pony2slow

I recently bought a 98 Lx Sdn Manual for my daughter for her 16th birthday. While she was learning to drive the car it started to develop a sound that I can only describe as tin cans being dragged under the car.

I have searched the forum and google monster to be pointed to the CV joints (half shaft). I was under the car last night and noticed the lack of grease everywhere and neither boots are torn and do not have any visiable holes. I am able to created the sound by simply pushing the car with good old man power while not in gear. Can the CV joints be this bad without torn boots?

I am stumped. I have not been able to pull the tire yet. I was just curious if anyone has run into a sound such as this without it being the CV joint or if anyone can give some spots to start the process of killing the sound.

Little history on the car.
1998 Civic LX Sdn Manual
Its has 104k miles
New tires, brakes, water pump, timing belt, exhaust, all new belts and plugs wires and such all within the last 10k miles (have all paperwork)
Its a sweet gem of a little car.

Thanks for you help with my tin can rattle issue

JDM_SOHC

To answer your original question, yes the c/v axles can be bad without torn boots.. The inter-workings can become disassembled and will cause a whole slough of noises...

Take it to a parking lot, and turn the wheel all the way to the right and go in a circle to see if you hear any noises, and also just for sake of heart turn it to the left and go in a circle again and see if you hear anything.. This isn't an eliminating factor for a bad c/v but it's a good easy test to see if you hear clicking/knocking..

Could also be shocks, ball joints, wheel bearing, and/or tie rods.. But troubleshooting is always the recommended way to diagnose your car, don't just go buying replacements.. Good luck..

pony2slow

I guess I should of mentioned what I have already done to pin down what this noise is.
I have drivin it in circles in the parking lot sound is present (can dragging sound) which drove me straight to a possiable CV axle problem.

There is no shake or shimmy at normal speeds in the steering wheel, no popping while going over speed bumps just this darn can dragging rattle sound.

What puzzles me is I can create the sound simply by releasing the parking brake and pushing the car forward or backwards in a straight line, car is not in gear nor running.

I will try to get a video posted of the sound by tomorrow if I am unable to figure this out.

Is there any chance a rock stuck somewhere in the brake assembly cause this much noise?

Thanks agian for the ideas on what to look at. I am pretty sure its the axle but not 100% yet. I love these types of problems. Get to use the old noodle agian.

JDM_SOHC

Well an axle is typically more of a profound knocking noise opposed to a "dragging tin can" noise but that doesn't mean it's not the axle..

How about the brake dust shield..?? Sometimes when people are messing with brakes and all that, they end up forcing the brake dust shield into the back side of the rotor and it creates a constant dragging noise...

pony2slow

Just wanted to update just in case someone ever is searching the same problem. After listening to just about every "can dragging sound" videos I found one that had the same exact sound as mine in an M3 forum. They call it "cow bell" which is created when a rock get stuck between the rotor and the brake dust shield .

Wouldn't you know it that's exactly what I found. A small pebble lodged right next to the caliper, rotor and shield. Took some time fishing it out but problem solved with a ton of searching and 20 minutes at the car.