Author Topic: Rattles  (Read 4272 times)

guest5079

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Rattles
« on: November 22, 2017, 11:16:57 AM »
I need some help here. For several months there has been a rattle from the boot area. seat belts etc all the boot flooring taken out and checked, items wrapped in towels in the boot all to no avail. It is driving us mad. Yesterday, I got on with the protection at the front for the aircon rad and while about it bounced the car at the rear. Not quite the rattle but certainly something. I have ordered new rubbers for the top of the shock absorbers and I intend to remove one tomorrow ( weather permitting) and have a good look.In the online manual it states the nut at the top of the shock absorber is  to be tightened to a specified torque, when I undid the securing nut it had been screwed right down to the shoulder on the shock absorber shaft. I am assuming the rubbers have been flattened. When I bounced the car there was a rattle accompanied with a knock. It does not appear to be the exhaust. Given the hiding the suspension is getting from the roads are there any reports of broken springs. Why I ask is the noise does not sound like a shock absorber.

Jocko

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Re: Rattles
« Reply #1 on: November 22, 2017, 02:13:57 PM »
I was always hearing rattles, that would come and go as the weather, time of day and phases of the moon changed. However, now I have a "noise cancelling gearbox" I can no longer hear them. Every cloud has a silver lining.

TonyS

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Re: Rattles
« Reply #2 on: November 22, 2017, 04:58:14 PM »
My wife's Jazz has a similar problem with a rattle/knock from the rear that I've been unable to locate or identify.
I've also tried checking things like seat belts, seats and items in the boot but no joy so far.
It does seem to reduce or even disappear if there's a rear seat passenger which made me think it was related to the rear seat but there's nothing obvious and I can't recreate it by playing around with the seat.
Maybe it is suspension related so I will be interested to see if auntyneddy solves it with new rubbers for the suspension.

Jocko

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Re: Rattles
« Reply #3 on: November 22, 2017, 05:02:00 PM »
A passenger in the rear will load the suspension a little, so could eliminate a bit of slack. Normally suspension problems manifest themselves as a knock - not a rattle.

TonyS

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Re: Rattles
« Reply #4 on: November 22, 2017, 05:36:18 PM »
Ours is definitely a knock rather than a rattle which leads me to suspect it's more likely suspension related.

Jocko

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Re: Rattles
« Reply #5 on: November 22, 2017, 05:59:54 PM »
Could be the exhaust. If you are up for it, slide underneath and check for marks on the back box/surrounding area.

Kenneve

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Re: Rattles
« Reply #6 on: November 22, 2017, 07:34:29 PM »
Auntneddy,   Screwing the nut down to the shoulder is correct, the position of the shoulder governs the amount of pre-load that the rubbers are subjected to.
They have very hard life, coping with the rigours of our roads, so there should not be any free-movement in that joint.
I guess the nut is a Nylock type and the torque is specified, purely to ensure that it is down to the shoulder. 

guest5079

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Re: Rattles
« Reply #7 on: November 23, 2017, 02:49:44 PM »
It comes hard being the age I am but this am off came the offside shock absorber. Did the usual checks and the shock absorber seems fine. As is the spring. The bottom bush is OK BUT at the top, above the dirt cover is a washer on which the bottom of the  two rubber bushes sit. This was loose as was the sleeve that governs the distance that the top nut can be screwed down to. Shaking the shock produced a loud rattle!!!!!!!!! The sleeve was also loose but would only move about 10mms up and down. Looking at the set up when all is in place the washer on top of the shock absorber should in theory be tight when the whole lot is in position, that is washer, rubber  donut, hole in body, donut, washer and then nut. IF the rubber do nuts are a bit slack I wonder if movement allows the bottom washer and sleeve to rattle. Theory says other wise but the sleeve on the top of the shock absorber appears to have been manufactured as a tight fit as there appear to be press marks on it. I have put it all back together and did the bounce test, no rattle but a road test will be the answer. I put a piece of very thin rubber tween the dust cover on the shock absorber and the washer if the noise goes then I know what is the problem. Obviously it won't last long but it will be an indicator. Otherwise it's back to the drawing board. Yes the exhaust is fine, and I could find nothing else loose or moving where it shouldn't.

matty vapor

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Re: Rattles
« Reply #8 on: November 23, 2017, 06:45:48 PM »
I know this might sound weird but have you checked the seat location points for back folding seats. i put some self adhesive Velcro round the location pins that lock into place when you put the seats back up, cured my annoying rattle from the back. i also lock seat belts in place when no one is in the back as they can rattle and knock a bit. also put thin strip of sealing foam on the ledge the rear parcel shelf sits down on.

I now have no knocks, bangs or rattles. my civic was the same annoying little rattles that drove me nuts. its a Honda trait i have to say. behind dash ones are the worst. my annoying thing at the moment is squeaky clutch pedal  :'( every month i have to get upside down under the pedal and give it a spray with WD40 ;D

guest5079

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Re: Rattles
« Reply #9 on: November 24, 2017, 02:10:22 PM »
Thank you, yes all those points have been checked I have even put foam rubber on the edge of the parcel shelf. I think if some one could come up with a sure fire method of locating rattles they would make a fortune.
It's a bit like intermittent electrical faults and leaks.

ColinS

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Re: Rattles
« Reply #10 on: November 24, 2017, 02:24:44 PM »
Thank you, yes all those points have been checked I have even put foam rubber on the edge of the parcel shelf. I think if some one could come up with a sure fire method of locating rattles they would make a fortune.
It's a bit like intermittent electrical faults and leaks.
One of the first things I did on my MKIII was to put a length of pipe insulation foam (the foam tube with the split in it) along the rear edge of the parcel shelf.  But this was mainly due to me hitting the bridge of my nose on it  :)

Tenrab

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Re: Rattles
« Reply #11 on: November 24, 2017, 06:45:39 PM »
I had the same problem with the rear edge of the parcel shelf. Used a length of black rubber sleeved 3 core electric cable, cut lengthwise half way through and removed the 3 cables. Slide onto the back edge of the shelf for the full length, perfect, looks like it was a OME fitting.

guest1372

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Re: Rattles
« Reply #12 on: November 24, 2017, 06:51:55 PM »
Used a length of black rubber sleeved 3 core electric cable, cut lengthwise half way through and removed the 3 cables. Slide onto the back edge of the shelf for the full length, perfect, looks like it was a OME fitting.
Genius.   But what was wrong with the GD 'roller blind' at least you could just place that anywhere in the boot when you needed the seats flat without having to store the shelf amongst your bags.
--
TG

guest5715

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Re: Rattles
« Reply #13 on: November 24, 2017, 08:45:43 PM »
As a teenager I told a friend I would by him Mcdonalds if he fixed rattles on the drive there. I gave him tools, bits of foam etc and by the time we got there he'd cured them all and my car was like new. Then I did his car, and we did that on all the cars we bought until we became too McFat to crawl around on knees in a moving car  :)

Now I bribe my nephew to do it...

Jocko

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Re: Rattles
« Reply #14 on: November 24, 2017, 09:56:26 PM »
I love the roller blind on my GD5. Far superior than the solid shelf on the 67 plate I was loaned.

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