Stone stuck in a tyre?

 

I had much the same problem on my Crossfire
Turned out to be broken bracket that held the rear stabilizer bar in place

 

Thinking about it some more, if the car had not been driven for a week or so the brakes would feel as if they were binding when the car first moved off but this feeling went once the car was moving.

I've just had my son drive the car back and forth on the driveway whilst I'm crouched down by the side trying to fathom out what the noise is and its definitely coming from the rear right side wheel area (when looking from the front of the car) so is it perhaps something rubbing or catching on or around the brake calliper/dust cover area.....any ideas what it could be?

 

Can you get the wheel off and have a looksee?

 

That's the plan for tomorrow.

 

the parking brake mechanism can cause problems, try applying it when driving slowly to see if the noise changes?

 

Check the rear subframe for cracks along with the rear springs

 

Good shout

 

Been anywhere with new chippings recently, tis the season starting!!

 

Rear Spring. Hard to see as it tends to be at the top out of sight.

 

Thanks for all the replies and suggestions

I've checked the tyres and there are no stones or anything else in them so the handbrake will be next. Not sure how I'm going to check the springs and the subframe though as I don't have any means or place to get under the car.

Does the forum or anywhere else online have any downloadable files or documents similar to the old Haynes manuals etc. as I've no idea what I'm going to be looking at or for and it would be good to have something to reference against?

 

You just need a phone! SLK rear subframe check

 

You just need a phone! SLK rear subframe check

Thanks for that Ray but I'd still like to have something to keep on file and review and having just checked out the Haynes autofix online offering at £22 it may be what I'm looking for unless there's something better out there?

 

Is it more clicking or clonking?

 

When the car's first backed off the driveway there's a slight clunk but when it's being driven it's definitely a clicking noise which gets quicker but no louder as the speed increases.

 

Good question clonk would suggest spring

 

I, ehm, heard a big clonking sound that just kept getting worse two days ago..

From the sound of it, I also suspected the spring, one of the many suspension arms, roll bar or similar. Stopped, took the wheel of and everything looked fine. Nothing loose or broken off. That was a relief. But also mysterious!

Then I looked over the disc and down and saw a huge bolt just lying there on the suspension arm! Found its source quite quickly. It was the lower bolt for the caliper! And the upper one was also loose! The whole caliper just moved freely!

I must have missed to put some loctite on them when I did work this winter..

Worth a check..

 

I'm planning on jacking the rear nearside up, removing the wheel and checking underneath to see if I can spot anything obvious broken or missing, I'll also have a look at the brake set up.

 

Ok, so clonk when reversing and then clicking (ticking?) sound after that doesn't quite sound like the spring..

It sounds more like something "changing location", twisting or turning and then starts hitting metal-on-metal.


There's a small plastic arm that goes down from the roll bar down to the main suspension arm. It's hard plastic, so that could give a clicking (but not ticking) sound perhaps. That little arm looks VERY fragile, don't know how that even holds together being plastic I mean .

 

My bet is little spring that holds the brake shoes in place, it comes away from the backplate, you have to take the disc off to see it, mine has done this but got caught against the disc and squeeled like a pig for miles, proper embarrassing

 

Yeah, but that would cause a squeel, not a clicking sound. It's to thin, light and small to cause any sound that could be heard over engine and road noice..

 

Mine did, really loud, noises changed as it moved around

 

Thanks again for the replies.

This is the first none company car i've owned in some 30 odd years so the plan is to have it as a fun car when I retire in the next year or so and do as much of the maintenance as I can myself but I haven't a clue about the cars build, mechanical set up, components etc. so I really need something like a Haynes manual in PDF to reference so where can I get one as Haynes seem to only do their online autofix option for the SLK?

I use to rally Escorts 30 odd years ago and do all the maintenance myself so I'm quite looking forward to getting some spanners in my hands again and as luck would have it my son's a time served auto electrician.

 

so I really need something like a Haynes manual in PDF to reference so where can I get one as Haynes seem to only do their online autofix option for the SLK?

I found this one:

Mercedes Benz SLK R171 171 Workshop and Wiring Manual 2004-2011

Get the same level of information about your Mercedes Benz R171/171 that your official dealer has. Every single element of service, repair and maintenance is included in this fully updated workshop manual. Covering the entire Mercedes SLK R171 range from 2004 though to 2011 it includes basic...

www.easymanuals.co.uk

I have no experience with them:
I also found this by Haynes, would seem to be what you're looking for, also no experience with them:

Mercedes SLK-Class 2004 - 2008 Haynes Repair Manuals & Guides

Haynes guides are your go-to for Mercedes SLK-Class. Achieve maintenance mastery with our clear-cut instructions and DIY support for models since since 2004.

haynes.com

 

On my other car, a 2007 MB W203, one of the springs that goes between the parking brake shoes broke. It touched the tips of the wheel bolts, producing five very noticeable clicks per revolution.

 

There isn't one for the SLK I'm afraid. I would want one too, but alas..

Best you can do is take the wheel of and yank and LIGHTLY (!!) tap on things to see if anything is loose or broken off.

I would do this on both wheels, just to be sure. Sometimes (quite often actually) a sound can seem to come from one corner, but instead be on the other..

 

Do this without removing the discs first. They, especially the rear ones, can be somewhat of a pain to remove..

 

Had something similar, found the problem was the bracket/plate that holds the handbrake in position had broken causing the clicking noises when the car was driven.

 

I second to something touching something in the (hand) brake mechanism. I had a similar odd clicking noise moving back and forth with my CLK after installing new slightly too long wheel bolts. You haven't removed/reinstalled a wheel by any chance? It took me some time eliminating the potential sources until finally my passenger suggested "something in that whatchamacallit that looks like a camembert is touching something moving". I got to cut 5mm from each bolts and called it a day

 

As far as we all know, ALL Mercedes manuals are proprietary and are ONLY available from MB at a cost substantially higher than $50.

Anything else is either incomplete or a pirated copy or probably both. Just so's you know.

Always ready to be corrected if I'm wrong

 

As far as we all know, ALL Mercedes manuals are proprietary and are ONLY available from MB at a cost substantially higher than $50.
Anything else is either incomplete or a pirated copy or probably both. Just so's you know.

This is the online equivalent of a Haynes Manual, without the stripdown/rebuild, here's what they have to say about it before you purchase.
I have not purchased, although I may do.

 

I'd planned on going out for a cruise yesterday in what's was the nicest day of the year so far but as soon as I started to drive I could hear a click, click, clicking sound coming from the rear of the car. It was constant and speeded up when I started to go faster so I turned around went home and parked up.

This morning on checking to see if it was still there, starting up was fine but when I put the car into reverse there was a bit of a judder as if the brakes were binding which stopped as soon as I started moving. After backing out I put the car in to drive with no issues and drove some 2 or 3 miles at various speeds with no issues so I pulled off the road on to a siding. I then reversed back and forth for some 30 yards with no issues about 10 to 15 times but on the last time driving forwards the clicking noise at the rear started again so I drove home. The clicking sound remained all the way, getting quicker the faster I drove so my question is.... what could it be?

My thoughts are CV joint / drive shaft.

Depending on hownloud it is, it could possibly be the half axle boot. Mine made a faint clicking sound but it was only audible while I was actually under the car and happened to turn the rear wheel to get access to a different part of the inner wheel. There's no way I would have heard it while driving. That being said, good luck finding s replacement without replacing the whole half-axle. I have yet to find one and had to bandaid mine with a universal that wraps around. Either way, good luck.