Roof Rack Rattle / Clunking

[jbstrd]

I have a Thule MOAB basket on the top of my 4Runner with a Hi-Lift mounted on the side of it. When I hit bumps, there is a clunk / rattle noise. I had a similar noise when I had this basket on my 3rd Gen as well. All of the brackets and crossbars are tightened as tight as I can get them. The noise sounds like it is coming from the roof, but I can not determine exactly where. The noise did not start until I added the basket, either.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Jason

 

[GrantK]

Obviously something is loose so first take off the HiLift to make sure you're not hearing one of it's parts rattling. The it should be easy to give every section a good push-pull to find the loose piece part and fix it.

 

[MeBe4running]

I have a Thule MOAB basket on the top of my 4Runner with a Hi-Lift mounted on the side of it. When I hit bumps, there is a clunk / rattle noise. I had a similar noise when I had this basket on my 3rd Gen as well. All of the brackets and crossbars are tightened as tight as I can get them. The noise sounds like it is coming from the roof, but I can not determine exactly where. The noise did not start until I added the basket, either.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Jason

Jason, this is inevitable. You have a 27-31 lbs (depending on the size of your high lift jack) on one side of your roof rack. If I recall correctly the mounts for those Thule roof racks are suspended a little outwards of the rack maybe by a couple of inches. Then on the other side of your rack you have nothing mounted, is that correct? WIth that being said that jack is going rattle on any bumpy or uneven surface on or off road. If you need the physics explanation ask 1engineer

Firstly and most importantly, do you remove the base of your jack before storing it on your rack? If not, this should be the first thing to be removed when storing. That base rattle's like..... cant think of a suitable analogy, but that's your first culprit to tackle. Remove it and store it within your truck. I place mine under my rear seat.

Now there are a few products out there to HELP dampen vibrations and noise such as the Hi-Lift Handle-Keeper | L.N. Curtis & sons this helps the handle from moving around. Do shop around as I have seen tis for as cheap as $10 shipped. Also you can purchase a Hi-Lift Jack Njc Neoprene Jack Cover This mainly protects the jack mechanism from the elements however I feel it helps to reduce the noise as well.

Hope this helps!

 

[jbstrd]

Thanks for the help. The sound is definitely coming from the roof area. It almost sounds like inside the headliner. I know it has something to do with the weight, but I am not sure exactly what would cause the noise. The jack itself makes a slight rattle noise, but this clunk is different.

I do have the jack mounted on one side of the basket with only a shovel on the other side. I actually mounted it with a Hi-lift Loc-Rac mount through the top basket bar.

I was just wondering if the extra weight, even though it is not maxing out the load limit of the factory rack, can cause something in the roof or headliner to clunk.

Thanks, Jason

 

[MeBe4running]

Thanks for the help. The sound is definitely coming from the roof area. It almost sounds like inside the headliner. I know it has something to do with the weight, but I am not sure exactly what would cause the noise. The jack itself makes a slight rattle noise, but this clunk is different.

I do have the jack mounted on one side of the basket with only a shovel on the other side. I actually mounted it with a Hi-lift Loc-Rac mount through the top basket bar.

I was just wondering if the extra weight, even though it is not maxing out the load limit of the factory rack, can cause something in the roof or headliner to clunk.

Thanks, Jason

I was just wondering if the extra weight, even though it is not maxing out the load limit of the factory rack, can cause something in the roof or headliner to clunk.

Well does it clank/clunk when the high lift jack is off? If not, then yes I think you'll find it is the weight.

 

[jbstrd]

Figured it out. The rack flexes enough on bumps so the "hook" on the Hi-lift is hitting against the factory side rail. This noise is very pronounced inside the cab. I already have a neoprene cover on its way, so that should take care of the problem. I think with the neoprene acting as a padding, it should stop the noise. Eventually, when I get aftermarket cross bars, it should sit it up higher so the jack is not sitting as close to the side rails.

Thanks again.

 

[MeBe4running]

Figured it out. The rack flexes enough on bumps so the "hook" on the Hi-lift is hitting against the factory side rail. This noise is very pronounced inside the cab. I already have a neoprene cover on its way, so that should take care of the problem. I think with the neoprene acting as a padding, it should stop the noise. Eventually, when I get aftermarket cross bars, it should sit it up higher so the jack is not sitting as close to the side rails.

Thanks again.

Great! Keep us posted with the outcome. Makes prefect sense now that YOU mention it. Post some pictures when you get a chance... I am a visual person a would love to see the set up! Thanks!

 

[jbstrd]

Great! Keep us posted with the outcome. Makes prefect sense now that YOU mention it. Post some pictures when you get a chance... I am a visual person a would love to see the set up! Thanks!

Will do. Does anybody know how much higher Thule cross bars sit over the factory cross bars?

 

[jbstrd]

Here are some garage cell phone pics. Sorry, the weather is crappy here.

 

[jbstrd]

A side shot showing the Loc-rac mount.

 

[MeBe4running]

Could you shoot one image showing the distance between the rack and the high lift? So from the passenger's side front tire looking down to the rear of the truck.

 

[jbstrd]

Could you shoot one image showing the distance between the rack and the high lift? So from the passenger's side front tire looking down to the rear of the truck.

Here you go. This shows the proximity to the side rail also.

 

[MeBe4running]

Here you go. This shows the proximity to the side rail also.

Yeah thats close... I bet you anything that the "claw" of the jack is coming into contact with the rack whilst driving. I have one more request for an image and that a birds eye view of the jack a rack with the most attention towards the space between the rack and the jack. That should help me finalize MY opinion and recommend something to help eliminate the clink/clank/clunk.

 

[jbstrd]

Taken from an 8ft ladder as high as I can hold it in my 9ft garage, lol.

 

[MeBe4running]

Taken from an 8ft ladder as high as I can hold it in my 9ft garage, lol.

Ha ha.... brain storming on this one....

 

[MeBe4running]

This clank/clunk could quite well be the actual mechanism of the high lift jack moving across. In fact, I bet my bottom dollar that's what the sound you're experiencing is. The claw of the jack is hitting the base of the jack. Go out to your garage and try and move the jack via the handle and see how much movement/travel you get out of it? Does it move much?