Root Moose
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- ON, Canada
Yesterday I finally got a chance to apply some quality time to my Jeep (MY01).
I took the dash apart and found that the bracket behind the speedometer cluster was missing the three bolts that hold it down. There was a bolt or two missing elsewhere as well. I put it all back together properly with the correct number of bolts and the amount of noise and squeaking coming from the dash area is much reduced. It still very slightly squeaks a touch due to the tires causing a slight vibration. The treads on the Duratracs I am running cause vibration on pavement, just no way around that. It really starts to get noticeable above 80 km/h.
The glove box door was squeaking - it's probably the noisiest squeak in the cabin. I ran into Home Depot and got a roll of the friction tape referenced earlier in this thread. It appears to be basically fabric hockey tape with a little less tack to the glue. It's not expensive so I bought it anyway. I took the two clamshells that comprise the glove box door apart and applied the tape to both sides at the top edge where the lock/handle is. I applied it such that the tap is just visible where the pieces touch. That made that squeak disappear.
But, the front of the interior was quiet enough to make the squeaks in the rest of the inside more apparent. The rear hatch cover was rattling. Both of the screws at the bottom of the rear window had broken free of the plastic (broken) and were rattling so I pulled them out.
Jeep was quieter again but still some squeaks. The rear passenger side door opening moulding around the bottom was squeaking at ~100km/h. Took it apart and re-installed. Tightened down the bolts nice and tight. Gone.
The rest of the interior mouldings were still squeaking at times so I went around the whole interior tightening everything up. Around the rear hatch opening was particularly bad.
After doing all this the Jeep is really quite quiet inside. Still the occasional squeak when you hit a bump but I can live with that.
The bodies on these Jeeps are so flexible I think that the bolts/screws will all loosen up again over time, especially with off-roading. I'd like to come up with a way to keep the screws from backing out. Think a small rubber washer under the heads of the bolts/screws could allow the parts to flex but not let the screw back out? I'm going to try it.
I'm still going to take the dash apart again and apply friction tape pretty much everywhere that makes sense to see if it makes any difference to the remaining squeaks. I think where the front fascia piece meets the top of the dash is a good candidate location for more tape.
So, now my Jeep is pretty decent inside as far as noise goes, doesn't sound like the typical Chrysler POS.
The noises that remain:
Once I do the items on the list above I'm going to guess that noise from under the body and the doors will be more apparent.
But, do the simple stuff like I did and the worst of the noise will go away and make the Jeep more enjoyable. It really doesn't cost anything either, well, $2.97 for the friction tape if you don't have any hockey tape lying around.
I took the dash apart and found that the bracket behind the speedometer cluster was missing the three bolts that hold it down. There was a bolt or two missing elsewhere as well. I put it all back together properly with the correct number of bolts and the amount of noise and squeaking coming from the dash area is much reduced. It still very slightly squeaks a touch due to the tires causing a slight vibration. The treads on the Duratracs I am running cause vibration on pavement, just no way around that. It really starts to get noticeable above 80 km/h.
The glove box door was squeaking - it's probably the noisiest squeak in the cabin. I ran into Home Depot and got a roll of the friction tape referenced earlier in this thread. It appears to be basically fabric hockey tape with a little less tack to the glue. It's not expensive so I bought it anyway. I took the two clamshells that comprise the glove box door apart and applied the tape to both sides at the top edge where the lock/handle is. I applied it such that the tap is just visible where the pieces touch. That made that squeak disappear.
But, the front of the interior was quiet enough to make the squeaks in the rest of the inside more apparent. The rear hatch cover was rattling. Both of the screws at the bottom of the rear window had broken free of the plastic (broken) and were rattling so I pulled them out.
Jeep was quieter again but still some squeaks. The rear passenger side door opening moulding around the bottom was squeaking at ~100km/h. Took it apart and re-installed. Tightened down the bolts nice and tight. Gone.
The rest of the interior mouldings were still squeaking at times so I went around the whole interior tightening everything up. Around the rear hatch opening was particularly bad.
After doing all this the Jeep is really quite quiet inside. Still the occasional squeak when you hit a bump but I can live with that.
The bodies on these Jeeps are so flexible I think that the bolts/screws will all loosen up again over time, especially with off-roading. I'd like to come up with a way to keep the screws from backing out. Think a small rubber washer under the heads of the bolts/screws could allow the parts to flex but not let the screw back out? I'm going to try it.
I'm still going to take the dash apart again and apply friction tape pretty much everywhere that makes sense to see if it makes any difference to the remaining squeaks. I think where the front fascia piece meets the top of the dash is a good candidate location for more tape.
So, now my Jeep is pretty decent inside as far as noise goes, doesn't sound like the typical Chrysler POS.
The noises that remain:
The wind noise around the windshield - not much you can do about that with such an upright glass and weather strips. Maybe some sound deadening under the head liner could help but it's really not that bad.
- Tire humm. Not objectionable, kinda dig it.
- Rear diff noise from the 4.56s in the axle. It's not loud or anything, gears are installed correctly, etc., etc. It's just the nature of the beast. I'll probably add some sound deadening to the floor over the rear axle eventually. I'm the only one that notices it so it's really not a big deal.
- The poly/ure bushings in my long arms are quite noisy when they get dry. I want to find a rubber bushing to replace them with. I'll have to re-lube every few months in the meantime.
- My front propellor shaft "roars" when engaged (have locking hubs) but it needs a rebuild so I'm certain something can be done about that mechanically to quiet it down.
Once I do the items on the list above I'm going to guess that noise from under the body and the doors will be more apparent.
But, do the simple stuff like I did and the worst of the noise will go away and make the Jeep more enjoyable. It really doesn't cost anything either, well, $2.97 for the friction tape if you don't have any hockey tape lying around.
