[apollo]

My 2010 330d E93 has developed a drone from the rear somewhere. I can't seem to detect which side it is coming from and wife when sitting in the back thinks it's the center. The drone gets louder with speed but stops when the brake pedal is pressed. Anyone know what this would point towards, diff or wheel bearing, brakes or maybe something else?

[bazz780]

Could be brake shoes in the hear hub, i had similar issue and had to change wheel bearing, brake discs and clean out the brake shoes

All perfect now

[apollo]

Rubbing? can they just be adjusted?

[bazz780]

Adjustment or clean may be required

[apollo]

If it was the brake drum shoes would the noise go away when brakes depressed, or would that be more likely the brake pads or pistons sticking?

[raptor_f22]

Sounds like diff or bushes

[apollo]

Originally Posted by raptor_f22

Sounds like diff or bushes

I had thought of diff but not bushes, why would bushes make a droning noise then stop when brakes applied? Would diff noise stop also when brakes applied?

[raptor_f22]

Originally Posted by apollo

I had thought of diff but not bushes, why would bushes make a droning noise then stop when brakes applied? Would diff noise stop also when brakes applied?

I may have misread, it's just what sprung to mind at first because a mate with a VW described the same thing and it was his bushes that had gone but think in that case the noise was constant and just got louder/quieter depending on the speed

[old grey steve]

Could be anything but without seeing it difficult to say but worthy of a look is the condition of your tyres for instance often over looked but can provide the answers you need to look especially at the inner side walls for feathering and cords showing and when in the air on a ramp easily detectable as a miss shaped tyre where you can see the tyre structure actually distorted and I've seen plenty on 3's and 5's

[apollo]

Originally Posted by old grey steve

Could be anything but without seeing it difficult to say but worthy of a look is the condition of your tyres for instance often over looked but can provide the answers you need to look especially at the inner side walls for feathering and cords showing and when in the air on a ramp easily detectable as a miss shaped tyre where you can see the tyre structure actually distorted and I've seen plenty on 3's and 5's

Tyres are Goodyear RFTs on 19"s and only covered around 5000 miles. Is there any tests I can do to rule out some possible problems like Diff?

Cheers