Americas Strange vibration/rattle

[Kevin Mokracek]

Yes!! Even pulling into a driveway slowly can initiate the rattle. It does feel like a resonance type thing. I can be on really rough washboard and nothing happens and then be driving on paved road and make a turn and it starts. Annoying because its pretty loud.

 

[khmarks]

I've one in exactly the same place. It is only intermittent but can start on a good road and stop on a good road. I coming to the conclusion it is a combination of speed and revs setting up so sort of resonance

Agree.

 

[ORSO]

I crawled under mine today to see what I could find after hearing it more today while off road. I am not sure if I found it yet, still need to take it out and test it but I did find a loose panel in the right front wheel well which is where it felt like rattle was coming from. In the front of the wheel well on both sides is a vented plastic cover that covers the front of the wheel well. It is bolted on at the bottom but at the top it is held in place by two plastic panel pins. One of the pins was not pushed in all the way and I couldn't get it to push in all the way no matter what I did. Because this one pin is loose it causes the panel to rattle or vibrate. My temporary fix was to take some super tacky two sided silicon tape and tear off a long piece and rolled it up in what essentially was a super sticky mass and shoved it into the gap of the panel and the pin.

I am crossing my fingers that this is the source of the rattle. I have a long off road trip planned next week so I will certainly find out then.

Hi, just today my trialmaster diesel also started making exactly the sound you described. Are you able to post a couple of photos of the panel you are referring to? Thank you

 

[Kevin Mokracek]

FOUND IT!! I just got home from a few days solo in the desert here in California. Lots of rough trails covered while towing my trailer. Initially the noise would pop up when hitting a big bump but also at times I wouldn't think it would happen. Today when I left camp t come home the sound was nearly constant, I stopped and crawled under but didn't find anything. Continued on and it just got worse and worse. My mistake was concentrating on the right front of the truck where I thought the noise was coming from. This time I looked around the center of the truck and at the rear drive shaft I noticed a thick cable, well insulated that was coming in contact with the rear drive shaft coupling. It was hanging low so I tried tucking it up away from the driveshaft and continued on and the sound was gone, miles of rough road later and the sound was back, the cable had worked its way back. I tucked it up away from the drive shaft again and drove 200 miles home with zero noise. Tomorrow I am going to find a permanent way to keep the cable secured. I did notice while under the truck that there is a cable clamp that I think is on the transmission housing? It was empty but the cable making the noise was nowhere near the clamp. Like I said I will spend more time under it tomorrow and take some pictures and try and come up with a better fix. In the meantime it was nice to drive it without the noise for once.

 

[Kevin Mokracek]

Wondering if the cable I see is the wiring harness loom for the trailer hitch. I'll get back to yo all tomorrow

 

[khmarks]

Wondering if the cable I see is the wiring harness loom for the trailer hitch. I'll get back to yo all tomorrow

Interesting that you mention the trailer hitch. I had that installed the week before I started hearing the noise. I do some investigation tomorrow too.

 

[Kevin Mokracek]

Scratch that. Its at the rear of the FRONT drive shaft and its not the trailer hitch wiring.

 

[Kevin Mokracek]

This black cable was hanging down and touching the bolts on the drive shaft coupling when hitting a bump. It just has a small zip tie holding it up that is doing absolutely nothing. The sheath of the cable was starting to wear through but I think I caught it in time. Permanent fix tomorrow.

 

[DaBull]

This black cable was hanging down and touching the bolts on the drive shaft coupling when hitting a bump. It just has a small zip tie holding it up that is doing absolutely nothing. The sheath of the cable was starting to wear through but I think I caught it in time. Permanent fix tomorrow.

Hi Kevin Mokracek, This cable may be the transfer case cable or perhaps the parking brake cable(s).
DaBull

 

[bbq4133]

This black cable was hanging down and touching the bolts on the drive shaft coupling when hitting a bump. It just has a small zip tie holding it up that is doing absolutely nothing. The sheath of the cable was starting to wear through but I think I caught it in time. Permanent fix tomorrow.

What's the plan for a more permanent fix? I presume more zip ties?

 

[Kevin Mokracek]

Hi Kevin Mokracek, This cable may be the transfer case cable or perhaps the parking brake cable(s).
DaBull

I think you are right, its one of two cables in that area and both are extremely stout, so pretty sure its one of those.

 

[MTNDOG]

This black cable was hanging down and touching the bolts on the drive shaft coupling when hitting a bump. It just has a small zip tie holding it up that is doing absolutely nothing. The sheath of the cable was starting to wear through but I think I caught it in time. Permanent fix tomorrow.

Tried to take a few pics under mine tonight, not sure if this is the same cable, but there is a retainer keeping it away from the drive shaft.

 

[Kevin Mokracek]

Interesting, I don’t see a retainer clip for mine. There is a zip tie around that is attached to a heat shield, I can’t imagine that is the factory doing that.

 

[khmarks]

I found the same issue, and it seems to solve the rattle. Here are two pics... one before with it just about touching the drive shaft (which it was but I moved it just a bit to test), and then the second one where I pulled it away from the drive shaft. You'll see that there is a floating clip that has come undone. I don't know where it connects? Moving it away from the drive shaft solves the rattle issue.

 

[ORSO]

me too. next days I'll post some photos

 

[khmarks]

me too. next days I'll post some photos

thanks. i'd like to see how you secure the cable.

 

[ORSO]

I currently solved it like this but in the meantime I already have another stronger solution in mind.

 

[khmarks]

I currently solved it like this but in the meantime I already have another stronger solution in mind.

That's a good idea. Wonder if that cable needs to be able to move back and forth a little bit? I'm not sure what it does.

 

[Kevin Mokracek]

That's a good idea. Wonder if that cable needs to be able to move back and forth a little bit? I'm not sure what it does.

I used zip ties in two different places and it’s super secure now. I don’t think it needs any room to move, the more secure the better. The cable inside moves within the sheath. It’s a good thing we caught it in time, if the sheath had worn through and water began invading the space it easily could end up freezing the cable from oxidation. I wonder if the dealer knows about this issue? I am going to shoot them a text soon.

 

[khmarks]

I used zip ties in two different places and it’s super secure now. I don’t think it needs any room to move, the more secure the better. The cable inside moves within the sheath. It’s a good thing we caught it in time, if the sheath had worn through and water began invading the space it easily could end up freezing the cable from oxidation. I wonder if the dealer knows about this issue? I am going to shoot them a text soon.

Thank you for figuring this out! Yes, mine has some rub to the casing but it has not broken through yet.