Intermittent Body Rattle - Driver's side under truck

[NETim]

This may have been covered already. A search didn't find a thread on it here for me anyway.

'14 Ram 1500 Big Horn

I've been noticing an intermittent rattle coming from under the truck on the driver's side for the last few months. The weather has warmed up enough to get me to crawl under the truck to investigate. The rattle was most noticeable/apparent while at low speed on washboard gravel county roads.

What I discovered was one of the nuts that retains the heat shield had pulled through so the heat shield was free to move. The heat shield is very thin so I'm not surprised that it failed given the small diameter of the retaining nut and the thin material of the heat shield.

I gave it a shot of penetrating oil before trying to remove the retaining nut. To my relief the nut came off easily. I drilled a 1/4" SS fender washer out with a 1/4" drill so that it would slip over the stud and tightened up the nut. I am hopeful that the MUCH larger diameter of the fender washer will prevent a re-occurrence.

I think I fixed it.

 

[bigdodge]

Yup. I've had this same issue. Good find

 

[NETim]

Yup. I've had this same issue. Good find

I am thinking this may be a common (minor) issue with these trucks. That heat shield is mighty thin.

 

[BobCinEHT]

Was it the exhaust manifold heat shield?

 

[NETim]

Was it the exhaust manifold heat shield?

Nope! This heat shield is on the underside of the truck. About 5' long if I remember right.

 

[indept]

Nope! This heat shield is on the underside of the truck. About 5' long if I remember right.

Where on the underside? How about a picture of it further away than the one you posted.

 

[NETim]

Where on the underside? How about a picture of it further away than the one you posted.

Okay, I left my nice warm LazEBoy and crawled under the truck on the kinda cold concrete garage floor to get this pic.

Looking aft, heat shield is directly above exhaust pipe, just off the centerline of the truck on the passenger side.

The washer I put on a few months back is visible on LH side of the pic. It hasn't pulled through yet.

 

[Dean2]

Okay, I left my nice warm LazEBoy and crawled under the truck on the kinda cold concrete garage floor to get this pic.

Looking aft, heat shield is directly above exhaust pipe, off the centerline of truck on the passenger side.

The washer I put on a few months back is visible on LH side of the pic. It hasn't pulled through yet.

View attachment 530515

You are a better man than I Gungadin. I would have let folks crawl under their own trucks and have a look. It is a good excercise to check all the bolts, shocks, exhaust etc every few months anyhow. Amazing how often you find little things and can fix them before they become a bigger problem.

 

[NETim]

You are a better man than I Gungadin. I would have let folks crawl under their own trucks and have a look. It is a good excercise to check all the bolts, shocks, exhaust etc every few months anyhow. Amazing how often you find little things and can fix them before they become a bigger problem.

Thanks but it was no big deal. This forum has been such a major source of info and wisdom for yours truly that I am happy to try to pay it back when I can, even on little piddly issues such as this.

But that rattle was making me nuts.

 

[indept]

Thanks but it was no big deal. This forum has been such a major source of info and wisdom for yours truly that I am happy to try to pay it back when I can, even on little piddly issues such as this.

But that rattle was making me nuts.

I'm the same way, anytime I hear something I have to find it & fix it. Many times over the years I would drive my wife's car and I would hear noises and ask why she never mentioned it and she thought it was normal.