A tailgate squeak story
10-05-2014, 04:48 PM
#1
Beer Gut Extraordinaire
Thread Starter
A tailgate squeak story
The story goes exactly like the rest of them. The infamous tailgate squeak got the best of me.
Recently, every time I opened up my rear window, there was this high-pitched, really irritating squeak. This squeak drove me crazy, And since my sunroof never gets opened without my rear window, I couldn't enjoy the fresh air through my hair on a nice autumn day. I'd venture to say that this problem reduced my quality of life, lol.
I spent a few minutes loading up the rear window tracks with WD40, thinking that the rear window was squeaking when it was open, because I couldn't hear the noise when it was closed (duh). Greasing the tracks didn't work, so I got even more angry. I left it and decided I'd let the dealer take care of it since I work there. Then, I opened my tailgate to set my rubber floor mats down on it to scrub and dry. When the mats were thrown back in the truck, I shut my tailgate.
At that moment, something amazing happened. "Oh my god!" I thought; "That's the noise!!" I ran back into the garage and whipped out the can of WD40 (said WD40 has saved my truck from a trip to the dealer for the rear end click) and loaded up every hinge, latch, pivot and lock on my tailgate with it. I shut the tailgate, and no squeak. At this point I knew I had succeeded. Then, I went for a drive with my rear window open. Absolute silence from the tailgate. A great feeling of relief washed over me as I cruised in comfort.
I can't believe I didn't think of the tailgate from the stories I've read on here. It just sounded so close, at first I even thought it was the passenger seat. And as soon as I heard the tailgate squeak when I shut it, and pieced it together that I only hear it when the rear window is open, that "insta-idiot" feeling set in.
Moral of the story: Check your tailgate for that squeak before you start ripping your hair out!
Recently, every time I opened up my rear window, there was this high-pitched, really irritating squeak. This squeak drove me crazy, And since my sunroof never gets opened without my rear window, I couldn't enjoy the fresh air through my hair on a nice autumn day. I'd venture to say that this problem reduced my quality of life, lol.
I spent a few minutes loading up the rear window tracks with WD40, thinking that the rear window was squeaking when it was open, because I couldn't hear the noise when it was closed (duh). Greasing the tracks didn't work, so I got even more angry. I left it and decided I'd let the dealer take care of it since I work there. Then, I opened my tailgate to set my rubber floor mats down on it to scrub and dry. When the mats were thrown back in the truck, I shut my tailgate.
At that moment, something amazing happened. "Oh my god!" I thought; "That's the noise!!" I ran back into the garage and whipped out the can of WD40 (said WD40 has saved my truck from a trip to the dealer for the rear end click) and loaded up every hinge, latch, pivot and lock on my tailgate with it. I shut the tailgate, and no squeak. At this point I knew I had succeeded. Then, I went for a drive with my rear window open. Absolute silence from the tailgate. A great feeling of relief washed over me as I cruised in comfort.
I can't believe I didn't think of the tailgate from the stories I've read on here. It just sounded so close, at first I even thought it was the passenger seat. And as soon as I heard the tailgate squeak when I shut it, and pieced it together that I only hear it when the rear window is open, that "insta-idiot" feeling set in.
Moral of the story: Check your tailgate for that squeak before you start ripping your hair out!
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rangerrick (10-05-2014)
10-05-2014, 05:21 PM
#2
Mine was sqeaking really bad one day, drove me crazy. When I got to my destination I opened the tailgate and slammed that stupid thing shut. Hasn't squeaked since. I think it's too scared to make any noise now haha. Some good ol WD-40 does wonders sometimes.
10-05-2014, 06:00 PM
#4
Senior Member
Yup, it was these forums that found the squeak for me. Some lithium spray and it's gone for good.
Now, though, there is another little jiggling sound, kind of like my dogtags on my metal necklace. I've traced it to the power sliding window - but only when it's open - something in that assembly when it's open makes the noise. Not a huge annoyance, certainly nothing like the tailgate squeak was. But it's there.
Now, though, there is another little jiggling sound, kind of like my dogtags on my metal necklace. I've traced it to the power sliding window - but only when it's open - something in that assembly when it's open makes the noise. Not a huge annoyance, certainly nothing like the tailgate squeak was. But it's there.
10-05-2014, 06:23 PM
#5
Senior Member
So maybe it's just me but even with all my windows open I could not hear my tailgate squeaking over the sound of my exhaust and or radio and wind noise. You guys must all have bionic ears. Sometimes on this forum people nitpick on the silliest little nuances. You are driving an American made truck not a Range Rover. It's part of owning one.
10-05-2014, 06:26 PM
#6
Beer Gut Extraordinaire
Thread Starter
So maybe it's just me but even with all my windows open I could not hear my tailgate squeaking over the sound of my exhaust and or radio and wind noise. You guys must all have bionic ears. Sometimes on this forum people nitpick on the silliest little nuances. You are driving an American made truck not a Range Rover. It's part of owning one.
That's why I fixed it. Just thought I'd offer some entertainment from my findings. Go have a snickers.
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10-06-2014, 11:46 AM
#8
Senior Member
It's almost as if folks think that there is no possible way a truck can be made that is free of these kinds of issues. True, one man's annoyance is another man's "suck it up," but I'm of the opinion that there is some level of expectation that such annoyances shouldn't happen, especially in the latter year or two of a given design run - which the current generation certainly is for 13-14 model years. But anyway, no, I'm not expecting perfection, but I do expect nagging things to not exist, or at least identified and fixed in later years.
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Oldsmuggler (10-06-2014)
10-06-2014, 12:37 PM
#9
Fluid film is good too
10-06-2014, 01:09 PM
#10
I agree. Yes, its a truck, but its a truck that i paid 35k for. I dont think i should have to live with squeaks, creaks, rattles and vibrations. If i wanted to do that I'd drive a 20 year old truck, not a brand new one
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lobuzz311 (05-11-2020)
