So I've searched every thread that I could find on here to find a solution. I've spent hours out in the cold trying different fixes, and nothing has worked.

It started as a thump over big bumps. I tried a bunch of things and nothing seems to stop it. Today I parked in the sun and when I left work the thump has changed to a rattle, and it now happens over every single bump in the road. It is definitely in the rear and on the drivers side, and seems to be coming from the wheel well area. If I drive with the door open I can hear it on the outside just as well as on the inside.
My theory is that there is a block of ice/snow that has gotten somewhere that it can rattle. Parking in the sun may have melted it a bit allowing it to go from a thump to a rattle.

Any thoughts on this? Anyone have a similar problem? Due to the change in noise and the location, I've pretty well ruled out suspension and body mounts. It really sounds like it's something bumping against the body, and the fender flare is tight, so it's not that. Ideas?

Thanks!

 

Did you tighten up your jack?

 

I had a cat get stuck under my Tahoe once.....it was not pretty....and I'm a cat person.

Seriously.....could it be the jack or the lug wrench wiggling??

 

My jack was loose and it drove me nuts for weeks!!! It was just barely loose, but enough that it was making an awful racket!!!

 

Nope... jack was one of the many suggestions on other threads that I've checked. I actually took it out of the Jeep and drove around the block and the rattle persisted.

 

It didn't rattle this morning, and when I drove it this afternoon it's back to a thump. I'm confused.

 

I had the same situation a couple of weeks ago.Every bump i went over there was a rattling noise coming from the back end.Where i live there is alot of snow.When i looked under my jeep there was chunks of frozen slush everywhere.Some of it was actually loose but stuck in spots where it could not fall out.Then we had a warm spell and all the slush melted and the rattling is gone.I have not heard the noise since.

 

Ahhhh.... Thank you bear194. There is ice and frozen packed snow everywhere under my jeep right now and I was hoping that this is it. It seems likely, since it started after a bad storm that we had recently. On top of that, it changed again! It's now on the passenger side and back to a rattle. I think it must be chunks knocking into things. I'm just glad to hear that it's an issue someone else has dealt with. With as many people as there are on this forum, I kinda feel like if it's not posted here, it doesn't exist!

 

I know I have had the ice build up as well on our JK, very annoying and kind of embarassing driving downtown over bumps and people looking at the new rattling Jeep. My solution to fix the issue was to go to the local car wash and spray the crap underneath and it got ride of most of the ice build up. Another solution is if you can park it in a heated garage for the day for a few extra bucks....if you have them in your local city.

If this is not the case and it still rattles have a closer look at your catalytic "litter box" cover welds one may be coming loose.

 

Did you remove your track bar or shocks when you installed your spacers? The track bar is notorious for coming loose. If you did remove it, check the axle mount. Check the shock mount.