Squeaky TrailRax Roof rack

[Idaho-Bronco]

Good afternoon everyone! I’ve got a rather annoying squeak coming from the rear, most forward mount on my Trail Rax roof rack. Not even on a rough trail, just my country roads. Wondering if there’s anything y’all would recommend checking. Obviously I’ve tightened everything down. Happens with or without a load, but exacerbates with my boxes on top. I can send a recording of the noise if it’d help.

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[Aut-Lin]

I had a squeaking coming from the front of my TRMR rack when I first got it, figured out it was the fairing rubbing slightly against the side rails.

I put some felt on the side rails where it contacts the fairing so it's not just metal to metal and the squeaking went away. Hope that helps!

 

[Idaho-Bronco]

I had a squeaking coming from the front of my TRMR rack when I first got it, figured out it was the fairing rubbing slightly against the side rails.

I put some felt on the side rails where it contacts the fairing so it's not just metal to metal and the squeaking went away. Hope that helps!

Could you send pictures? Would be greatly appreciated

 

[Idaho-Bronco]

I had a squeaking coming from the front of my TRMR rack when I first got it, figured out it was the fairing rubbing slightly against the side rails.

I put some felt on the side rails where it contacts the fairing so it's not just metal to metal and the squeaking went away. Hope that helps!

Assuming you just used some automotive felt tape.

 

[WuNgUn]

Where the mount hooks into the slots, I covered mine with Flex Seal tape. It's super sticky, flexible and about 1mil thick.
Where the weight baring 'feet' contact the roof, I put down some rubber pads I bought for a 5th wheel hitch mount from Curt...
https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/curt-5th-wheel-rail-sound-dampening-pads-1405953p.html

 

[BostonSasquatch]

That's one handsome Badlands. I really like the wrap.
What if you removed the three forward MIC panels and had somebody stand, head and shoulders outside, while you drove an appropriately rough road to try and identify the location? The TrailRax system is supposed to allow removal of those sections.

 

[Idaho-Bronco]

That's one handsome Badlands. I really like the wrap.
What if you removed the three forward MIC panels and had somebody stand, head and shoulders outside, while you drove an appropriately rough road to try and identify the location? The TrailRax system is supposed to allow removal of those sections.

I actually did that, and am fairly certain it’s just a dry and dirty seal (middle section and rear of HT) going to clean and lube.

 

[Idaho-Bronco]

I actually did that, and am fairly certain it’s just a dry and dirty seal (middle section and rear of HT) going to clean and lube.

So lack of lub wasn’t it. Sending it to a local shop. Love the rack, but the squeak is getting to me.

 

[Aut-Lin]

So lack of lub wasn’t it. Sending it to a local shop. Love the rack, but the squeak is getting to me.

The edge that's circled in red is where I found the squeaking on my rack to be coming from.

I just used stick on velcro (the soft part of it) and cut it into strips to fit the edge. As soon as I applied it and took it offroad for a test there was no more squeaking.

 

[TrailRax]

Following up on this thread, @Idaho-Bronco were you able to find a solution to the squeaking? if not we are happy to address the squeaking and see if we can help.

 

[Idaho-Bronco]

Following up on this thread, @Idaho-Bronco were you able to find a solution to the squeaking? if not we are happy to address the squeaking and see if we can help.

I have it at a local shop, will
Update when I get it back. Have a feeling it isn’t a rack issue.

 

[Idaho-Bronco]

Following up on this thread, @Idaho-Bronco were you able to find a solution to the squeaking? if not we are happy to address the squeaking and see if we can help.

Welp having my local ford dealer look at what’s going as the local 4x4 shop did diddly. fairly certain it is the top not the rack. If they can’t figure it out I’ll be making a run to SLC to y’all.

 

[SilverStateBronco]

I had the same issue with my Trailrax. It sounded like a case of water bottles rubbing together in the back seat. For me the culprit was the bracket that holds the roof itself to the roll bar on the driver side. I was able to loosen up the torx bolts and put a little lube in there and tighten it back down and the noise stopped. Need to come up with a more permanent solution for that one.

I too had the squeaking coming from the front wind deflector. I did something similar and just sandwiched some weather stripping in there which solved the problem.

Now I have a squeak/rattle that I believe is coming from the roofrack flexing with the weight of the tent. I installed the tent risers as recommended by Trailrax (because they claim it will reduce noise). I feel that now all the weight of the tent is sitting on only two rails instead of spread out across the rack. Haven’t done it yet, but I am going to try and drop the tent straight on the entire rack to see if this solves this noise.

I think noises are just going to be part of it, but it does drive me crazy. Good luck!

 

[Idaho-Bronco]

You have described it perfectly and that’s exactly where it’s coming from for me as well. I’ll let my dealer know.

 

[Idaho-Bronco]

I had the same issue with my Trailrax. It sounded like a case of water bottles rubbing together in the back seat. For me the culprit was the bracket that holds the roof itself to the roll bar on the driver side. I was able to loosen up the torx bolts and put a little lube in there and tighten it back down and the noise stopped. Need to come up with a more permanent solution for that one.

I too had the squeaking coming from the front wind deflector. I did something similar and just sandwiched some weather stripping in there which solved the problem.

Now I have a squeak/rattle that I believe is coming from the roofrack flexing with the weight of the tent. I installed the tent risers as recommended by Trailrax (because they claim it will reduce noise). I feel that now all the weight of the tent is sitting on only two rails instead of spread out across the rack. Haven’t done it yet, but I am going to try and drop the tent straight on the entire rack to see if this solves this noise.

I think noises are just going to be part of it, but it does drive me crazy. Good luck!

You have described it perfectly and that’s exactly where it’s coming from for me as well. I’ll let my dealer know.

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