I have a noise cimming from the rear right "A" arm on my 2003 500I. The noise can be heard when you push down on the reasr of the bike and then lift up. The noise is a snapping noise, my best description would be if the rear rotor was cracked and someone was to bend the rotor and shift the crack. You can feel the snap quite pronounced if you touch the rim while moving the suspension up and down. So far I have looked for anything visibly shifting and nothing can be seen. I then looked at all welds, as it makes a noise that would sound similar to a broken weld flexing and nothing looks broken. I then thought that the rim might be cracked so I removed it and put a pry bar between the rotor and hub and applied some force and it will make the sound, which rules out the rim. I then removed the axle nut and removed the hub assy, and inspected the end of the axle as well as the bearings and again all seems good. I am going to have to ask you guys for some suggestions as I am stumped. I will call my dealer in the morning to see if he can shed some light on this. This noise will keep me awake at night until I discover what is causing it.
Jim

 

Could be the suspension bushings. Are any of them cracked?

 

How do I check them? They don't seem to have any play, but I did not pull them from the assy for a visual inspection.
jim

 

You have to remove the A-arm bolts and pop the A-arms out so you can see the ends of the bushing. If one is cracked you will see it on the end. It could also be a cracked ball joint.

 

Did you check the wheelbearing? Also check the nut on the axle.

 

Shouldn't be the bearings, as to snap when you compress the suspension they would be very, very bad and so noisy when moving he would hear the noise easily, maybe even feel it.

 

yup, it was a wheel bearing. The bearing would spin smoothly, but there was a little play on the inner race on the axle side. The bearing could have been re-packed and then reversed, but I replaced and then proceeded to repack all the bearings.
Jim