So I heard this squeaking/rattling noise coming from the passenger rear on sunday. Now since I had just replaced all my shocks with rancho's about 2 months ago I figured maybe a bolt was coming loose. I went under the rear axle and wiggled the passenger shock only to find out that it pivoted a bit. I got out the sockets and wrenches and snugged her up. Figured problem solved.

Drove around sunday night and still heard a squeaking sound from the rear but not as pronounced this time. My first thought was that maybe the upper bolt was loose as well. So I got home from work today and went to check it out. Upper bolt seemed fine but I snugged her a bit just to be sure. I then used my fist on the shock to see if the squeak stopped but heard this metal on metal bang sound. Now I'm thinking great, new shocks and 1 is a defect even tho they extend and contract smooth. Still not totally sold on the defective shock I started to bang my fist on the frame near the upper shock mount. I heard a slight squeak, so I started pushing on stuff.

Come to find out that the cross-bar that goes from side to side under the floor of the bed managed to lift up a tad off the frame. I could push up on the cross-bar and see it move off the frame. I grabbed the bar and pulled down on it to seat it back on the frame and pounded on the shock and there was no noise.

So for now I have a piece of garden hose in the gap between the floor cross-bar and the frame. I thought all of these were bolted to the frame but only the front and back ones are after further inspection. I may try to get a drill up in there and drill a hole in both frame and cross-bar and thread a bolt up in there but not sure if that will draw the cross-bar back onto the frame.

So, if anyone has any squeaks from the rear end check your shock bolts ( if you had new shocks installed recently)and these cross-bars that rest on top of the frame for a gap.

I wonder if spray-in insulation foam would harden and fill that gap? Hmmm.

 

liquid nails? or caulking

 

yeah.. caulk or anything that will keep it from metal on metal contact

 

Great detective work.
Thanks for posting that.

Loctite 'The Right Stuff' sealant in the 'cheese whiz' can is amazingly strong.

The 'Great Stuff' expanding foam will probably over expand and cause a mess that you can only clean up with acetone.

The white latex expanding foam in spray cans that is a competitor to 'Great Stuff' takes a lot longer to set but cleans up with soap and water.

The strongest flexible adhesive that I know of is a camping product for sealing tents where the fabric is sewn together called 'Seam Grip'

"GooP" is not as strong as Seam Grip but is more widely available.

 

DUCT TAPE!!!!!!

i'm jokin here folks..

but on that white latex expanding foam stuff that cleans up with soap and water... hmm if you weren't careful you'd have to redo it everytime you washed your truck... hmm rain might just take it off too....

 

I'll have to look for some loctite sealant this weekend and give it a shot. Only problem is getting a spray can up in there near the upper shock mount past the dula exhaust coming out of the flowmaster muffler. My dad has a spray can for underbody coating and I couldnt get shot to go between the frame and cross-bar. Some of the coating dripped on my shirt and arms. hehe

I think if I could get a small sqeezable bottle up there or if that foam stuff has a flexible tube off the nozzle it might do the trick.

I still might try drilling a hole thru both and screwing in a bolt hoping the two pieces would draw together.

Just had a thought while typing.......what about that aftermarket sound deadening material some people use when installing speakers? Hmmmm