Rear end noise?

[bmwusmc]

Just got back from my morning ride and heard some strange noises from bike as I did some slow speed maneuvering.
First of all, noticed some clunking noise while shifting down at slow speeds from 3rd to 2nd. Usual 2nd to 1st clunk I'm used to but not the 3rd to 2nd. No problems with upshifting at all.
Secondly, the front brake seemed more grabbier than usual when applying front brake in slow speed as I approached a straight ahead stop.
Sort of heard what sounded like metal on metal during these slow speed stops. Rear brake changed about 4500 miles ago and front brake looked good with a visual inspection.
The real scare for me was the rear wheel having a slight side to side movement of about an 1/8 th of an inch or so. A clunking noise also present when moving wheel. The same clunking sound is present when I tap on the rear brake assembly with my fist. It spins ok with no unusual sounds. I'm afraid of the dreaded rear drive/bearing syndrome. There are no visible leaks around any components in the rear wheel area or under the bike.
During the ride back home after noticing the symptoms, all went well in turns and straightaways.
LT has a little over 33,000 miles on it now and has been running trouble free till today when I noticed the noises.
Questions: should I take it in to the dealer for a checkup? Is the noise in the rear wheel normal?

[jzeiler]

The real scare for me was the rear wheel having a slight side to side movement of about an 1/8 th of an inch or so. A clunking noise also present when moving wheel. The same clunking sound is present when I tap on the rear brake assembly with my fist. It spins ok with no unusual sounds.

Is the wheel only moving that 1/8 inch or the entire rear drive. Sounds like it could be the pivots for the drive that are loose. You say it spins ok with no unusual sounds. Just a thought. Take the gaiter loose and wiggle it again and watch for movement at the joint.

[Daman858]

Looks like your '05 will be on warranty. I would hustle it back to the local dealer pronto.

[bmwusmc]

Just the wheel is moving..the rear drive seems solid.
Think I'll stop by the dealer tomorrow and have him take a look at it while it's still under warranty..Thx for info and help, guys..

[jzeiler]

Just another thought before you ride it to the dealer - check the lug bolts to make sure they are tight.

[Petre]

Are you sure it's not just that crapola rear disc ?

When the floating rings wear out the thing turns into a cow bell.

I replaced mine as it sounded like the rear end was going to fall off ... instead of the BMW part for $400 I used the superior EBC part ... cheaper too by half.

Check your rear disc and see if it's loose/moves

[bmwusmc]

Went out for a ride again this am..things seemed ok. the shifting wasn't as bad as yesterday. the rear disc seems solid and all bolts were tight. Also still no leaks at all on the ground or on the bike. Dealer said things looked ok and the movement was negilible. I guess the whole is a fragment of my overzealous mind going overboard with this rear bearing thing.
Going on a 1000 mile trip this weekend. If it breaks, it breaks. I'm going to enjoy the ride anyhow.
Thanks for the suggestions and help. Hope it's a false alarm..I really love riding this bike..

[meese]

I just put an EBC rear disk on as well. Fit great and the price was much better than BMW. We'll see over time if the quality is better, but so far it's a winner.