The answer is below... Don't scroll down if you want to take a guess.
About a week ago, I started to notice a light noise coming from the passenger rear of my car.
The noise was rotational - it progressively got worse as the car's speed increased. It was a metallic pop noise.
I tore my passenger side rear wheel and suspension apart looking for the problem. I didn't notice anything. I thought it could have been a couple of small things, so I ignored it until I had more time to investigate.
Yesterday, the noise became much, much louder. For the life of me, I could not figure it out. I recorded two videos.
First video is outside the car, walking along side of it.
Second video is me inside the car, going about 30mph. You can notice the sound goes away - when I make a right hand turn at about 10-15 mph. Then the noise comes back as I get the car straight again. (Sorry for the other background noise)
I cracked a rim. Two of the spokes were COMPLETELY cracked all the way through. The noise was the weight of the car pressing on the fractures in the rim.
One rim is toast. One other rims has some slight cracking, but overall these rims are going to be scrap.
Stock rims are on now, and the noise is gone. Oh well, I guess I have a reason to get 18s next spring.
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