A while ago i was in a minor accident where i hit a snow bank. My rear left wheel took all of the brute, and i was going about 30. I took it to the shop where they fixed some minor body damage for about 1500. They popped the tire back onto the wheel. Ever since, there has been an ocational noise that only occurs (or is noticeable) when i drive under 5 mph.It sounds like a tapping noise, uccuring at a frequency of about 3 taps/ second (at 5 mph). Sometimes it doesn't happen, but sometimes it does. It sounds almost like my tire is catching on something and then breaking free, but we can see no clearance issues when looking underneith. I hope i didn't f up my rear. Any advice?

 

Have a shop check to make sure your rear is straight. Could be bent.

 

Hopefully its not the rear itself. Do you feel anything along with the noise? Could be a bent axle shaft. Have somebody follow you to see if the tire wobbles on that side. If it wobbles you need a new shaft. I did just that a few years ago. A bent rear however can be straightened so dont freak.

 

i don't believe i can feel anything with the noise. If my tire was wobbly, wouldn't i notice this at high speeds?

 

You can't always feel the wobble of a bent faceplate of the axle. I have a 71 mach that was involved in a simular accident and I had the same problem. I didn't notice any wobble until I got it on a rack and put it in gear. It was a simple and inexpensive process to replace.