HELP: Weird question around spare tyre

[Kyle Pratt]

Right -
So I've got an Audi A3 sportback 2007 2.0 litre TDI
... with a horrible clanging noise.
It happens whenever I go over rough terrain, potholes, grates in the road, speedbumps etc.
It comes from the rear of the vehicle and when the windows are down you can seriously hear it like metal hitting metal multiple times.
So I did the obvious thing and took out the spare tyre - hey presto sound vanishes.
As soon as I put the spare tyre back in - BOOM back again.
The spare tyre is a space saver and its screwed in like there's no tomorrow - mega tight.
The plug that the spare sits on has some movement in it - is that normal?
Im just at my wits end with this noise man, if anyone has any advice it would be hugely appreciated!
Cheers TAR.

 

[Marek196c]

shouldn't be any movement there, but just put rubberized or just some soft material spacer around the bottom between the wheel and floor, should help.

 

[T8DPR]

my suspicion is that the sound disappearing when the spare wheel was out is just a coincidence... I'd be willing to bet money on it being broken suspension springs, a small section of the bottom of the coil, on one or maybe both of your rear springs, will have snapped and be rattling round in its seat. and despite only being a small amount of metal, it makes a LOT of noise. One local garage missed mine, despite me asking them to check the springs, but another garage had the car lifted and had a good feel around the spring seats and hey presto, 2 pieces of loose spring!