Rattle is driving me insane!!

[eddingsj]

I know there are tons of posts out there on this, but I haven't found one yet that has helped me solve my specific problem. So........I have a 2005 F-350 CC that has a rattle that I suspect is coming from somewhere underneath towards the rear. I have looked at about everything that I can think of and haven't pinpointed it yet. It is a metal to metal clinkling that happens all the time, I just have to roll out of the driveway and I can here it start clinking.

This is what I have done so far in my quest to stop this rattling.
1. Took rear stabilizer bar off.
2. Took front stabilizer bar off.
3. Took spare tire off.
4. Took tailgate off. Checked and changed ball joints (figures that they were bad also)
5. Took rear shocks off and found one shock bad. Rode around with shocks off and sound kinda went away, but still there over rough road. Put shocks back on with one new shock and rattle came back. I thought the bolt was to small in the lower bracket and might be rattling in the bracket, so I enlarged hole and intalled a larger bolt. However, that wasn't it either. I am thinking the shocks are not the culprit but are causing something else to rattle. Hell, I don't know.

I am going to look at the cab mounts, front shocks, rear cab vents, rear leaf springs for cracks.

Does anyone have any other ideas besides these because I am ready to drive this thing into a bridge abutment.

Thanks - Jeff

[howell_jd]

Check exhaust clearance, especially at clamped points or where hangars are located. A 1/2-inch clearance is desirable but not always achievable.

That's my suggestion; check exhaust from turbo down pipe back.

Jonathan

[eddingsj]

I checked everything on the exhaust and all seems tight with plenty of clearence everywhere. Today I checked the front cab mounts and they were tight. In the process of checking the back ones. Could bad bushings in the radius arms cause this? They seem to look fair but it is hard to tell.

Thanks - Jeff

[howell_jd]

Yes, bad bushings will allow rattle.

Jonathan

[sargar]

I don't know if parts stores rent these or not but you need a Chassis Ear. The kit comes with 6 clamps/microphones, a splitter box and head phones. Each of the 6 positions on the box are color coded and the clamps are color coded. Just clamp onto suspected items and go drive the truck. Switch between the 6 positions and narrow down where the noise is coming from. It SUCKS to use this tool but it DOES work.

Have you tried the palm of your hand or a rubber hammer on everything on the bottom of the truck?

[Buzzyt517]

Did you check your calipers? If a bolt backed out some how that would be a constant rattle. Do you have a 2 piece drive shaft. Is that bearing tight?
Just some other things to check.

[sargar]

Originally Posted by Buzzyt517

Did you check your calipers? If a bolt backed out some how that would be a constant rattle. Do you have a 2 piece drive shaft. Is that bearing tight?
Just some other things to check.

Aftermarket brake pads will rattle in the caliper even if the bolts are tight. Have you tried lightly applying the brakes to see if the noise goes away? How about banging on the caliper from under the truck to see if you can duplicate the noise?

[howell_jd]

Radius arm bushings tend to "walk-out" on lifted trucks due to extreme flex. Track bar bushings fail on heavy trucks too. Just a little bit and rattles follow. Then other components fail. Check those bushings since you've eliminated other common sources.

Jonathan

[eddingsj]

Found it. Ok, after checking virtually everything I was still thinking it was my rear shocks somehow, someway. So I proceeded to take them off again and they seemed to be fine after inspection. Actually, they are not very old and one is brand new. I took the truck for a drive again and no rattle. So I figured it had to be the shocks. So I bought some new Motorcraft shocks and the rattle is gone. I guess the old saying holds true "Not everything is as it appears"

Well, I am glad I found it and was able to take care of some other preventaive maintenance along the way.

Thanks for all the advice.

Jeff