Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 10-28-2021, 03:24 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2020
Posts: 436
Collection of anti rattle/ squeak/ creak tricks?

Hey guys

the more I drive washboards and friends the more places I find where my van starts to rattle/ squeak.

Right now I have two main topics:
1. My passenger side barn doors are moving a fair bit when offroad and it looks like the lock can't really hold it in place. Means the doors move relative to each other as well as relative to the van body which creates squeaking noises.

My current idea is to check whether or not I can readjust the door lock fit, I will replace the old weatherstrips/ sealings as well as use some PTFE/ teflon tape on the paint. I hope this helps to eliminate it.


2. Since I put the lift kit in and 35's on I get creaking noises from the front suspension, similar to what you know from leaf springs. This only happens when I turn it very slowly. Checking it in my driveway it somehow seems to happen in the following way:
I turn the steering wheel slowly, the steering rods start moving, but the tire still stands still. At a certain point the tire follows the movement by "releasing the tension" and more or less jumps to the point where the rods want to have it. So it's a kind of stick/slip between the tire and the surface. At the time of the "jump" the noise occurs.

While driving faster than walking speed the tire seems to roll enough to not create this friction and same goes for turning the wheels on gravels while standing.
No Idea how to solve this right now...

What I'm looking for are 2 things:
a) Does anyone have ideas how to solve my 2 problems?
b) Did you have any other noises and can provide you solution? This will surely help a lot of other people with their noises.

E-350 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-28-2021, 04:01 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
boywonder's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: So Cal
Posts: 4,045
I have the same issue on the 60/40 barn doors....the 40 door upper latch seems to pop loose with enough body flex.


I attempted to move the upper latch catch on the body outboard recently but it didn't move much when the torx screws were loosened.
__________________
2008 E350 RB passenger 4WD SMB penthouse
2013 KTM 350 EXC
2008 KTM 250 XCF-W
2003 Honda Element
boywonder is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-28-2021, 04:52 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
carringb's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Corvallis, OR
Posts: 5,300
1) Move the door strikes, using a torx bit. Do the 40 door first. Then the 60 door. When checking it, make sure the latch clicks twice. If it only clicks once when you close it, move the strike out. If it clicks twice and and doesn’t close securely, move the strike in.

2) try to watch the knuckles as somebody else moves the steering side to side. If the knuckles are binding then moving, you need need ball joints. If they move smoothly, and only the wheel gets hung up, then your unit bearings are toast.
__________________
2000 E450 dually V10 wagon
carringb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-28-2021, 05:35 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
vandiesel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 1,253
Garage
Collection of anti rattle/ squeak/ creak tricks?

Quote:
Originally Posted by carringb View Post
1) Move the door strikes, using a torx bit. Do the 40 door first. Then the 60 door. When checking it, make sure the latch clicks twice. If it only clicks once when you close it, move the strike out. If it clicks twice and and doesn’t close securely, move the strike in.

2) try to watch the knuckles as somebody else moves the steering side to side. If the knuckles are binding then moving, you need need ball joints. If they move smoothly, and only the wheel gets hung up, then your unit bearings are toast.

Brian I’ve been meeting to do this for a long time. How do you adjust the 60 door? Is it on the chassis or the 10 mm ones on the door itself?

My 60 door drags pretty bad on the strike at the bottom.
__________________
2001 Ford RB 7.3 Quadvan (sold)
2006 Sportsmobile EB Transformer 6.0
vandiesel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-28-2021, 06:27 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
carringb's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Corvallis, OR
Posts: 5,300
To adjust the 60 door, you move the strike at the midline edge of the 40 door. For snugness adjustment.

Sometime either or both doors need alignment. This is done almost the same way, but by loosening the 3 torx bolts at both hinges, persuading one or both slightly with a mallet until it closes flush with the body, then snugging those bolts right again.

I don’t think the 60-door has a lower strike? Only the center strike against the 40 door. Earlier years has these sliding wedges that need periodic lithium grease to slide freely. Without the grease the stick instead of slide.
__________________
2000 E450 dually V10 wagon
carringb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-29-2021, 10:54 AM   #6
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2020
Posts: 436
Thanks for the input so far.

For the doors:
I found that my bottom 40 door doesn't lock at all! So I also got to check the function of the bottom lock.
For my strikes I'm planning to make small slots out of the current whole. This way I might get some mm movement. With the new seals and the teflon tape I can imagine it helps.

Still leaves the question whether or not I got to do something with my 60 door...just has the center strike... Perhaps I'm adding a kind of knee lever or any other sort of "tensioner" at the top on the inside... let's see. That's one of my "winter projects" :-D

For the front suspension:
Hub bearing is possible... never changed them and no idea what the preowner did. But at 270k miles it would make sense although I don't hear any noises... When installing the lift kit some months back I already replaced all ball joints with new MOOG parts so for now I would assume they're ok. But will check and keep you posted.
E-350 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-29-2021, 11:00 AM   #7
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2020
Posts: 436
BTW, just to add more noises I already eliminated...

I replaced the plastic trims on the side and rear doors with carpet lined pegboard panels. When doing so I added some insulation. Not that I need it for thermal reasons, but it's incredible how much lower the sound is when closing the door. and by removing some plastic you also eliminate some squeaking noises.

With that experience I also removed the head liners and all other plastic trims (beside the driver/ passenger door) and stuffed some insulation in: the whole drive on the highway got so much quieter...

Next up during winter will be replacing the plastic trims on the driver/ passenger door as well as thinking about an alternative solution for the plastic console in the front. Everything rattles on washboards and I hate it :-D
So perhaps I'm making a small "cabinet" or box between the seats lined with carpet or so.
E-350 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-04-2021, 11:18 AM   #8
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Indy
Posts: 563
Regarding the doors. I was able to fix mine by just keeping the latch mechanism well lubed. I used to hear them pop loose on a big bump, but, knock on wood, they have not given me a problem for a while. You also need to make sure the 40 door is firmly closed before closing the 60.
__________________
2008 Ford E-350 Quigley 4x4 V10 - 164,000 miles
RB50, PH Top, Dual AGM Group 27 Deka, 2000 Tripplite Inv., No Propane or Water Systems
Van Weight 8,100 pounds, added one rear leaf spring, BFG AT KO LT265/70R17 E Tire press 50psi.
Steve_382 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-04-2021, 12:13 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
vandiesel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 1,253
Garage
Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve_382 View Post
Regarding the doors. I was able to fix mine by just keeping the latch mechanism well lubed. I used to hear them pop loose on a big bump, but, knock on wood, they have not given me a problem for a while. You also need to make sure the 40 door is firmly closed before closing the 60.

Turns out my 60 door is completely cracked all round the hinge. I either need a new one or there is some reinforcement fix out there.
__________________
2001 Ford RB 7.3 Quadvan (sold)
2006 Sportsmobile EB Transformer 6.0
vandiesel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-04-2021, 12:13 PM   #10
Senior Member
 
moorefc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: PNW or maybe Baja Sur
Posts: 381
Regarding the doors, I remember first visit to a La Paz baja auto parts store, and behind the counter were a number of rows of smaller (3"X5") cardboard boxes...
I asked what they were.....Door hinge pins!
They have experience with washboard....
__________________
Pac NW and warmer places
1995 E250 EB 5.8 2WD on to a new owner
2006 E350 EB Elect Top 2WD
moorefc is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Sportsmobile SIP or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 10:17 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.