About the supposed "shift knob" rattle on JK 6-speed 2011+
06-16-2013, 07:06 PM
#1
JK Super Freak
Thread Starter
About the supposed "shift knob" rattle on JK 6-speed 2011+
Since about day 3 of owning my 2012 JK Wrangler Sport 2-door, the 6-speed manual has sounded EXACTLY like the transmission in the video below, and sometimes worse. Thank you to whomever filmed the video...it's not mine, but it captures the symptom perfectly.
The symptom: A rattle that sounds like "krrrrrrr" coming from the shift knob, shifter, or console. The noise is heard under load in any gear, but mostly when pulling in 3rd and 4th. For me, it got so annoying that I dreaded hearing it every time I drove the vehicle.
It can sometimes be muted temporarily by holding the transmission in gear with excessive force (not recommended); or; applying pressure to the transfer case shift lever via the shift knob, usually up and to the left in the 2HI position.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poe0F-2qG8M The fix: I seriously don't know the root cause. But here's what I did. I should also note the fix has proven itself now, 200 miles good so far, over a variety of terrain and conditions.
In short, I removed the console, tightened a retaining clip on the boot that covers the shift fork, moved the location (by pushing) the transfer case shift cable under the vehicle, I tightened the retaining clip on the nearest heat shields to the transfer case shifter cable under the vehicle, and I applied some rubber material to the ends of the shift levers (both) so the knobs fit snugly and with cushion when they are reinstalled.
I'm a horrible person and I don't have pictures. I was in a hurry, but this is EASY. Also, I'm not responsible for anything you do, because you read this thread. The detailed steps are:
1. The shift console has to be removed to do this. Remove the shift knobs. (Set the parking brake and chock the wheels, shift the t-case to N, and shift the transmission to N. Straddle the console with your body. Grab the shift knob in a squat position and apply pressure with your hands upward. Repeat for the other knob. Set knobs aside, then, get your finger under the sides of the console where it meets the dash, and lift up gently. It's held on with a pressure fitting and it just pops up. Finagle the whole deal up over the shift levers--takes a bit of fiddling, but it all comes off. Set the console aside.
2. There's a retaining clip that holds the exposed boot over the shift gate. It's round and looks like a hazmat sign. I *think* it tightens a bit when it's turned to the right. At least, mine did.
3. Get under the vehicle. Find where the t-case shifter cable exits the tub. It comes down in a turn, and the cable is insulated by a big thick piece foam in a section. This is next to a black cast plastic part, sits on one side of it. Push the cable to the other side of this object. It should stay just fine. I figure this can't do any harm, and if the t-case shifter cable is rattling in any way, this will apply different pressure to it and will hopefully stop the rattling.
4. Look around at the heat shields in the immediate area of the t-case shifter cable underneath the vehicle. Same clips as above--round hazmat-sign looking things. Mine were loose. Turning them a bit tightened 'em. I figured that couldn't do any harm.
5. Back up top, slide the console back over the shift levers, line it's feet up with the holes, and apply pressure downward until it pops into place.
6. I cut some fingertips off of a latex glove and put them over the ends of the shift levers like condoms. I cut them short enough so that when the knobs were reinstalled, no latex would be seen hanging out. Once you have your makeshift condoms made, put 'em on the stick and then drive the knobs down on top of them to re-install, just as they came off. (is anyone excited yet?)
7. Go for a drive. You're welcome, if my instructions fixed it. If not--keep hunting.
I've read horror story upon horror story of people taking their rigs to the dealer for this problem---and they ALL seem to have it. The dealer keeps the rig unnecessarily long and they say they don't know what it is, or that it's normal. Sometimes they start replacing transmission parts just for the hell of it; in some cases, the entire transmission assembly. This took me about 5 minutes to do and saved me the headache of dealing with a Chrysler dealership.
The symptom: A rattle that sounds like "krrrrrrr" coming from the shift knob, shifter, or console. The noise is heard under load in any gear, but mostly when pulling in 3rd and 4th. For me, it got so annoying that I dreaded hearing it every time I drove the vehicle.
It can sometimes be muted temporarily by holding the transmission in gear with excessive force (not recommended); or; applying pressure to the transfer case shift lever via the shift knob, usually up and to the left in the 2HI position.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poe0F-2qG8M The fix: I seriously don't know the root cause. But here's what I did. I should also note the fix has proven itself now, 200 miles good so far, over a variety of terrain and conditions.
In short, I removed the console, tightened a retaining clip on the boot that covers the shift fork, moved the location (by pushing) the transfer case shift cable under the vehicle, I tightened the retaining clip on the nearest heat shields to the transfer case shifter cable under the vehicle, and I applied some rubber material to the ends of the shift levers (both) so the knobs fit snugly and with cushion when they are reinstalled.
I'm a horrible person and I don't have pictures. I was in a hurry, but this is EASY. Also, I'm not responsible for anything you do, because you read this thread. The detailed steps are:
1. The shift console has to be removed to do this. Remove the shift knobs. (Set the parking brake and chock the wheels, shift the t-case to N, and shift the transmission to N. Straddle the console with your body. Grab the shift knob in a squat position and apply pressure with your hands upward. Repeat for the other knob. Set knobs aside, then, get your finger under the sides of the console where it meets the dash, and lift up gently. It's held on with a pressure fitting and it just pops up. Finagle the whole deal up over the shift levers--takes a bit of fiddling, but it all comes off. Set the console aside.
2. There's a retaining clip that holds the exposed boot over the shift gate. It's round and looks like a hazmat sign. I *think* it tightens a bit when it's turned to the right. At least, mine did.
3. Get under the vehicle. Find where the t-case shifter cable exits the tub. It comes down in a turn, and the cable is insulated by a big thick piece foam in a section. This is next to a black cast plastic part, sits on one side of it. Push the cable to the other side of this object. It should stay just fine. I figure this can't do any harm, and if the t-case shifter cable is rattling in any way, this will apply different pressure to it and will hopefully stop the rattling.
4. Look around at the heat shields in the immediate area of the t-case shifter cable underneath the vehicle. Same clips as above--round hazmat-sign looking things. Mine were loose. Turning them a bit tightened 'em. I figured that couldn't do any harm.
5. Back up top, slide the console back over the shift levers, line it's feet up with the holes, and apply pressure downward until it pops into place.
6. I cut some fingertips off of a latex glove and put them over the ends of the shift levers like condoms. I cut them short enough so that when the knobs were reinstalled, no latex would be seen hanging out. Once you have your makeshift condoms made, put 'em on the stick and then drive the knobs down on top of them to re-install, just as they came off. (is anyone excited yet?)
7. Go for a drive. You're welcome, if my instructions fixed it. If not--keep hunting.
I've read horror story upon horror story of people taking their rigs to the dealer for this problem---and they ALL seem to have it. The dealer keeps the rig unnecessarily long and they say they don't know what it is, or that it's normal. Sometimes they start replacing transmission parts just for the hell of it; in some cases, the entire transmission assembly. This took me about 5 minutes to do and saved me the headache of dealing with a Chrysler dealership.
07-22-2013, 12:37 PM
#3
JK Enthusiast
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I had a noise only whilst in fifth gear, and going over bumpy roads.... I lifted the first boot on the gear lever inside the jeep exposing a secondary rubber boot which had two fork like locater pins on the front and two locking clips on the back... Due to this secondary boot having come loose caused my noisy 5th gear rattle, I had to do this fix twice as it unclipped the first time round
10-10-2013, 07:52 AM
#5
JK Super Freak
Thread Starter
Yeah, please reply back if the fix I described works. I'm now up to 14,000 miles and still shifter-rattle free. That includes lots of mixed driving, and just last weekend, about 6-8 hours of trail crawling in 4-low, and heavily potholed roads on the way there and back.
10-10-2013, 09:58 AM
#6
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My 2012 has rattled since day one in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th. 3rd is the loudest. The JK rattles less than my XJ, although the high lift jack rattles far louder. If I had bought a car I would be worried, but I bought a Jeep. I am sure I will bang other stuff loose along the way.
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10-12-2013, 09:53 AM
#8
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I tightened the mentioned retaining clips as well as added some zip ties to the cables than run next to the shifters. I also added a rubber hose around the shifter cable where it runs under the console as shown. We'll see if this does the trick...
10-14-2013, 05:11 AM
#9
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