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Gnarly tailgate rattle

BlazinGTO

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Instead of cutting out or 3d printing I'd just buy some rubber or nylon washers and give that a try first.
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goalie

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Instead of cutting out or 3d printing I'd just buy some rubber or nylon washers and give that a try first.
Oh sure, do it the easy way ;) I tend to over-engineer, oops.
 

broadicustomworks

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Alright I have some good, bad and better news. I was able to fix that noise from the gasket, and it does help the problem. Just remove the panel, remove the tape & cable tie and shorten it. At that point you just reassemble. The bad news is there is another noise still.

The better new is I think I found the issue. After my last fix for the plug, with the spare removed the noise goes away. However, when I put the spare back on it came back again. After looking into it deeper I think its related to the rubber tire supports on the door. The rubber and the finish sound like they stick together, and when moved make the noise I’m now hearing.

Attached is a video of the noice they make, which sounds like what I’m now hearing. I tried removing them, but they use a body Fastener I’m not use to and don’t seem to want to come off.



















They appear as if you just screw them in, but screwing them out didn’t do anything. Before I just drill them, anyone familiar with these or have access to the service repair diagrams or parts diagrams? Parts have been rare on the broncos, so I’d rather not burn a part that has likely has no timeline.

Cheers!
Maybe try (keep in mind I don’t have a Bronco here to test this on, just spitballing here) loosening enough to get a layer of rubber gasket material (cut to shape) behind it, snugging it back up?
 

4XMORE

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Maybe try (keep in mind I don’t have a Bronco here to test this on, just spitballing here) loosening enough to get a layer of rubber gasket material (cut to shape) behind it, snugging it back up?
Not a bad idea but it’s rubber on paint making the noise now, so I don’t think that will help. I also would like to stay away from a washer or gasket setup because it will rub, and with time damage the paint. I like the idea of scanning it and make a new one 3D printed out of nylon. Anyone is SoCal good at cad and up for a fun project?
 

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Carolina Jim

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Alright I have some good, bad and better news. I was able to fix that noise from the gasket, and it does help the problem. Just remove the panel, remove the tape & cable tie and shorten it. At that point you just reassemble. The bad news is there is another noise still.
AJ...if a bunch of us "bad-batchers" chip in to cover your airfare, would you be able to go to the holding yards & fix the 5,000 or so that are stranded there?
 

4XMORE

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I
AJ...if a bunch of us "bad-batchers" chip in to cover your airfare, would you be able to go to the holding yards & fix the 5,000 or so that are stranded there?
If I can get my consulting rates, happy to inservice the crews out there and teach them the fix. I got a growing list of stuff they need consulting work on at this point.
 

Carolina Jim

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I got a growing list of stuff they need consulting work on at this point.
Hey...cut Ford some slack...they rushed this thing out the door after only 6 years of development & testing :)
 

JohnZi

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I


If I can get my consulting rates, happy to inservice the crews out there and teach them the fix. I got a growing list of stuff they need consulting work on at this point.
Hi! Were you
Alright I have some good, bad and better news. I was able to fix that noise from the gasket, and it does help the problem. Just remove the panel, remove the tape & cable tie and shorten it. At that point you just reassemble. The bad news is there is another noise still.

The better new is I think I found the issue. After my last fix for the plug, with the spare removed the noise goes away. However, when I put the spare back on it came back again. After looking into it deeper I think its related to the rubber tire supports on the door. The rubber and the finish sound like they stick together, and when moved make the noise I’m now hearing.

Attached is a video of the noice they make, which sounds like what I’m now hearing. I tried removing them, but they use a body Fastener I’m not use to and don’t seem to want to come off.



















They appear as if you just screw them in, but screwing them out didn’t do anything. Before I just drill them, anyone familiar with these or have access to the service repair diagrams or parts diagrams? Parts have been rare on the broncos, so I’d rather not burn a part that has likely has no timeline.

Cheers!
Hi, were you able to fix that issue by any chance? I started to experience exactly the same noise. When I take off the spare it's gone so it must be that. Can't unscrew those rubbery things which makes it extra difficult to fix.
 

SnowBronco

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I had the same tailgate rattle. Mine turns out to have been the spare tire bump stops not contacting the tire. Weight of the tire without the supports cause the aluminum pinging tailgate sound. I had put my Zero offset spare on and the sound started over a few days.... Looked everywhere for the source. Figured it might be that. Took the spare off.... Sound gone. So I made up some bump stop extenders, pretty much for rid of it... Mostly. So I shortened them a hair. And now there's next to no tinny sound and everything is back to normal. And to me this extension looks factory. The original layout of the tire stoppers were kind flimsy and you can turn them. I guess depending on which tire the bronco came with... This could be the cause on Broncos with stock wheels. Here's a vid of my fixes.

 

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luptanpitman

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At around 300 miles in, my Bronco has developed a pretty gnarly rattle from the tailgate.

I will try to get a recording, but it is very loud and easily reproducible by driving basically any distance.

I had someone ride in the cargo area and they said it’s coming from within the tailgate itself, like metal pinging against metal. Not near hinges, latches, or where the tailgate interacts with the hard top window seal. I popped the accessory ready cover off on the inside of the tailgate and there are only some small holes into the interior of the tailgate, so no way to reach your hand in there or anything and it’s unclear how it could be disassembled any further, given it’s metal sandwiched together.

Ford dealership service departments around here aren’t rated well at all, and since they likely haven’t troubleshot many/any Broncos yet, I’m thinking about waiting and continuing to see if I can remediate before asking them to deal with it. Not sure how long I can go though, because it’s VERY loud!

Anyone with service manuals able to provide any insight? Is there better access from behind the spare tire? Not sure I would feel comfortable doing much more myself, but if there’s a quick and easy way in I may give it a shot..:

I have this same problem and glad to finally find a thread with others - although the more people worries me they will claim normal. I've been to dealer twice and driven with service and techs in the back. they sent the below video to ford and everyone has acknowledged that it is not normal.

They told me Ford sent a few ideas of spots to lubricate and tighten. It's definitely in the cavity tho closed to the interior left side which is welded so they are running out of ideas - I want a new tailgate. The plastic panel does come off pretty easily though of course I have broken a couple tabs - the sound is exactly like the plastic screws pushing in and out a thread at a time but I pulled them all out and it didn't fix it so it is something else.

It can be replicated when I open and close the tailgate but it's most present driving over any road that isn't perfectly paved. - there is some level of stress or flex happening. The latest idea was the wheel/brake light mount screws which they said were loose but it did not fix it. They are keeping another day. Attached is a video of it when it was at its worst which is typically the mornings. it started after a few hundred miles for me as well.

 
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zgoods

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Count me in as well,. So much rattling on any sort of bump, ford techs said its nothing out of the ordinary….

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