What the best way of stopping car rattles?

[MikeHunt79]

There are certain songs that make the door locking mechanism (specifically the door pins) in my front doors rattle like crazy...

I was wondering if there is an easy way of stopping this rattling?

I have tried quite a few times to (unsuccessfully) fix this, but have had no luck... anyone have any suggestions?

[jol50]

Pins? You mean the control for the lock or the hinges?

[MikeHunt79]

Originally posted by jol50
Pins? You mean the control for the lock or the hinges?

The control for the lock...

[jol50]

I used to just pull the door panel, or maybe just the rear part if it is there, and put a little foam behind the rod. Sometimes you can just bend it a little so it stays away from whatever it rattles on...or put some weatherstrip foam there.

[MikeHunt79]

Originally posted by jol50
I used to just pull the door panel, or maybe just the rear part if it is there, and put a little foam behind the rod. Sometimes you can just bend it a little so it stays away from whatever it rattles on...or put some weatherstrip foam there.

Good idea, I've got plenty of weatherstrip, I'll give it a go tomorrow as we are due some sunny weather.

[jol50]

You may have to get creative, like ziptie a piece of rubber hose on it or whatever. You do have to make sure it does not bind against whatever you do and make it hard to work it. You don't want to get it back together and not have it work right. Another thing I have done is use one of those tiny bungie cords to hold things still. Felt or even carpet can also work, scrap carpet is good for a few things even sound deadening with the foam backing. If someone laughs about it I just tell them I saved it from the landfill, then they laugh harder....but in reality if I can get my money's worth out of scrap material and get it out of my saved junk pile at the same time, I win twice. Typically used in places nobody can see anyway.

[poynton]

Turn The Volume Down !!!!!!!

[KP11520]

Mike,

This is an annoying problem to fix. Several things to try:

Take the trim panel(s) off the door(s). Make sure all the linkage and devices are where they belong except for the ones that can't (maybe you can tape them in place). Get a friend to drive down a deserted bumpy road and find just what is really going on. Maybe you can actually touch the rattling parts and hold them to ensure you have the right ones.

Rattling linkage (thin metal rods) can be wrapped in heat shrink. Maybe feed it over the connecting joint areas but don't shrink that area. Other areas can be wrapped with foam or something. Use adhesive and/or Duct Tape to hold it in place. Plastic parts that act like guides that aren't fitting properly or are broken, need to be replaced as do any mechanism that rattles in itself (Latch Mechanism, etc.) Hinges sometimes have plastic sleeves that go over the pins and these fail allowing movement and either the sleeves and/or the pins need to be replaced. If the holes in the hinges have enlarged, replace them if they are attached by bolts. If not, you have to get creative or you are SOL.

If you get it all under control, you can go even further by adding a product called Dynamat Xtreme over the door, under the trim panel. Also you can put some strips on the outer sheet metal of the door or man-made material carpet with spray adhesive like jol50 suggests.

If none of this works, buy a used door from the junk yard or sell it and get another!

Good luck and let us know how you make out!

Regards//Keith

[y8s]

run a sine sweep and find what frequency(ies) excite the mechanisms and it'll be much easier to investigate exactly how to remedy the situation.

maybe you can hang weights off the parts or preload them so they dont fit loosely?