Knock coming from rear door of 2013 JK Unlimited
 

I recently traded my old 2001 TJ I had owned for 16 years on a 2013 JK Unlimited. Overall I'm happy with the JK, however I'm getting an annoying knock that I believe I've traced correctly to the rear door latch and striker it connects with. Dealership was no help, mechanic tightened spare tire lug nuts and tire rack and when I said knock was still there he stated he had one does same thing and you just gotta live with it which I find totally unacceptable. Knock doesn't occur while driving on smooth roads but bumps in the road and you're sure to hear it. I'm thinking trial and error repositioning the latch striker but wondering if anyone else has experienced this issue before I get into that. Thanks to anyone that could advise me on this.

Put some plastic electrical tape on the striker as shown in the picture. It worked on mine and lasted quite a while. Eventually, I installed heavy duty MORryde hinges, which eliminated the need for the tape.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jk-...f3fb38b804.jpg

I also thought of that tape idea, wasn't sure how it would hold up. So apparently this is not uncommon. Thanks for your quick response, I really appreciate it.

I'd say it's not normal, but happens from time to time. I've got a '13 as well. My doors are on/off a lot, as well as being topless most the time. I currently have a similar little knock in the rear passenger door which just started...but doors were recently off and the top is off too, so there's a little less snug of a fit than with the top on.

All the weather stripping and seals around the door look to be in good shape? When you close the door with the top on do you get a decent bit of resistance?...as in you have to shut it pretty hard or it doesn't latch tightly? I'd probably just do the tape cuz it takes like 2 minutes, and see if that improves it. I've had to do that on my driver's door in the past. Oddly enough, I no longer need it.

Same thing with my driver's door. Needed to be taped years ago. Now, with no tape, it doesn't clunk over bumps.

Tape works well on this issue . i put gorilla tape on the door side flanges not the striker as shown in the photo in the post above just tightens that slight gap that gives the clunk.. Another thing that can also clunk is there a hose just above wheel well under the plastic leading toward the gas cap running along the frame that also had to be shimmed up on my 2 door it was clunking. But the rear door clunk is the issue im sure. Jeeps are clunkers , you fix one and then you hear another over time . after a while you just ignore them . ive got those gremlins all figured out now though . had a hose behind glove box that was rubbing too fixed that one as well

I think people are responding to two separate issues here - some thinking you're meaning the rear passenger doors, others thinking it's the tailgate.

I used the tape fix for the passenger doors - until I discovered that the better fix is to realign the strike by marking it's original location and moving it slightly and testing.

The dealer service actions tell me that it's the tailgate giving you problems and the Mor Ryde hinges are definitely the ticket. Maybe the previous owner had a bigger set of tires on there which caused the hinges to wear. Take a look at my post below for a description.

https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/modi...rcment-319775/

:doh: I think you're 100% right. Tailgate didn't cross my mind at all, even with the original comments about what the dealer did. I saw JKU and I saw "rear door" and mind didn't compute the probable error in terminology.

OP - it is helpful to fill out a few more details in your profile, specifically if the vehicle is stock or modified. I presume it's stock since you posted in the "stock" forum, but it is good to have that info in your profile for the people that try to reference details of what you're working with. As RepressedSince15 noted, previous owner could have had a larger tire mounted back there which wore those hinges down, which is then affecting the latch on the opposite site.