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Rearend or rear suspension clunk/creak

128K views 404 replies 76 participants last post by  Mongo53 
#1 ·
Hi everyone, new owner here. Bought my wife a '11 JGC Overland on 7/30 and we are experiencing a clunk/creak coming from the rear end. When driving the vehicle we can hear a distinct creaking/clunk over uneven roads or bumps. I know it's definitely coming from the rear since I had my wife drive while I sat in the back cargo area. I even went so far as to pop the back glass during one of the drives when back there and it was that much more apparent when I hung my head out the back. It seems more like a clunk when driving but a little more like a creak when backing out of the driveway. I believe it's a suspension related issue since it happens when there is some type of articulation of the suspension. It could be something loose but I got under the back end tonight and could not find a visible culprit. The only other thing I can think of is something with the e-brake since we do use it daily as our driveway is on a medium grade hill. I make sure when she parks it that she puts it in Neutral with her foot on the brake, put the e-brake on then let it take up the slack, then put it in park (that way not letting the transmission do the work). Those are my thoughts, any others?

Here are two possible TSBs but our build date was 05 - 2011 so I don't know if these apply...
http://www.wk2jeeps.com/tsb/tsb_wk2_1700211.pdf
http://wk2jeeps.com/tsb/tsb_wk2_1700310.pdf

Thanks
 
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#216 · (Edited)
My clunkity clunk clunk is back.... At 11020 miles the AE's made it 1800 miles. 800 miles longer than the AD's. I go Tuesday to have a plastic cover replaced on my passenger side, will have them look at my shocks while it's there. I think it may be time to trade. Love my Jeep, but the Gorilla's playing bongo's in the back end of my GC are getting on my nerves lol.
 
#223 ·
Actually what I was scared of :-( there will never be a fix. I guess it is to a certain extent a normal operating noise in the shock which gets amplified by a bad engineered connection to the body.
I will try a rubber piece between the body and the shock mount, maybe that dampens the sound.
 
#218 · (Edited)
OK, I recorded the noise my Jeep is making while accelerating from a stop. Listen to the knocking noises. It's annoying as hell.

http://users.ctinet.net/cki/JeepKnockNoise.mp3

It sounds quieter than it really is in the recording. Anyone know what this could possibly be. Happening in the rear of the vehicle, and every time I accelerate. Also happens when making turns at low speeds, etc

I took everything out of the trunk, spare tire, compartments, etc.
 
#224 ·
Well Chris-I wish you luck. We've been fighting this since the 2011 model with Quadralift. It'll be the right shock, then the left shock then both shocks finally telling you that it is a normal noise for the suspension to make. There have been 3 or 4 different generations of shocks and its still going on. There have been 1 or 2 who got some quiet for a while, but mostly frustration. I only tell you this to be prepared if the above scenario starts with you. I hope it doesn't but just don't be surprised by the song and dance if it starts:D
 
#226 ·
I'm telling you guys go lather them all up with lithium grease including above the shock mounting plate where attached to the body. There is a space above the plate where the top of the shock piston attaches. I crammed it full of grease as well. Been about 6 months and no clunks--there is a previoius entry about this. Is it gross-yes. Does it go against your neat and clean values Yes. Has it worked for me-Yes! Personally, I think the problem is with the mount attached to the body. I experimented and packed the space above the mount on one side but not the other. The packed one shut up while the other one clunked. I packed the space on the other side and it shut up as well. I think the mount is too flimsy and is stressed from different angles with the quadralift suspension which torques the shock laterally. If you're lucky, a new shock will keep it quiet for a little while, However, being subject to the same torque it starts to clunk as well. If you bounce it around and put torque on the frame (I don't much)--wahlaa-shock loses seal and it leaks. At one point I could reach through the rear wheels, grab the rear shocks and pull them side to side. Even their first attempt at fixing these had to do with the upper shock mounts--not the plate though. What are the odds of so many shocks failing on a suspension. I'm thinking it Ain't da shock boys!!
 
#228 · (Edited)
No I didn't take any pictures as I never thought it would work. Here is what I did. First-here is the link to the tsb where their first attempt at a fix was to tinker with the shock. http://www.wk2jeeps.com/tsb/tsb_wk2_1700213.pdf Jack up one side and be sure to secure it with a jack stand, When you remove the wheel, you'll see the felt liniing of the wheel well. There are 3 push pin fasteners you pop out ahich will allow you to push the stuff aside and see the shock. Using their terms on the tsb, pull down the dust boot and then the joust bumper. Now you are looking at the bottom of the shock mount--good american plastic. I took lithium grease and lathered it up all in there on that plastic part--I mean an absurd amount. Then reach your hand up and feel over the top of the mount where there is a bracket which the top of the shock-the rod -is bolted in. That piece of metal that the top of the shock bolts into had an area above it where I could stick my finger between it and the car body. I packed it full of grease-completely. This, I believe is the really important spot. I then replaced the joust cover and the dust boot. I also packed grease into every articulating joint I could find in the rear suspension. They have a rubber bushing to one side of the joint with a space on the other. I placed grease into those areas. I think there were about 4 of those but you'll see them so just grease as many as you see. Then replace the felt and put the wheel back on. same procedure on other side. I hope it works for you as it is nice to NOT hear that freaking noise. It is currently -20 here in Montana and they still have not made a sound. Over time, the shocks will look a bit greasy from all of that but I just don't look. Making a mess with grease everywhere goes contrary to my nature but I figured 'what the hell"=can't be any worse. Be sure to look at that TSB to see how to get to everything.
 
#230 ·
I just had my right rear shock replaced two weeks ago on my 2014 Overland and everything had been quiet... until today.

The knocking noise came back. I was infuriated.


Took the Jeep home, jacked it up, took the wheel off, globbed a TON of grease in the space above the shock mount... Noise is gone again. We'll see for how long.

I'm ready to trade the Jeep in for something else if this continues.
 
#232 · (Edited)
I bought lithium grease but they only had it in the spray can, and it was a little too thin. Wasn't working out too well so I had some multi-purpose mobile 1 synthetic grease and globbed a ton of it in there, it was spilling out all over the place around the mount, haha. I took a microfiber towel and cleaned up around the mount afterwards as best I could. I was skeptical but as soon as I went out on a test drive the noise was gone. Drove to work this morning and it was absolutely quiet.

Thanks for being the first one and trying it out, I'd have never went that route on my own just due to the mess factor, haha
 
#234 ·
I didn't take pictures either, but this is an image off of that TSB that was posted a page or so back. In the image, you can see the mount bolted to the Jeep's frame. Above that mount there is space where it is not touching the frame, you can put your finger above it. I globbed a sh** load of grease in that area above the mount (see arrow). Once you think you have enough grease in there, put some more, haha Then button everything back up and the noise should be gone.

 
#235 ·
I have 45000 miles on my Overland with quadralift and the creaking noise coming from behind the right rear passenger seat is now unbearably loud. Until recently, it wasn't that loud and would quiet down after driving for 5 minutes. Now it's there all the time when I drive over bumps or irregular pavement. I was going to try the grease fix and was under the car ready to smear grease into the area above the shock when I asked myself if this works, why? Is it because there is something loose and/or there is metal rubbing against metal and the grease acts like a cushion? If this is the case shouldn't there be a better fix. I was also wondering if this is a permanent fix or once the grease wears off the noise comes back.
 
#238 · (Edited)
Yes, I had to jack it up and remove the wheel. Then there are three push clips holding the wheel well liner up. Remove those and you'll be able to pull the liner towards you and up enough to get an angle on the shock.

You'll be able to look up and see the top of the mount, etc. Put grease in the space above the mount (use disposable latex gloves so you dont get it all over yourself).

I ended up using Mobile One Synthetic Multipurpose Grease sold in a can (which can be found in any auto-parts strore, and is red in color once you open the can) as the Lithium grease was only sold in a spray can at my Autozone store and was too thin to be effective. I packed the space above the mount with the multipurpose grease and the noise was completely eliminated. You dont have to worry about the aesthetics of the grease as you wont be able to see any of the grease or the top of the shock for that matter once you clip the wheel well liner back in place.

Going on a week now with no noise whatsoever (Watcher58 mentioned he's going on 6 months!). I'm not sure why grease in that space in particular makes the noise go away (maybe the noise is from body flex or something on the contact points that the mount is attached to), but so far the grease has been effective.
 
#239 ·
^ Thanks for the info. I already have a new grease tube (bought for riding mower). I'll have to try that next Spring. It's too cold, wet, and dirty now.
 
#241 ·
Was the grease thick, and was it enough to fill the space... mine was oozing out I put so much (I cleaned up with a cloth around the area). I ask because I used lithium grease (spray can) the first time and it wasn't filling anything up because it was liquidy thin and it didn't work. Only when I put in the thicker multi-purpose grease did it work. Still good, no noise.
 
#245 ·
Ok.. did some research tonight and did find shocks for sale but for over $300 each..

BUT the non load leveling ones are only 50. Does anyone have a way to verify this part # to make sure its the right thing? I will never tow with my vehicle and the noise is just making me crazy now to the point i hate it..
Thanks

68209444AB
 
#246 ·
Are you fellas certain that they are only replacing the shocks once? My replacements have been on my truck for 10k miles now and they have started to knock again. My truck is within 1k miles of the bumper to bumper warranty expiration.

If I get these replaced yet again..... will Jeep provide coverage on the new part for another 10k miles?
 
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