HD Build Quality

Ch2500HD · October 31, 2006

Quick question guys, how good is HD build quality as far as squeaks and rattles are concerned? My 03 has only 35k on it and it is about to drive me nuts with all the squeaks it is developing!

I have step bars on my 03 ECSB and first the pass. side access door began squeaking. Dealership blamed it on the step bars. Then my dash started squeaking around the radio. Now there is a rattle/clunk coming from the driver side front and the dealership blames it on the step bars.

I have tightened all the bolts on the bars to the recommended torque. How squeak free should I expect my HD to be?

Also dealership wants me to take off the step bars to prove them right. It's not a hard task, just a pain in the a**. I have the Westin bars.

Truckin2003 · October 31, 2006

the dealership is just looking for an easy way out. i hate when they do that crap. what every happend to good customer service? Id put money on it that the step bars arent causing any of the problems.

my work truck is an 03 and i have step bars on it and have had no problems.

BlackSilver · October 31, 2006

No complaints here about HD build quality. I have an 03, also with Westin bars, 104,000 miles, and it's completely quiet (and I use it hard!).

gave20 · October 31, 2006

Mine's quiet too. 42K

Paulie G · October 31, 2006

I've got a friend that drives a 04 HD Ext. cab. The dealer adds there own custom appearance package: Huge Nerf bars, 285's, Grill, dash and paint.

He complained about all of the rattles and squeaks it had, so I road in it and he isn't kidding. All sorts of noises coming from the undercarriage to the dash. He is going to take it in just before the warranty is up and get it all taken care of.

If he doesn't forget.

vxaxv17 · October 31, 2006

I've gotta say, I have an 02 HD and i was (and still am) surprised at how quiet it is inside. Not rattles or squeaks that i can hear and its almost 5 years old. Even wind noise is fairly low considering its the extended cab and the front and rear doors latch onto eachother.

921500Z71 · October 31, 2006

My buddys '03 HD had one squeak and we could never figure out where it came from it was the weirdest thing it sounded like the windshield was rattling. Then we took the bug deflector off no more squeaks he then sold it right before warrenty was up and had no squeaks at time of sale

Needgasmoney · October 31, 2006

My '03 HD with step bars, is as quiet as a church mouse.

Scyry · November 1, 2006

Take the step bars off, leave the brackets on and go back the the dealer. If it is still squeaking, he has nothing to blame it on.

working on it · November 7, 2006

Concerning the rattle/squeak coming from the front end: there is a small plastic pilot ring that locates the front shocks in the center of the hole in the upper a-arm.It is part of the isolator/bushing(s) at the top of the shock assembly.I replaced my stock shocks at 35k miles with a larger diameter piston/rod aftermarket brand, but re-used the plastic ring.At 45k I replaced the steering shaft,but started noticing a slight rattle developing sometimes,anyway.After 10k more miles or so, my front end started having a persistent full-time rattle at low speeds over rough surfaces,as well as the returning steering shaft clunk. I started lubing and checking for loose parts every month;never findind anything amiss.I also checked the shocks and would tighten the top bushings ever so slightly.The rattle/squeak just kept growing worse.I even checked my father in law's 2500HD (similar mileage but no rattles)... my front end parts were in better condition than his.So I decided to take my front end apart and rebuild it.First step was to remove the shocks.When I removed the right shock, the semi-disintegrated plastic ring fell off.So I immediately removed the left shock's top bushings,and found that the other plastic ring had completely dissolved.AHA! I then pressed two flanged (on one end) brass oilite bushings (per side) into the aftermarket rubber bushings which were still in good shape,and remounted the shocks with the two flanged ends meeting in the middle of the a-arm hole.Result:drives like a new truck, even makes the steering shaft clunk go away for the most part. I couldn't believe that simple a brken part could cause so bad a noise (it was so bad that I was running the stereo 50% louder than I do now to cover it).After testing the fix over all road surfaces for over two weeks now, and 2000 miles, it still is AOK. PS: I had another vehicle with a perplexing problem a couple of days later, so I finally decided it was time to subscribe to Alldatadiy.com,so I could research the other truck's malady.After I found what I needed, I incidentally found a rattle/squeak TSB for my 2004.The small plastic ring.I sure wish I had subscribed 6 months ago.

N900WM · November 9, 2006

62K on my 03 and she squeeks and rattles like mad. Inside and out.

scubasm161 · November 9, 2006

My 06' 13,000 miles has had a wierd creaking coming from somewhere, have no idea where it is and everytime i bring it to the dealership it stops! wtf. Also everytime it rains when i first start up my truck the serpentine belt squeeks

Roofer · November 9, 2006

Almost 90k on my '02 and no rattles to speak of. I have a creak in the rear leaf spring that I also had on my '00 Z71. I have hauled, towed heavy loads, mud, snow, everything. It has been a great truck for me.

judge389 · November 10, 2006

On my 02 2500HD CC My T-Bars were cranked to high when I got it (used). Brought them down a little and now the squeak on a fast stop or a lot of bumps. Other than that quiet as a church mouse.