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Tailgate Rattle Elimination
The Search
My 92 745t has been plagued with tailgate rattles since I purchased it 2 years ago. After discovering the Brickboard, the 700\900 FAQ and IPD shortly after buying the car, I began a campaign to eliminate the annoying rattles blasting from the back of my beloved brick. First items I fixed where the clips that held the top of the tailgate trim panel in place. True to Volvo form, two of the four clips broke. I fashioned some replacement clips from a cut up Rubbermaid trashcan lid after seeing the repair kit offered by IPD in their catalog. This helped a bunch but did not get rid of all rattles. Next, I went through the entire tailgate with zip-ties securing every loose wire and wiring connector. Next, I lined all the joints between plastic trim panels in back of the car with very thin self-adhesive foam. While doing this I discovered that behind the rear courtesy\dome light a trim fastener had worked itself out and was rattling around behind the light. More quiet. Next, I adjusted the lock and latch mechanism on the opening floor panel and wedged small pieces of plastic between the wood of the floor and the metal support strips that are riveted to the underside. The rivets had loosened up over time and had begun to rattle. More quiet.
Despite all these measures, a bad metallic rattle was still very evident going over even the smallest bumps. Last night, my neighbor drove the car while I sat in the rear and listened carefully. The annoying rattle was coming from the latch. After removing the tailgate trim panel and the latch I discovered that a small “L” shaped piece of metal within the latch mechanism was very loose. The rattle had been found. The small “L” shaped lever causing the rattle is connected to the tailgate door latch via a small, adjustable rod. When the door handle is pulled up to open the tailgate door, the connecting rod is pushed down moving the lever. The “L” shaped lever changes the vertical motion to horizontal motion acting on the latch mechanism in such a way as to release the striking pin.
The Cure
To squash the rattle, I packed the latch mechanism with some thick wheel bearing grease. I tried to us as little as possible to prevent running of the grease during the hotter months. I also adjusted the rod between the latch mechanism and the door handle to eliminate any play. Lastly, I sprayed the plastic “V” shaped guide channel on the latch and the reverse shaped striking pin on the doorsill with dry lubricant. This last step would hopefully do away with a rubbing noise from the latch area I heard while searching for the rattle.
The Result
The Brick is blissfully quite now. Almost like a new car. Almost. I still have a few creaks from the glove box area, an occasional moan from somewhere and two very small rattles from the sunroof. However, they pale in comparison to the rattles from the tailgate area and can easily be muffled by tunes from the stereo. I was surprised at just how much noise was coming from the back of the car and how much quieter the car now rides.
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