. I happen to have a brand new set of brake pads hanging out there - going to drop those in quick tonight and see what it does (or does not do).
I was wrong. My spare pads are rears...I think I am just going to get with FCP. Order new rotors and pads for the front and see.....who knows.......I just cant see how it is the brake rotors. What is really nutty, car in the air - no clicking so to me it needs weight. The physics does not work for me that the brake rotor is effected by a weighted wheel - as compared to the hub and caliper location (to cause a click).
I was wrong. My spare pads are rears...I think I am just going to get with FCP. Order new rotors and pads for the front and see.....who knows.......I just cant see how it is the brake rotors. What is really nutty, car in the air - no clicking so to me it needs weight. The physics does not work for me that the brake rotor is effected by a weighted wheel - as compared to the hub and caliper location (to cause a click).
how about the strut assembly - worth retorquing some of those bolts?
That's surprisingly loud (and justifiably annoying!), maybe it's just a good phone mic though. I hate to say it but I'd be concerned about transfer case, especially since it started making noise when you turned and gets worse with temperature. That is too high pitched to be a control arm/ball joint (those are usually deeper and more 'knocky' than clicky). Do you have access to a lift? If it were my car I'd get it nice and warm, then lift it and have someone in the car put it in gear and run it up a bit and see if you can listen to the case (or anything else in the driveline). Do you feel any shuddering on tight turns after a long drive? And can you hear it equally as loud from the passenger side?
2015 SL400 (M276 Turbo), 2014 C350 Sport (M276 NA), 2004 SL500 (M113), 2004 Audi TT225 (BEA)
Just to recap...
The noise started before any work was done.
New wheel bearings.
New axle shafts.
New rotors and pads.
Noise is wheel speed related. Present when turning when cold; present all the time when warm.
Is the noise there when driving forward?
What specific brand of wheel bearings? Corteco, Lemforder, Genuine Mercedes?
Is the axle assembly both half-shafts?
As mentioned, I would get all the wheels off the ground with a lift or 4 jack stands, start the car, and put it in Reverse and then Drive. See if the noise is still there. If so, I'd pull the front (or all) wheels off and see if the noise is still there.
Try to identify the source: CV joint, TC, brakes, wheel bearings. (If the noise is equal on either side, then it is unlikely wheel bearings. But, it could be the other parts.)
The noise started before any work was done....this is WHY I was doing all the work.....
New wheel bearings. - Yep, OEM from the dealership
New axle shafts. - Yep - OEM from the dealership
New rotors and pads. - Brembo and EBC from FCP Euro
Noise is wheel speed related. Present when turning when cold; present all the time when warm.- always there...probably louder when warm. Certainly, speed related as for frequency.
Is the noise there when driving forward?
What specific brand of wheel bearings? Corteco, Lemforder, Genuine Mercedes? - OEM Mercedes
Is the axle assembly both half-shafts? Both halves and a right side other shaft.
As mentioned, I would get all the wheels off the ground with a lift or 4 jack stands, start the car, and put it in Reverse and then Drive. See if the noise is still there. If so, I'd pull the front (or all) wheels off and see if the noise is still there.
Try to identify the source: CV joint, TC, brakes, wheel bearings. (If the noise is equal on either side, then it is unlikely wheel bearings. But, it could be the other parts.)
2015 SL400 (M276 Turbo), 2014 C350 Sport (M276 NA), 2004 SL500 (M113), 2004 Audi TT225 (BEA)
Originally Posted by OldManAndHisCar
When you say Transfer Case...
I think the terms are used interchangeably, though there is probably a technical difference.
If all the other components check out, because the noise existed before all of the work was done, it may be the front diff, either front or rear flex disc for the drive (propeller) shaft, the drive shaft universal joint. I would also check to make sure all of the bolts attaching the axles to the diff, and the drive shaft to the front diff, are tight.
The noise occurs when cold with the steering wheel turned left. Is it the same when turned right? Remember, when the wheels are turned right or left, they are moving at different speeds. When was the diff gear lube changed, if ever? Has the level been checked?
2015 SL400 (M276 Turbo), 2014 C350 Sport (M276 NA), 2004 SL500 (M113), 2004 Audi TT225 (BEA)
My experience with bad CV joints (VW and Audi) is that they knock, not click, when the steering wheel is turned. However, Mercedes may make a different sound.
Thank you for the images....pretty much every rotating part outside of the pan (near #300 in the first image) was changed....in the second image 50 was not changed....this has been in the shop(s) time and again for this. I was even going to borrow rims from a neighbor who has an E550 just to see if it was the freaking rims or TPMS.
2015 SL400 (M276 Turbo), 2014 C350 Sport (M276 NA), 2004 SL500 (M113), 2004 Audi TT225 (BEA)
Doubt it would be the TPMS. If the noise really is the same on both sides, doubtful it's the wheel flange. I don't believe you said when this started and how long it's been going on. If the noise is the same on both sides, and under the same circumstances, the symptoms point to the front differential. If the noise was only on one side, I'd say it could be something else.
What I think I am going to do is order this...."rebuild it". Then have the shop just swap it...this is cheaper than buying two rotors and pads and hoping it is the brakes that I am POSITIVE are not causing this.
I am thinking the fact that the drive side is FAR longer than the passanger side is why the sound is so diffrent side to side (diffrent but the same, if that makes sense).
Last edited by OldManAndHisCar; Feb 2, 2024 at 12:03 PM.
2015 SL400 (M276 Turbo), 2014 C350 Sport (M276 NA), 2004 SL500 (M113), 2004 Audi TT225 (BEA)
Do you have full electric steering?
Is the clicking wheel speed related or engine speed related? Replacing the diff may work. 12K miles is pretty low mileage. I would still get the car in the air and put it in gear to see if the sound is still present.
Are there any stored codes from driving it? What does it sound like at speed? If the sound IS different on the passenger side, then it is not the same. Sound can be misleading. Get under the car with it in the air and then listen.
My gut tells me diff based on all the info you provided, but it should make noise if warmed up and in the air. If you've had it into a shop a bunch, I'm surprised there's been no mention of them racking it with another tech taking it up to speed and actually listening for a source. Or applying some brake to simulate load if it's not noisy in the air. I still wouldn't feel comfortable just tossing over $1k in a used diff plus labor without confirmation.
Steering rack doesn't really 'rotate', it just pushes the knuckles in and out, so I don't see how it could make that type of noise.
Didn't you also post something in the past about motor mounts? If you had yours done, was it by dropping the subframe? That always makes me worry that something gets left loose like a driveline connection etc (which could also account for similar noises...).
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