rdubb1031

Ok, so I've read about 10 threads on this and the solutions I found are:
- Latch Strike
- Broken Welds
- Hinge Pins

the problem is that no one has posted pics of their problems or solutions. I'm dealing with a rattle, that I believe is the welds, but I"m not sure. Can anyone who has had this problem in the past show some pictures of the problem and solution?

For background, I had a 295/70R18 (roughly 34.5"x11.5") spare on for less than 4 months which caused the noise. It appears to be coming from the center of the tailgate, which is why I'm led to believe its the welds, but I"m not sure what I"m looking for.

Can anyone help with this?

Shortbuss

Open the tailgate and hold the very end. Mine had play up and down. That was with stock tires. But I used to drive a rough logging road a few times a week. Warranty covered the cost.

rdubb1031

mine does move up and down.. at least a quarter of an inch.. how'd they fix it? new hinges?

Robar

Here is a thread about welds on the tail gate that pulled apart.

Careful with your tailgates!!!

rdubb1031

Thanks.. my welds look good then. I thought they could have popped on the inside, but they still look like the normal welds. wtf... is there a way to tighten the hinges?

RevyJKU08

Try adjusting your door striker just a touch towards the front of the Jeep to snug up the swing gate door tight to the rubber moldings on the tub. You may have to tweek it a few times to find the right spot. I found I got my wife to drive and hit some bumps while I sat in the tub to ensure the rattle was fixed. Then add some electrical tape to the stiker. It should snug up the swing gate and stop the rattle.

rdubb1031

Well Crap...

I went back out to my jeep and ran my finger over every weld again.. and guess what... Popped at least one, but it looks like three.. sure enough when I hit it with my hand, I get a similar rattle.

So here's my questions now, based on this...
1. How tight should I have the AEV tire carrier to the saddle block? can having it too tight continue to damage these welds and hinges?
2. any way to fix this? can I screw and bolt next to it?
3. any solutions on how to get rid of the rattle with broken welds?

Crap this sucks.. really ruined my day...

_J__C_

So the problem isn't caused by the tire weight on the gate.. Was it doing this prior to getting the tire carrier, or did it start after the carrier was installed? If it started after the carrier install I would call AEV and see if they can help.

sa29560

My tailgate does the rattle thing all the time when I hit bumps. The rear gate itself has a couple cracks on the inside closest to the hinges. Then again I just took off the rear mount and retorqued it all down, and it didn't help. Maybe the hinges are a good place to start for me

rdubb1031

I ran 35's for three months and it started making the noise.. took off the spare and put on the AEV tire carrier. Broke the welds while the spare was on the factory mount.. need to repair the welds now that its on the AEV Tire carrier..