noise while off-roading?

[Treadted2]

I was out doing some 4-wheelin' last night, and I noticed that when the suspension on my wag is articulating there are creaks and pops coming from what sounds like the tailgate. Is this just the body mooving around on the frame? Should I be worried about it?

Thanks

Ted

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84' Grand Wagoneer "Dover"
-AMC 360
-Stock axles(AMC20 & Dana44), tranny & transfer case(NP229)
-MSD TFI upgrade
-K&N Air filter
-Rough Country 3" lift
-Heckelthorne Hydro shocks
-Yokohama Prodigy AT 31X10.5 tires
-American Racing 15X8 Chrome Nugget wheels
-blue fuzzy dice!!

*fuel injection and an MSD 6A ignition will soon be added. Hello 16-17 mpg!!

[RudyC]

Creak, pop is ok. Snap! bang! now thats bad.
Check your U joints for wear that might be your popping or like on mine just the jack tools and tailgate glass bouncing around.. Creak is every thing flexing and thats normal.


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1979 WAGONEER, 360, TH400, Q- TRAC. 3" ADD A LEAFS, 31" MUD T/A'S (PEP BOYS CLONES).
" Go farther, it only breaks on the street"

[This message has been edited by RudyC (edited November 28, 2000).]

[JeepFreak]

Both of my wags do that same thing. Wonder if boxing the back half of the frame would minimize some of this flex.

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JeepFreak

[Snakeyes_Tx]

Minimize your flex, you lose some of your articulation, you're more likely to get stuck! First try using a nice flexy suspension upgrade, make the springs do more of the work than the frame before you go adding steel. Besides, welding in all that new box-steel is going to weaken the heck out of your frame! Bolting on steel would cause creaks and squeaks at every bolt, so that wouldn't accomplish much. Other possibilities for noise... how are those teflon tabs that go inbetween each leaf of the spring? IF you're saying "What teflon tabs?" Get some... they're the little rubber or teflon pieces that fit in between each leaf to keep the groaning, squeaking and such to a minimum.

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Snakeyes_Tx
86 J-20 "The Rusty Dinosaur"

[This message has been edited by Snakeyes_Tx (edited November 28, 2000).]

[This message has been edited by Snakeyes_Tx (edited November 28, 2000).]

[JeepFreak]

Sorry Snake but I have to disagree with ya on one thing there. My brother owns a frame shop where he does custom frame work all the time(mostly drag stuff). If done correctly boxing the frame can add lots of strenght and minimize frame flex. If it didnt than the front frames on our wags wouldn't be boxed. A couple of months ago he had a guy with a CJ that he boxed the frame on. The guy was getting to much flex from the frame and was causeing the fan to hit the radiator. After the work it didnt do it anymore. I guess what Im trying to say is that I would much rather the suspension did the flexing and not my frame. Its all hypethetical anyway because I myself would never put forth the effort to box mine in anyway.

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JeepFreak

[Brian]

Did you check if your u bolts were loose on both your front and back axles? Sounds like it could be a possible source.

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Brian
66' J-3000 "Great White Ghost"
327AMC/T-18a/Dana20
Dana 44 front & rear
My FSJ (http://www.geocities.com/punkrock405/myfsj.html)

[88WAG]

While building my GW I had read that the frame section by the gastank/skidplate was prone to rot from trapped water.I had mine checked it was o.k but I had angle iron welded to the middle and rear sections of the frame also around the wheel humps .This was suggested by A garage that builds custom tube frame monster trucks here in NY.I figure this guy knows what hes talking about.With the correct weld and welder this wont weaken your frame.

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88 Grand Wagoneer 360ci\727\dana 44's
edelbrock 500cfm 4v
SP2P manifold
K&N filter
Jacobs coil
Skyjacker 4" system
russel brake lines
extended P brake cables
Swaybar Quick disconects
No trac bars
Can you say articulation?

[MonsterMash]

The body itself deforms around that big rear opening when the suspension tweaks. Try parking with one rear wheel on a rock or curb and then try opening the tailgate and you'll see what I mean. The alignment will be off. There is nothing holding the right and left parts of the body together in the rear except for the roof and the floor of the cargo area neither of which is very structurally sound. Not really a big deal but I'll bet you will notice that your rear roof welds are cracked from the flexing though.

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'84GW360--"Spinner"
Bigger tires and better stereo but pretty much stock
Most everything works some of the time!
1st Annual Jefferson FSJ Mud Run:

http://home.earthlink.net/~worthservices/index.html

[Manhattan]

TreadTed,

Your suspension is doing what it's supposed to do. The frame and body are doing what they're expected to do. That big opening in the rear (gate and window) is a whole lot to keep square. The truck has been relatively square for 12 years - now you're out flexing it. It's kind of like grabbing an old man out of bed and saying "Come on Pop, we're going hiking!" He's gonna creak a bit too.

Also this is AMC stuff with '70s technology, we're talking about. They rattled on the test drive.

I wouldn't worry about the haunted house sound effects coming from the rear - as long as you know it's not the drivetrain.

I always put the back window down off road. I have this fear that the body is going to twist and the window is going to pop! Probably a little paranoid.

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a.k.a."Bushwood" '88 G-Wag' New 360, 3" Springs, 31" ATs, Custom Roof Rack, 2.5" Dynomax Exhaust... rest stock.

[This message has been edited by Manhattan (edited November 29, 2000).]

[Treadted2]

Thanks for all of the reassurance guys! Makes me feel better. I get so paranoid about hurting my baby. http://www.ifsja.org/ubb/wink.gif

It's strange. After going, it took her about a day to get back to working and sounding right. She was real creaky and running kinda poopy on the way back and yesterday. She feels back to normal now though. I think I shocked her pretty good. She had to shake it all off.

Keeping the window down is a good idea. I didn't have it down the other night because it was about 35 outside. I was freezing.

Anyway... can't wait to go back. I am not gonna do it too much though. I don't want to rip her apart.

Ted

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84' Grand Wagoneer "Dover"
-AMC 360
-Stock axles(AMC20 & Dana44), tranny & transfer case(NP229)
-MSD TFI upgrade
-K&N Air filter
-Rough Country 3" lift
-Heckelthorne Hydro shocks
-Yokohama Prodigy AT 31X10.5 tires
-American Racing 15X8 Chrome Nugget wheels
-blue fuzzy dice!!

*fuel injection and an MSD 6A ignition will soon be added. Hello 16-17 mpg!!

[MonsterMash]

You're gonna' have to do a ton of damage to rip apart an FSJ. It's like an athlete who gets winded when he first starts working out but gets into shape over time. The creaks and noises are merely sore muscles that your FSJ needs to work more. Make sure everything, including bushings are well lubricated and you can work those kinks out. Exercise your FSJ!! http://www.ifsja.org/ubb/smile.gif

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'84GW360--"Spinner"
Bigger tires and better stereo but pretty much stock
Most everything works some of the time!
1st Annual Jefferson FSJ Mud Run:

http://home.earthlink.net/~worthservices/index.html

[lanierboy]

Hallelujah MonsterMash. When I first hot my FSJ, It made all kinds of suspension noises. After working if for a few months, it has quited down to the occasional creak and pop. However, I'm almost complete with a 4" lift which may have some liven it up again.

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1987 GW "Christine"
AMC360 / NP229 / TF727
Holley Projection 2bbl
TFI Ignition upgrade
Skyjacker 4" lift