Ok, JK and JKU aficionados, I have a problem. I have a squeak that has been driving me nuts for about 6 months. I’ve been able to locate it to the right rear, but it is inconsistent.

“Static” tests don’t reveal the squeak. I can bounce the suspension by hand up and down and left and right and no sound. I can take the Jeep over both even and uneven bumps, and no sound. But take it on a rough road and it will squeak – but just when it’s damn ready to!

I’ve taken many back roads and trails and run stretches that will be very loud. I’ll back up, put my wife in the driver’s seat, and run the same stretch while I’m outside listening to… nothing.

I’ll go downhill and say a-ha! There’s the squeak. Only to go down that same stretch and nothing. I’ll apply the brakes and “finally!”. Until it squeaks with the breaks on. Emergency brake? Squeaks. Left turns. Squeaks. Right turns. Squeaks. Over a bump. Nothing. Over washboards. Nothing. Over whoops, nothing. Hit the right bump and - DAMN IT!

I found many, MANY potential squeaks, everything from loose wire bundles to my hi-lift jack. I’ve hosed down every joint imaginable with food-grade silicone to try to prevent the squeak, but so far no success. I’ve done every body mount and rubber bushing with the silicone and it makes no difference.

Yes, I know “it’s a Jeep thing”, but my 2008 JKU is SO quiet I’m the envy of everyone I ‘wheel with... except when the “squeak snake” rears its ugly head.

Any ideas?

 

Does it sound like a rubber squeak, like a squeezed bushing, or is more metallic sounding?

 

I have had a squeak in the rear that was hard to track down before, and it turned out to be my swap bar bushings under the clamps, but I would think that with your stationary troubleshooting and getting that jeep rocking back and forth (side to side) anything suspension related would get ruled out quickly.

 

More metallic.

I did kill a similar squeak a few months ago. It turned out to be the pointy end of a clipped zip tie rubbing on a bit of the axle retainer plate. If the bundle bounced just right it would make this horrible screeching sound. The sound produced was way beyond what I would expect from something that small. A bit of zip-tie removal and bundle relocation took care of it. The devil squeak sounds a bit like that.

A clue (maybe) might be that things get quiet for a mile or two, then the squeak will almost sound like it's "breaking free". Then the frequency of the squeaks goes up for a while. I'm guessing loose hardware somewhere, but I already put a wrench on very nut and bolt from the rear bumper on forward. Found some slightly loose hardware, so I suppose it was not time wasted. But no luck on the devil squeak.

Went out yesterday and had the wife drive it over a really rocky section while I tried to keep up from the outside. Yureka! Noisy as heck! But I was too far away to hear exactly where it was coming from, except rear right somewhere. "Back up, honey! I think we found the sweet spot!" Not a sound. 3-4 more times. Nothing.

Before anyone suggests the "Standard Jeep Noise Fix" (AKA "the Radio"), 1) "If it's too loud, you are too old!" I'm too old. 2) It isn't great for the dog in the back seat. 3) I enjoy the sounds of nature. At least those sounds that are louder than the low rumble of my exhaust. 4) Even with the radio cranked up and AC/DC blasting Highway to Hell, I can still hear that squeak! (I thought Highway to Hell was appropriate for the devil squeak)

 

Clearly you have bonded with your Jeep and it has bestowed on you that special squeak that two of you get to share for eternity.
Acceptance is the only way forward.

Been there, done that. lol

 

No poly bushings anywhere in the Jeep is there? I had something similar to suspension squeak and turned out to be the front of the hard top under the back of the freedom panels there is a small bolt that worked about 1 thread loose. Tightened with blue loctite. I will never take the top off here in winter/summer thunderstorm country.

 

Well, I sold my soul to the devil, and he gave me a clue where to look. Actually, it was @Sixty4x4, but close enough. The mention of the hard top got me to thinking, maybe it's coming from the inside. So I did the "put a wrench on everything in back" and found two broken brackets on my Tuffy Security Deck. One of the brackets was rubbing between the broken parts. Give it the right bump, and YUP! THAT'S IT! The other side of the bracket was attached to the roll bar, which is attached to frame bits, which made it sound like it was coming from outside. Which it was. Sorta.

I couldn't repair the offending side because it was too far gone, but the other side still had meat left so I fabricated a bracket to secure it solid. I bent the too-far-gone side out of the way so it won't happen again.

While I was poking around I found a few loose tidbits so those got tightened up too. All I can say is WOW! I can't remember the Rubi being that quiet! Same roads that drove me nuts are a pleasure to ride again! Very impressed considering my 2008 JKU is almost 18 years old!

My Wrangler YJ was THE Jeep experience. Everything rattled, but I was younger and the music was louder.

Now I'm in heavenly bliss - if it weren't for that "soul" thing.

 

Glad to help and I recommend you put blue loctite on them as they back out again.

 

I sold my soul at a discount, and I got robbed. We went out on the exact same course before the "fix" (lots of noise) and after the fix (zero noise). Posted above that things were A-OK, despite my soul burning forever. But today we went for another ride and I couldn't back out of my driveway without that devil noise!

I guess I agree with @SFNM16JKUR, my Jeep loves me so much it bonded with me and has given me the gift of the devil almighty squeak!

I even went through a huge rainstorm with hopes that water would seep into every crack and crevice and drown out the devil squeak. Nope. Not even close.

Long live the squeak! Long live my radio!

Thanks for the ideas. I did solve a lot of squeaks, bumps, and rattles.

If anyone has a first-born child they would like to sacrifice to help me with my devil-snake squeak, let me know! I have a great voodoo site that doesn't seem to work, but it might with the right offering!

 

My 2008 has done the opposite. It sounded like it was falling to bits when hitting bumps but lately went real quiet and has stayed that way. Bolts semm to have tightened up. Must be knowing I want to replace it - want small truck so Colorado ZR2 new or new Tacoma. Gladiator if it had the S6 in it I would buy.