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SOLVED!! New guy with 2020 AT4 and a gnarly rattle!


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Hey folks! Been lurking in here a while but have only now decided to make an account to hopefully get help with my AT4. 
 

I have a constant rattle, clunk noise from the front end. It is always present at any speed and it doesn’t change the sound. Sounds like something heavy. Have ruled out sway bar, shocks seem fine when truck is shook. Truck is a 2020 3.0 with 30k miles now. Dealer already looked for a loose harness etc that they typically try to find. 
 

attached is a video where can you hear the sound, any thoughts? Maybe the dreaded stub axle rattle (though it is the same in 4x)?

 

Fixed link:

 

Edited by Traction
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Few questions to help you maybe narrow it down.

1. Does it happen more during suspension articulations over bumps or elevation changes?

2. Has anyone looked for the obvious, missing screws in plastic underbody panels?

3. Have you checked that all suspension component hardware is not loose?

4. Any bushings not aligned in their correct positions?

5. Metallic on Metallic sound or Plastic banging around?

6. Loose underhood components? (hood insulation)?

7. Can you pinpoint which side it is coming from?

 

Hopefully thinking about these can help you figure it out.

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44 minutes ago, jaxcam02 said:

Thank you for the response! here are some answers:

 

1. The sound is constant no matter where the suspension is at in its range of travel. Not speed dependent either which leads me to believe it may be a mount (engine or trans?) even though I couldn't replicate by prying on those components.  

2. I spent two hours under the truck with a rubber mallet and a prybar looking for the culprit. Found some other things but nothing regarding the noise in question. Dealer also had a look and thought it was a wiring harness, it wasn't. It sounds like its something heavy. 

3. Put a torque wrench on all suspension components I could get to, also checked body mounts. 

4. All of the mounts and bushings I could see seem to be in place and not bulging. 

5. This seems like a metal clunk. 

6. Underhood all clear, the noise is lower, under console and toward the front of the truck. 

7. I have been fooled in the past, but it seems like drivers side. Maybe more central. This is why I thought it may be the drivers stub axle, but interestingly it does not go away when the truck is in 4x4. 

 

Let me know what you guys/gals think! 

Edited by Traction
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23 minutes ago, jaxcam02 said:

Just one more thing, have you tried to twist the half shafts while the wheels are on the ground and see if there is excessive play? Any lift beyond the factory AT4 lift?

Yes I have. The drivers side definitely has more play. My wife did remark that when I rattled the axle on that side that it was "the closest to the noise of all of the things I've done to try and replicate." The only thing is that the sound is the same while in 4x4, but maybe that doesn't matter?

 

To answer your other question the suspension is stock. 

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1 hour ago, Traction said:

Yes I have. The drivers side definitely has more play. My wife did remark that when I rattled the axle on that side that it was "the closest to the noise of all of the things I've done to try and replicate." The only thing is that the sound is the same while in 4x4, but maybe that doesn't matter?

 

To answer your other question the suspension is stock. 

 Perhaps it is the CV joint in the half shaft that is your problem. My suggestion would be to look at some youtube videos of cv axle failure sounds and compare it. If you can, tape or ziptie your cell phone or a camera under the truck looking at the drivers half shaft and go for a drive around the block trying to propagate the sound. The dealer won't look further (or doesn't have the expertise) into it without you giving them evidence to point them in the right direction unfortunately.

 

 

Edited by jaxcam02
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26 minutes ago, jaxcam02 said:

 Perhaps it is the CV joint in the half shaft that is your problem. My suggestion would be to look at some youtube videos of cv axle failure sounds and compare it. If you can, tape or ziptie your cell phone or a camera under the truck looking at the drivers half shaft and go for a drive around the block trying to propagate the sound. The dealer won't look further (or doesn't have the expertise) into it without you giving them evidence to point them in the right direction unfortunately.

 

 

Agreed on the dealer. They confirmed that they hear the noise, tried a couple of easy fixes that didn't work, then blamed the front passenger shock. To me, it is clear the shock is not the problem based on the characteristics of the sound and I don't want to start replacing things on a whim. I will try the phone thing and see if I can catch it. 

Edited by Traction
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1 hour ago, Traction said:

Agreed on the dealer. They confirmed that they hear the noise, tried a couple of easy fixes that didn't work, then blamed the front passenger shock. To me, it is clear the shock is not the problem based on the characteristics of the sound and I don't want to start replacing things on a whim. I will try the phone thing and see if I can catch it. 

I would specifically try to capture excessive wobbling of the CV axle, try to also drive in a few circles left and right and in reverse.

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Small update. Magnetic mounted my phone to the drivers and passenger lower control arms facing the front diff. When the noise occurs in the cabin there doesn’t appear to be any play or rattling of the cv shafts. Also, while I can hear the sound inside, I cannot on the video recording. Hrmmm. Also mounted the camera on the frame behind the drivers door and faced it toward the driveline without any clues as well. 
 

I’m going to try under the hood next.

Edited by Traction
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Update: I believe I have isolated the sound to the front passenger side. I think it must be a moving suspension part by the way I can recreate the sound. Interestingly, I cannot recreate the noise with the truck static while bouncing the suspension up and down. Its the sharp, juttering motion of washboard/gravel road that best makes it happen. Im going with maybe a front shock or top hat. Going back to the dealer next week. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Update: Truck has been at the dealer for a week now. They had a field engineer meeting and, to the best of my knowledge, they were unable to figure the noise out. They did agree that it was likely something in the front passenger suspension. They are replacing the front right strut in hopes that it will either fix the problem or lead to a discovery as the repair is completed. I should have the truck back today, I will report back.

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SOLVED!!! The rattle, which they could not replicate while on the rack and I could not locate after many hours under the truck......... Was a blown front shock. That was my best guess (well, not at first!) and they remarked that they weren't sure it would fix the problem. The shock was clean and you couldn't tell it was blown until it was taken off the truck. I am relieved to have the noise saga behind me!

Edited by Traction
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  • Traction changed the title to SOLVED!! New guy with 2020 AT4 and a gnarly rattle!
  • 7 months later...
On 10/6/2022 at 7:45 PM, Traction said:

SOLVED!!! The rattle, which they could not replicate while on the rack and I could not locate after many hours under the truck......... Was a blown front shock. That was my best guess (well, not at first!) and they remarked that they weren't sure it would fix the problem. The shock was clean and you couldn't tell it was blown until it was taken off the truck. I am relieved to have the noise saga behind me!

Hey I have the similar issue on my 23 did it sound like a tin rattle 

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