[5th Gen : 08+]: 2010 grand caravan Noise from back driver side
#1
11-16-2018, 01:19 AM
Join Date: Nov 2018
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2010 grand caravan Noise from back driver side
Hope someone in dodge land can help a guy out. So my wife took her van to get new shocks and coils for both front and back . After that was complete she noticed a noise coming from the back driver side as the van goes over bumps . Now it’s pretty loud so she took it back and the shop owner said he couldent find anything wrong . So a few days later I told her to take it back as I’m over seas and they found the plate that holds the top of the shock that bolts into the frame had a broken bolt . So they tried to get it out but failed so they welded it . Thinking they solved the problem they sent her on her way and guess what it’s still knocking lol. The shop says it couldn’t be the new coil or shock they installed . I call bs but i never really had this problem . So could anyone give their advice as to what it could be . I’m thinking shock . Also my wife was taken under the van while it was in the air and noticed the rings exposed on both sides. 1 side had 5 rings showing and the other had 4 . Could that be the cause ?? Thanks for taking the time to read and look forward to any insight . Thanks .
#2
11-17-2018, 11:39 AM
If the noise was present after the repairs, it has to be something they did. It could be a faulty part but that’s the least likely explanation until everything else is ruled out.
Since you’re overseas then here’s a list of things your wife can have the shop check?
1) Did they use the right size mounting bolts? Most parts nowadays are manufactured to metric sizes. If the shock bushing is, for example, machined for a M12 and they used a smaller standard size bolt, the shock could be moving within the mount. The only way to verify is to remove the shock and check.
2) Did they install the coil springs in the correct orientation? It’s rare for coil springs to not have specific orientation for installation and often times there are dimples in the mounting pads. Even being off by a 1/8” can cause noise. As to one side showing 4 coils and the other side 5, that’s another indicator to me that at least one of them is installed incorrectly, because they could be left and right as well.
3) Did they fully torque any components that were removed during the repair, such as sway bar links or trailing/radius arms? Sway bar links in particular can be difficult to fully tighten, especially if they’re being re-used.
Is the noise loud, more like a bang or thunk? Or is it softer, almost like a ticking? This will help determine the source, as a bang or thunk indicates something with direct contact with the frame/body, such as the coil springs, whereas a softer noise indicates an issue such as the mounting bolts being too small or the sway bar links being loose.
Since you’re overseas then here’s a list of things your wife can have the shop check?
1) Did they use the right size mounting bolts? Most parts nowadays are manufactured to metric sizes. If the shock bushing is, for example, machined for a M12 and they used a smaller standard size bolt, the shock could be moving within the mount. The only way to verify is to remove the shock and check.
2) Did they install the coil springs in the correct orientation? It’s rare for coil springs to not have specific orientation for installation and often times there are dimples in the mounting pads. Even being off by a 1/8” can cause noise. As to one side showing 4 coils and the other side 5, that’s another indicator to me that at least one of them is installed incorrectly, because they could be left and right as well.
3) Did they fully torque any components that were removed during the repair, such as sway bar links or trailing/radius arms? Sway bar links in particular can be difficult to fully tighten, especially if they’re being re-used.
Is the noise loud, more like a bang or thunk? Or is it softer, almost like a ticking? This will help determine the source, as a bang or thunk indicates something with direct contact with the frame/body, such as the coil springs, whereas a softer noise indicates an issue such as the mounting bolts being too small or the sway bar links being loose.