Yeah! It took me a few adjustments as well, and after a while, it may work its way loose again and have to be adjusted again. Just don’t super over tighten those bolts, they’re just thread baskets on the back of thin sheet metal, i can’t imagine how annoying it would be to replace those, and i hope i never have to make that video. Haha
This was an awesome tip. I thought I needed to upgrade the hinges but the noise reduced and the rattle noise is gone. I had to adjust the plastic and put gorilla tape on the plastic. 👍 thank you!
Bought my first Jeep, three weeks ago, wrangler 21. Been driving around with this random rattle, have tried everything to figure out what it is. I will look into adjusting this tomorrow and hopefully problem solved. Thank you so much for posting and sharing this information.❤
I climbed in the back tonight as my girlfriend drove down the road and that’s exactly where the noise was coming from. Been trying to figure it out for weeks.
That’s the guide for the tailgate, it locates the tailgates position so the latch fits correctly, if it has scrapes on it as you show in the video that means you have play in your tailgate hinge bushings letting your tailgate sag. Common with bigger tires as a spare. You should never have to change the adjustment on those unless you change hinges / tailgates
I hope this helps!! Also, you can check / adjust the alignment on the hinge side as well. My video on installing the HD tire carrier shows how i did that. But considering the popularity of this video, I’m considering making a more detailed video on how to properly align the tailgate from both ends so it’s all kinda in one spot.
Did this fix your issue? The tailgate can also be slightly adjusted at the hinges. I had to do that when i changed out my OEM hinge for the RC Heavy Duty hinges.
Hey! I'm really glad it helped you out! Did you use the tape trick? for me the tap actually wore off pretty quick, but having the huge heavy tire on the tailgate adds a lot of stress to that small piece, so I'm not really surprised there.
@@bigzoffroad no tape just loosened the bolts and repositioned the piece that was causing the rattle and then tightened them back up. All is right in the world once again.
@@dexterwilliams9948 love it!! Glad it helped! Took me a while to figure out what the noise was, thought i was being smart by putting the tape there, it just wore off. Haha
Hey dude, your advice worked like a charm. Took me 2 minutes to eliminate the rattle. I have big wheels so I am also going to add the spacers from the tailgate to the spare wheel just to be proactive. I want to mount a hi lift on the tailgate, I wonder if that will become an issue.
Depending on the size and weight of your wheels and rubber, I would recommend getting either heavy duty hinges or a heavy duty tire carrier system that replaces both the hinges and tire mount. I have 35"s on mine, an the weight of those was still to much. making these adjustments did fix my issue, but after a few months of trail riding and vibration, I just had to fix it again. Now that I have a HD tire carrier (rough country because it was the cheapest that still seemed "beefy") I haven't had issues. been a little over a year.
I’ve had a noise coming from the back when I hit bumps and thought it was just the Jack and I kept adjusting it and nothing worked. Now the gate won’t open and shut right. I bet that’s the culprit!
Very possibly!! Also, the matching mechanism on the gate itself has a little wiggle room as well for adjustment purposes, so check and see if it is lined up
Absolutely! Glad it was helpful! Also, if you have an aftermarket tire carrier on your tailgate, make sure it is also adjusted correctly otherwise this will only be a temporary fix.
Thanks for the tip. I thought maybe it was time to check myself into the local insane asylum. The rattle was driving me nuts and I could not figure it out. Worked like a charm. Positive karma coming your way!
I suspect this is the source of the rattle noise now hear in the tail gate latch area of my 2010 Jeep Wrangler Islander JK. I'm going to make this adjustment and find out if that is the source which I suspect it is. The angular piece on the door and the body actually bears the vertical load of the door on that side of the body along with the latch. If it has shifted in position then there is less contact between the two pieces and the door will bounce because of the gap between the surfaces normally in contact with one another.
Ensure both sides are aligned though. If you’re running an oversized tire, it could be that the hinge side itself also sagged. The basket-nuts where the hinges mount have a tiny bit of wiggle room to aid in tailgate alignment.
Just adjusted mine again. Trace with a pencil a line on the forward side of the body latch so you have a reference point. Then move the latch up and aft about a 1/32-1/16" and then close it and go take a test drive over bumpy road with a lot of bumps from street repair. I prayed about this because I didn't know how it was bouncing on the capture latch which is designed to support the weight of the left side of the door. As can be expected, the Designer of the Universe knows a lot more than I ever will and I felt impressed to try what I am recommending here. It's no surprise to me, He knows the problem better than I do and what is needed to fix it. And now after a test drive over some very bumpy, irregular surfaced road with a lot of asphalt patch repair, it is now quiet and motionless. I did put some 3M Silicone Paste (dielectric grease, 8 oz. bottle) on the metal surfaces that make contact with each other, on the body and the door latch parts.
Good tip/comment! Definitely worth mentioning. Also the thread baskets in the buddy of the Jeep aren’t the strongest things, and replacing them is miserable business! Thank you
That could be a good solution too, if you want to drill into the body there. But youd have to make sure you got it perfect because you really only have one shot at running a self-tapping screw in there. Really the solution is a tire carrier to get the weight off the tailgate. Even with the HD hinge setup, it’s just not designed to hold the extra weight of an oversized spare tire.
If it’s noticeable when you’re idling, i would assume it’s NOT your tailgate. Might be exhaust? This tailgate rattle happens when you’re driving down the road going over small bumps, usually coming from the rear driver side
@@bigzoffroad Ya I figured that the weight of a huge wheel and tire hanging on the tailgate of my wrangler would become an issue. Drives me nuts if I don't blast some Pantera lol. Gona give it a shot after work. Gona be driving across the USA in a couple days and im sure you are right and adjusting everything will help. Thanks for taking the time to make the video.
@Big Z Offroad I have a 35in on there but I bought heavy duty hinges to support it. If I push the tailgate up to those brackets I can hear it make that squeak sound. Just like yours I see where its been rubbing.
Do you have an oversized tire? Also, I’ve not seen the latching / gate system on a JL. From both sides you can adjust the height of the gate. Needs to be equal
Thanks for the video. This fixed the source of total frustration in my 16jku. It took three trys to get it just right but the silence is golden
Yeah!
It took me a few adjustments as well, and after a while, it may work its way loose again and have to be adjusted again.
Just don’t super over tighten those bolts, they’re just thread baskets on the back of thin sheet metal, i can’t imagine how annoying it would be to replace those, and i hope i never have to make that video. Haha
This was an awesome tip. I thought I needed to upgrade the hinges but the noise reduced and the rattle noise is gone. I had to adjust the plastic and put gorilla tape on the plastic. 👍 thank you!
Bought my first Jeep, three weeks ago, wrangler 21.
Been driving around with this random rattle, have tried everything to figure out what it is. I will look into adjusting this tomorrow and hopefully problem solved. Thank you so much for posting and sharing this information.❤
Hopefully that fixes it. I’m not sure the difference in tailgate latch systems between my 2015 and your 2021.
Let me know how it works!
I climbed in the back tonight as my girlfriend drove down the road and that’s exactly where the noise was coming from. Been trying to figure it out for weeks.
@@kimcarey8325 i wouldn’t bother with my little duct tape “trick”
That tape wore off within a week.
But my rattle never came back 👍
That’s the guide for the tailgate, it locates the tailgates position so the latch fits correctly, if it has scrapes on it as you show in the video that means you have play in your tailgate hinge bushings letting your tailgate sag. Common with bigger tires as a spare. You should never have to change the adjustment on those unless you change hinges / tailgates
God bless you for this video dude I've been trying to figure out wtf this thing is for like a year now
OMG thank you for the tip. This has been driving my crazy for the past few months. i couldn't figure out what the issue was. 👍
I hope this helps!!
Also, you can check / adjust the alignment on the hinge side as well.
My video on installing the HD tire carrier shows how i did that. But considering the popularity of this video, I’m considering making a more detailed video on how to properly align the tailgate from both ends so it’s all kinda in one spot.
@@bigzoffroad oh awesome. thanks i will check it out. Yeah that would be cool. Thanks again. Jeepers helping Jeepers 👍
I’ve noticed the gap was off the other time I checked it out, as I had the same issue as you! Going to be adjusting it later today after work!
Did this fix your issue?
The tailgate can also be slightly adjusted at the hinges. I had to do that when i changed out my OEM hinge for the RC Heavy Duty hinges.
Thanks for the vid. It's a good idea to put painter's tape around the stop as a reference to it's original location.
That would help!
I just went off the wear marks, which are harder to see once you’re tightening everything down.
Even a paint marker would work too!
Huge help. Rattle is gone. Thanks alot for the video.
Hey! I'm really glad it helped you out!
Did you use the tape trick? for me the tap actually wore off pretty quick, but having the huge heavy tire on the tailgate adds a lot of stress to that small piece, so I'm not really surprised there.
@@bigzoffroad no tape just loosened the bolts and repositioned the piece that was causing the rattle and then tightened them back up. All is right in the world once again.
@@dexterwilliams9948 love it!! Glad it helped!
Took me a while to figure out what the noise was, thought i was being smart by putting the tape there, it just wore off. Haha
Used this "fix" and it worked like a charm on my 2017 JKU. Thanks!
Yessir!!
LOL, it's Yes Ma'am! The guys let me borrow their tools 😁🚙 ~Paige/Office Mgr, Bonafide Customs
@@bonafidecustoms4197 oh my bad!!
@@bigzoffroad No worries! Thanks again!
Has the noise returned?
Hey dude, your advice worked like a charm. Took me 2 minutes to eliminate the rattle. I have big wheels so I am also going to add the spacers from the tailgate to the spare wheel just to be proactive. I want to mount a hi lift on the tailgate, I wonder if that will become an issue.
Depending on the size and weight of your wheels and rubber, I would recommend getting either heavy duty hinges or a heavy duty tire carrier system that replaces both the hinges and tire mount.
I have 35"s on mine, an the weight of those was still to much. making these adjustments did fix my issue, but after a few months of trail riding and vibration, I just had to fix it again. Now that I have a HD tire carrier (rough country because it was the cheapest that still seemed "beefy") I haven't had issues. been a little over a year.
It worked! Thankyou soooo much! It was driving me insane!
Glad it worked!!
Haven’t had my rattle come back since.
I’ve had a noise coming from the back when I hit bumps and thought it was just the Jack and I kept adjusting it and nothing worked. Now the gate won’t open and shut right. I bet that’s the culprit!
Very possibly!!
Also, the matching mechanism on the gate itself has a little wiggle room as well for adjustment purposes, so check and see if it is lined up
Thanks so much for the video I was having the same issue!!
Absolutely! Glad it was helpful!
Also, if you have an aftermarket tire carrier on your tailgate, make sure it is also adjusted correctly otherwise this will only be a temporary fix.
Thanks for the tip. I thought maybe it was time to check myself into the local insane asylum. The rattle was driving me nuts and I could not figure it out. Worked like a charm. Positive karma coming your way!
My jeep is paid for and fully customized I was on the verge of trading it in all because of this noise .:. Im losing my mind
I suspect this is the source of the rattle noise now hear in the tail gate latch area of my 2010 Jeep Wrangler Islander JK. I'm going to make this adjustment and find out if that is the source which I suspect it is. The angular piece on the door and the body actually bears the vertical load of the door on that side of the body along with the latch. If it has shifted in position then there is less contact between the two pieces and the door will bounce because of the gap between the surfaces normally in contact with one another.
Ensure both sides are aligned though. If you’re running an oversized tire, it could be that the hinge side itself also sagged. The basket-nuts where the hinges mount have a tiny bit of wiggle room to aid in tailgate alignment.
Just adjusted mine again. Trace with a pencil a line on the forward side of the body latch so you have a reference point. Then move the latch up and aft about a 1/32-1/16" and then close it and go take a test drive over bumpy road with a lot of bumps from street repair. I prayed about this because I didn't know how it was bouncing on the capture latch which is designed to support the weight of the left side of the door. As can be expected, the Designer of the Universe knows a lot more than I ever will and I felt impressed to try what I am recommending here. It's no surprise to me, He knows the problem better than I do and what is needed to fix it. And now after a test drive over some very bumpy, irregular surfaced road with a lot of asphalt patch repair, it is now quiet and motionless. I did put some 3M Silicone Paste (dielectric grease, 8 oz. bottle) on the metal surfaces that make contact with each other, on the body and the door latch parts.
Fixed mine. Thank you!
When you said position it forwards, do you mean slide the piece closer to the front of the car - or towards you (the back)? Thanks again
Well, that’s a good question!
“Forward” is in toward you, which is bad practice on my part. Should have said back in relation to the vehicle.
Don’t tight bolts to much, they break easy, like mine did!
Good tip/comment! Definitely worth mentioning.
Also the thread baskets in the buddy of the Jeep aren’t the strongest things, and replacing them is miserable business!
Thank you
Roght on. Perfect.
Maybe a couple of self tapping screws behind it to keep it from shifting back again? I have this same annoying problem
That could be a good solution too, if you want to drill into the body there. But youd have to make sure you got it perfect because you really only have one shot at running a self-tapping screw in there.
Really the solution is a tire carrier to get the weight off the tailgate. Even with the HD hinge setup, it’s just not designed to hold the extra weight of an oversized spare tire.
Hey i am in portland and my rubicon started making a rattling sound after the latest ice storm. Its in the back right more noticble when in Idle.
If it’s noticeable when you’re idling, i would assume it’s NOT your tailgate. Might be exhaust?
This tailgate rattle happens when you’re driving down the road going over small bumps, usually coming from the rear driver side
@@bigzoffroad would you be open to troubleshoot if i paid you for it?
@@frmelo21 Oh i live no where near Portland, and I’m by no means a mechanic
Dude if this works i would buy you a beer!
🤣
If you have an oversized tire, that’s what’s causing this to be out of line, make sure the hinge side is also lined up properly.
@@bigzoffroad Ya I figured that the weight of a huge wheel and tire hanging on the tailgate of my wrangler would become an issue. Drives me nuts if I don't blast some Pantera lol. Gona give it a shot after work. Gona be driving across the USA in a couple days and im sure you are right and adjusting everything will help. Thanks for taking the time to make the video.
@@joshlemke735 hope it helps!
have a friend that works at same place his name is tam hes from vietnam . used to do refrigeration at hussmann and later for myself in atl ga
I’m not sure what you’re referring to here, friend?
I have that noise and it’s driving me insane
THANK U!!!!!
I have a 2016 jk and mine doesn't rattle, it squeaks really bad when I drive over the slightest bumps.
What size tire do you have on there?
Also, stock hinges for the gate? And are you sure thats what the squeaking is coming from?
@Big Z Offroad I have a 35in on there but I bought heavy duty hinges to support it. If I push the tailgate up to those brackets I can hear it make that squeak sound. Just like yours I see where its been rubbing.
@@brycamaro77 make sure the hinge side is adjusted to the right height as well.
I’ve not had a squeak sound from there, only that awful rattle
Even after installing the Teraflex hinged tire carrier I still got the rattle
Make sure the hinge side is also properly aligned. Both have to be set to keep the rattle away, and both are adjustable.
Any torque specs for this ?
@@zxer46northrider95 well, every bolt has a generic torque depending on its size, but i don’t know it and didn’t go to anything specific here.
i love you thank you
What tail lights do you have ?
Amazon Special. Haha
There’s really no brand name on them. They’re just a cheap set of LED tail lights i snagged
can you work on my kitchen equipment ?
Hmmmm
Not sure what you mean by that?
Gonna go check on this, cause I'm going mad! Anyone got a 10mm I can borrow?? 😅
I always keep two. Got one in my glove box and one in my trail bag.
Wish I could say it worked for my jl. No luck.
Do you have an oversized tire?
Also, I’ve not seen the latching / gate system on a JL.
From both sides you can adjust the height of the gate. Needs to be equal
@Big Z Offroad regular size spare. Looks to be the same set up. Driving me nuts!!!
@@bobbyt6360 i do not know then.
You can also adjust the latch itself.
If it’s rattling, something is loose or out of line.