PDA

View Full Version : Stop the Rattles!



Primalanton
9th October 2015, 07:12 PM
I know my 2004 110 is, or has, many rattles and sort of know that this is the norm for a Defender.
On my recent Canning Stock Route expedition I was amazed at the noise/rattles that came from the dash area and two front doors, when we were traversing what I describe as "elephant corrugations". The noise was horrendous and if it was a workplace I am sure that hearing protection would have been mandatory!
A mate, travelling with me, who normally drives a Landcruiser, and has done the Canning before, could not believe the noise that the Defender made!
So, I am starting a rattle hunt & plan to pull the dash and front doors down to see if I can reduce the noise.
My question is: Has anyone done this before (I would be surprised if no one has)?
If so where do I start - are there any major areas that contribute to the noise?
I do not expect the old girl to be noise free - just a wee bit quieter than she is now!
Any help would be appreciated!
I was driving down the freeway today and listened - everything quiet! I then wondered how the hell so much noise could come from the old girl on corrugations!

JDNSW
9th October 2015, 07:39 PM
Last time I did this expedition, I found a surprising amount of loose change.

I also found loose screws and broken bits of plastic. It took me a long time to find the two worst dashboard rattles - one was the rear view mirror, the other was a heater control cable against the air cleaner in the engine bay.

John

Summiitt
10th October 2015, 06:39 AM
Another dash rattle I found turned out in fact to be the bonnet hinges below the air vents on the head wall, new bushes and some graphite powder made a huge difference

Primalanton
10th October 2015, 08:33 AM
Thanks for that! I had suspected some of the noise may be coming from the bonnet hinges so will start there.
What I am trying to eliminate is the banging & crashing - the little rattles I can live with!

pibby
10th October 2015, 09:24 AM
Another dash rattle I found turned out in fact to be the bonnet hinges below the air vents on the head wall, new bushes and some graphite powder made a huge difference

mine started getting the better of me on my last trip on corrugations and i just folded up some cardboard then taped it down and shut the bonnet on that at the end where the hinges are. did the job and shut them up. still haven't got round to getting the new bushes yet. but yes, what a racket they can make.

the dash binnacle/instrument panel seems to make a few noises on corrugations on mine too.

chook73
10th October 2015, 02:57 PM
One of the biggest dash rattles I found was the windscreen wiper worm drive. Remove the drive, grease liberally and replace. Then wrap air conditioning pipe insulation around it and you will be amazed by the difference.

Big job, at least in a 2009 anyway.

Primalanton
10th October 2015, 07:03 PM
I checked my bonnet hinges today & I reckon they may be the cause of the banging - they are quite sloppy and the hinge end of the bonnet can move up & down vertically about 2-3 mm!
Regarding the instruments - after the huge corrugation the instruments have rotated slightly in their housings - so they are all a few degrees out either left or right! Looks weird!