Sometimes it is the stupid things ...

[SwampSurvivor]

So, for the past few years, my Cherokee has had a LOUD rattling / banging over bumps.

Since it is lifted - the rear upper shock bolts broke. I have a "custom" system of bolts through the crossmember, welded, to hold in the shocks.

I assumed it was the upper shock bolts and mounting system causing the rattle over bumps. Saturday I had them rewelded and that didn't fix the problem. I decided the only way it was going to get fixed was if I had a whole new crossmember welded in. Which wouldn't be cheap at all. I figured I would just live with it.

On Sunday, the local Jeep club had a bit of a run that involved a lot of seasonal highways. I had a passenger riding with me that also had a Cherokee.

After about 2 hours (out of 12) into the run, my passenger had enough of the constant rattling ... it was driving us nuts on the seasonal highways constantly banging.

He mentioned how it sounded similar to the hatch closing. I disagreed, because I "knew" it was shock mounts.

The noise irritated him enough that he hopped over the seat and crawled into the back to see where the noise was coming from. Pushed on the hatch and, sure enough, the noise stopped.

The rubber bumpers were completely dryrotted.

This was the temporary solution to keep the hatch quiet - did this on both sides:

Last night I bought new bumpers. Problem solved! After two years!

 

[matrass]

cool nice to see an easy fix for your problem. like they say two heads are better than one !

 

[supton]

Nice!

 

[JHZR2]

Excellent

 

[SwampSurvivor]

The $5 fix is okay with me! Just wish I had found it sooner.

 

[doitmyself]

Originally Posted By: Miller88
I assumed it was the upper shock bolts and mounting system causing the rattle over bumps.


Over the many years that I have done diy diagnostic and repair work of all sorts, I ALWAYS have to kick myself to remember to not put on the "blinders" and follow assumptions. I can't count the number of times I labored on a problem, only to call someone over for an opinion and they say "what's this loose wire here" or "why is there a nut missing here".

Glad you finally found the problem. It's a humbling experience, but the pros do it also.

 

[PF52]

Originally Posted By: Miller88

This was the temporary solution to keep the hatch quiet - did this on both sides:


Reminds me of my old Jeep CJ-7 I used to have. It had a factory hardtop which rattled something fierce and really made it unpleasant to drive on anything firmer than quicksand. I've long since forgotten how it was attached, since I never removed it, but my "temporary" fix to stop the rattle was a C-clamp placed along the body rail inside the vehicle on both sides. Rattle was gone! And if the C-clamps ever came loose and the rattle returned, all it took was a quick tighten. It was genius.

 

[A_Harman]

Yes, I always have to remind myself to look for the cheap and simple fixes first. If those don't work, start on the more expensive things.

 

[supton]

I wound up driving the MIL's CRV a few months ago, and I noticed the hood "jiggled" going down the road. I asked about it, and she said it'd always done that, and the dealer said that was the way it was. Been that way for 8+ years.

2 minutes of work later (on the adjustable bumpers) and no more jiggle. Happy MIL.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

I don't remember how our CJ-7 had the hard top attached. I remember the soft top was a million snaps.

My father's F350 was missing one of the rubber bumpers on the hood from the factory. Hood was misaligned.

 

[The_Jeff]

You know the little foam "donuts" on the bottom of a spindle of 100 CD-Rs? I used one of those wedged under a saturn headlight to keep it from rattling on the bumper.

 

[Kira]

I love this thread.

My friend was truly bummed because his expensive Sun tach no longer worked in his heavily customized truck.

The fact that its little quarter turn lamp holder burnt up and was irreplaceable was something he could live with--but not the dead tachometer.

He asked me to look. I instantly spotted this single black wire hanging down under the dash. I grounded it and asked him to start the engine.

He bought me lunch, a bottle of vodka and a tank of gas. Kira

 

[Vikas]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
You know the little foam "donuts" on the bottom of a spindle of 100 CD-Rs? I used one of those wedged under a saturn headlight to keep it from rattling on the bumper.

Remember old computer mouse with a ball? And the mouse pad t go with it? I save the old pads and use them anytime a homemade gasket is to be made.

 

[Rick in PA]

This thread encouraged me to fix a rattle today. I've had the darnedest rattle going over rough roads. Kind of loud and annoying. I had figured out that it was associated with a drawer under the passenger seat that I keep CDs in. I have one of those big aluminum Mag Lites in clips screwed to the front of the drawer and it causes the drawer to vibrate up and down on rough roads. Long story short, it turns out the batteries inside the Mag Lite were what was rattling. I put a piece of small diameter heat shrink tubing in flashlight and loaded the batteries. No more rattle.