Quad Cab Doors/ Excessive Squeaking

[lightmup]

This is my first post to the TDR, so bear with me. I have been reading the forums for about six months. Lots of interesting stuff!!. Glad to be a member. Here's my problem, both quad cab doors squeak like crazy. I have tried the silicon spray, it worked the first time, but hasn't worked since. I have not yet adjusted the striker plate at the bottom of the door. Any Suggestions please, help. Now I know why Dodge puts such awesome stereos in their trucks

 

[redneckdr]

squeaky quads

my right door does the same thing. only squeaks when i'm going down my driveway to the road, so i hadn't gotten around to trying to fix it. it'll be interesting to see if someone responds with a fix.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Here's the fix

Hey lightmup, welcome to TDR



I used to have the same noise on my 2001. The squeak on mine was coming from the bottom striker on the quad door. . . it is the little black spring-loaded slider inside the plastic housing.



Mine got dust inside and any miniscule movement caused the slider to emit a squeak even with a tightly latched door. I took some silicone spray and blasted it good to sorta flush out the dust/dirt and to lube it. Work it back and forth several times to make sure it slides freely. This should cure your noises.



Also, when you do latch your quad doors, give 'em a good shake to make sure they latch completely at both the top and bottom. I have to give mine a little slam or else neither door will latch fully at the bottom.



Hope this helps.



Vaughn

 

[lightmup]

I have tried various ways to fix the squeak. MacKenzie's post has also been tried with no luck. My squeaks seem to come from the top portion of the door. I do live on a dirt road that has unreal washboard ('bout 3 miles of every bump and rut known to man). This probably contributes to the problem. I have sprayed the weatherstripping with silicon spray. This worked for about a month, then the squeaks came back!! So I hosed them down again, but this did not seem to help. The quad doors are also slammed shut and when I shake them they do not squeak. They only squeak when I am on uneven ground. I took the truck to the stealer and they told me that the squeak was the result of me adding nerf bars, so they did not seem to have a fix, go figure Would moving the bottom striker plate on the bottom door frame help??? And what about the chiropratic adjustment that I have read about previously??

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[redneckdr]

ole squeaky

well , tried to fix the squeak yesterday. no luck. put a little white lithium grease on both striker bars, and sprayed valvoline synlube on the latch mechanisms... still squeaks. it seems that the squeak is coming from something behind the high quality plastic door fascia between the middle of the door and the top latch. if i squeeze the door edge from outside to inside, it squeaks. it looks like taking the inside fascia off to get behind it wouldn't be too big a job. just didn't have time to pursue it yesterday.

 

[Steve Campbell]

redneckdr, if you do get that inside fascia off and find the offending "rubbing parts", some silicone "dots" before reassembly should cure the rubbing in the future. Remember, it is like Brylcreem, "A little dab will do ya. " Do you suppose Fred Flintstone was the inventor of Brylcreem, seems like he was always saying something similar in the cartoons.

 

[redneckdr]

ole squeaky

steve, i'll remember... ... maybe this PM. i need to go to the office and do paperwork, but i'd rather be tearing the goat up any day!!!Oo.

 

[LoneRam]

I'm getting closer

Lightmup,



I too have a noise coming from the top of both doors. My truck has only 2500mi so I am still going crazy listening to every sound trying to get a feel for things. This one was driving me crazy. I had tried all the afore mentioned things, and then something funny happend by chance. While on a dirt road and squeking, I rolled down my window and it was goneOo. I tried the other side and same thing. It only takes a hair of down travel to silence it. I haven't had a chance to fix it, but at least it's a good lead.



LoneRam

 

[redneckdr]

ole squeaky

well, i worked on it some more yesterday... ... ... . doors are tight, and i put wax on the seals..... no luck. listening closer after that, i don't think the squeak is coming from the doors. seems to be something outside the cab, and farther back. of course, the way sound "telegraphs", i may never find it... ... . oh well, i'm kinda getting used to it. only happens on rough roads.....

 

[MrFixit]

Squeeky window

Lone Ram,



My 2001 started doing the exact same thing with the drivers window a few months ago. If I crack it like you do, the noise is gone. Mine goes onto dealer tomorrow and they are going to look at it. My Dad's 89 caravan does the same thing too. Also my noisy fuel pedal. With cruise on, pedal raddles unless I lean my foot on the side of it. Drives me crazy.

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

MrFixit - here's an easy MrFixit for your throttle rattle problem. I had the same problem with my truck. What I did was drill a small hole in the side of the throttle pedal arm approximately an inch and a half above the pivot point and drilled another small hole in the bracket the throttle attaches to. Then I got a small coil spring with loops on either end from a local hardware store and attached the spring using self tapping sheet metal screws to the bracket and the throttle. What this does is pull the top of the throttle towards the firewall (another way to say it is lifts the throttle to idle) and takes out the free play which is what's causing your rattle.



In my case there was a 2nd advantage in that it makes for a more positive engagement of my exhaust brake microswitch when lifting off the throttle. Now in your case that would be a problem because your cruise control works different than mine. On my truck the throttle cable itself is moved by the cruise control servo, on your truck cruise is controlled by the ECM - not a servo. Therefore if you had an exhaust brake on your truck and were using the microswitch on the throttle to activate it if you had your exhaust brake turned on and set the cruise your exhaust brake would engage at a larger throttle setting - can you say HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGH EGT's? The solution for you if you want to run an exhaust brake with the spring on the throttle is to tie the exhaust brake activation to pin 20 of the ecm rather than using a microswitch.



Sorry for being so long winded. I can post pics if you need.

 

[DNelson]

My '99 had the same problem - I took it to the dealer, and they fixed it. Apparently there was a problem with the sealing around the top of the door. Once that was replaced, the squeaking stopped.

 

[pwr2tow]

It could be the rear door is too tight.

Mine done the same thing when new and adjusting the stricker solved the problem.



Loosen stricker screws for rear door so the stricker will slide, then close rear door slowly and hold the door tight but not too tight, then lift door handle and hold the stricker at the same time so the stricker dosen't move while opening door, then retighten the stricker screws. drive down the road and if there is no air niose that should be sufficient, if you hear air leaking then just adjust the stricker in towards the cab a little more until air leak noise is gone and hopefully the cab door will not squeak any more. Worked for me.



Ron

 

[Old Man]

door squeek

MrFixit, how did the trip to the dealer go. I have the same problem. Thanks!

 

[MrFixit]

Noises

Steve, Thanks for the info, Pix would be nice, they are always worth a 1000 words. You can private message me the pix or what ever is easiest for you. I thought I would let the dealer take a crack at it first before I tinkered with it. Payed a lot of money for this truck and feel they should take care of these things.



Old Man... truck it there now, I pick it up tonight. Will post later tonight results.



On another note, checked out 2002 with the towing flip up mirrors... They are now powered and heated. I gave up my stock power/heated for the accesory flip up tow mirror 3 months ago and they are not powered or heated. Parts guy is checking into this for me to see if they are available for 2001

 

[MrFixit]

Picked up Truck

Picked up thr truck tonight, window rattle was a s TSB(23-034-01). It is quiet now.

Fuel pedal noise states "resecured throttle cable at brake pedal" Now I thought this truck had electric reostat system and no cable. Don't know but the noise is gone.

They also fixed the 6spd indicator button. Always rotated around.

I thought they were going to TSB my ebrake light that stays on sometimes. They just greased everything. Time will tell.

Also had a klunk in the steering (LHS) when truck sits overnight and I turn the wheel first thing in the morining. They could not get it to do it but greased everything.