Rattles in roof

CoachOz · Post by **CoachOz** » Wed 19 Jan, 2011 05:54

There is quite a bit of rattling going on behind me when I have the roof down and I'm wondering whether this is normal or if I can do something to quieten it down.

Ferdinand · Post by **Ferdinand** » Wed 19 Jan, 2011 06:12

Solution: Close the roof

Or maybe there's a rattlesnake down there...

CoachOz · Post by **CoachOz** » Wed 19 Jan, 2011 06:43

No rattlesnakes here in OZ, only death adders, tiger snakes and king brown snakes - all likely to be fatal.

Titan · Post by **Titan** » Wed 19 Jan, 2011 09:14

CoachOz wrote:There is quite a bit of rattling going on behind me when I have the roof down

I think you need to be a bit more specific,
It's very difficult diagnosing problems for people here in the UK.
It's virtually impossible to hear your rattle down under

Is it a slight rattle or a heavy one
Constant or just when going over bumps etc
What area approx - central, rear, left or right?

I'm not sure if your model year has a roof liner.
If it does it may be worth checking the tension spring.
The securing crimp on this is prone to failure leaving it to dangle which creates an intermittent rattle

This was my DIY solution:

CoachOz · Post by **CoachOz** » Wed 19 Jan, 2011 10:47

Is it a slight rattle or a heavy one - its pretty loud and I need to be travelling at 70 or 80k before the road noise overcomes it
Constant or just when going over bumps etc - over bumps, but apart from the main highway all our local roads are bumpy, so actually its pretty constant
What area approx - central, rear, left or right? - left to centre

I'm not sure if your model year has a roof liner. No roof liner in the 97

msassoon · Post by **msassoon** » Wed 19 Jan, 2011 11:25

My battery was loose, and that caused rattles and then a bump going over humps.

Titan · Post by **Titan** » Wed 19 Jan, 2011 12:39

How about the rear top mounts of the suspension then?

CoachOz · Post by **CoachOz** » Wed 19 Jan, 2011 14:48

I'll take it for a drive with the roof up and have another listen

Frank.A · Post by **Frank.A** » Wed 19 Jan, 2011 16:26

If it is the damper top mount that you can hear with the top down,they would be completely shot and you will certainly hear them with the top up.Before I bought mine I only went out in it with the top down and could not hear the offside top mount which was complete pandemonium with the top up.

I presume that you have tried the handbrake on a couple of notches to rule out the cable and brake shoe spring rattle.

Other possibles are battery,exhaust hangers and fuel tank straps,not to forget the rear bumper weights.

AW8 · Post by **AW8** » Wed 19 Jan, 2011 21:18

Worth considering the handbrake. If not adjusted properly you get rattle noise. Easy way to diagnose with top down and driving over bumpy road gently apply hanbrake a little way - if it stops the nosie thats your problem. Solution is usually to cause same to be adjusted properly.

Maybe worhwhile looking for unclipped cable & or cchecking all is good inside the rear hubs

CoachOz · Post by **CoachOz** » Thu 20 Jan, 2011 03:26

Thanks for the suggestions.

Went for a drive with the roof up - no rattle, put it down and the rattle returned. Any other ideas?

Hard Top · Post by **Hard Top** » Thu 20 Jan, 2011 04:13

It sounds to me like its just the soft top rattling when down, as I get that now and again with the hardtop on.
And I don't drive on the kind of roads that you drive on!!!

HT

CoachOz · Post by **CoachOz** » Sun 30 Jan, 2011 23:25

My clever 11 year old son found the source of the elusive rattle in the roof when it is down.

It is the locking hooks that are the culprit as when the roof is down there is no tension on them causing them to rattle.

The question is how to fix? The pin that goes through the eye of the hook seems to be a kind of rivet. Any suggestions?

swamper · Post by **swamper** » Sun 30 Jan, 2011 23:43

CoachOz wrote:No rattlesnakes here in OZ, only death adders, tiger snakes and king brown snakes - all likely to be fatal.

a friend of mine was in OZ years ago and was bitten of off king brown...as the rule stands if you are bitten off a snake you take it to the hospital so they can identify it.....so he picked it up.....so it bit him again!.......*Im still giggling after all these years*...thick f$*&%er

sorry that had nothing to do with your problem..

Vic-Z3 · Post by **Vic-Z3** » Mon 31 Jan, 2011 12:11

Get some White Grease on them rattles .....

Titan · Post by **Titan** » Mon 31 Jan, 2011 14:13

CoachOz wrote:My clever 11 year old son found the source of the elusive rattle in the roof when it is down.
It is the locking hooks that are the culprit as when the roof is down there is no tension on them causing them to rattle.
The question is how to fix? The pin that goes through the eye of the hook seems to be a kind of rivet. Any suggestions?

Firstly, try closing the handles when the hood is open, so that the hooks don't stick up.
Secondly, I think you will find that the "rivet" is an allen key which locks onto a flat spot inside the hook. If you slacken the allen key, the hook portion can be screwed in/out to tighten the front edge of the roof. It's not likely to be necessary if your roof closes, locks and seals properly.

HTH

CoachOz · Post by **CoachOz** » Tue 01 Feb, 2011 05:55

Well actually it rattles even more with the handles closed.

The allen key socket only adjusts the length of the hook as you say. However the pivot points are lower down, one being just accessible but the lower one does not seem to be and unfortunately that's where most of the rattle comes from

Titan · Post by **Titan** » Tue 01 Feb, 2011 07:47

CoachOz wrote:........... that's where most of the rattle comes from

OK
So you've definitely identified the culprit
You now need to
ATTENUATE the noise - stuff a bit if sponge in the mechanism perhaps
or
DROWN it - turn the radio up and/or drive faster

or
just live with it

Ferdinand · Post by **Ferdinand** » Tue 01 Feb, 2011 08:04

Titan wrote:If you slacken the allen key, the hook portion can be screwed in/out to tighten the front edge of the roof. It's not likely to be necessary if your roof closes, locks and seals properly.

HTH

I adjusted mine last week - wind"bloody"noise was driving me up the wall (not the Range Rover as it is stationary right now)

It has totally tranformed the car - no more noise - except for the tyres and the burbbleing straight six

Life is great - lets make it bigger!

zroadster.net

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