How to reduce interior rattle.

[ChaseRoads]

I've owned maybe 15 foxbodies over the years. One thing they all had in common... they are all rattle boxes. I would like to reduce the rattles and interior sounds as much as possible in my convertible. I'm not talking about road noise but the actual interior of the car making noise as you go down the road. Any suggestions or insights?

 

[manicmechanic007]

Sticky backed foam tape is your friend
Chase the rattles down one at a time and isolate
Every joint of that convertible top will pop squeak and rattle
Do the best you can to isolate the noise with the tape while keeping it hidden
Good luck

 

[91AOD5.0LX]

Mine was a rattle box when I first purchased it in Dec 2020. I used zip ties under the dash on harnesses and connectors that weren’t secure. I tightened all interior screws and replaced any that were missing. My door striker bushings were both missing so they were replaced. All rubber bumpers under the hatch and hood were replaced as well as all weather seals. Door hinges were lubed. Flapping ashtray lid was fixed and the center console armrest latch lock. I secured the Spare tire, lug wrench, and the Jack and Installed new front struts/springs and rear shocks, quad shocks and springs. Lastly I emptied the glove box and center console of any random items such as the wheel lock key, pens, etc, that were rattling around and either relocated the item or wrapped it in a small piece of cut rag.
The car is now 100% rattle free. Everything combined made a huge difference but the most noticeable in itself was the new door striker Bushings. They themselves stopped a very annoying and loud door rattle instantly. Second place was the suspension parts but as a whole everything combined did away with every single rattle. Good luck.

 

[Dan02gt]

Subframe connectors will help drastically also. I also recommend a K member brace and strut tower brace. Basically anything you can do to keep the car from twisting around like a wet noodle will help.

 

[Boostedpimp]

I would suggest everything Dan02gt posted above

 

[General karthief]

A dab of blue rtv on the threads of interior screws help them stay in place and you don't have to tighten them like a head bolt, I hate it when I find broken, cracked plastic pieces.
Also the dash and instrument plastic have little rubber boots(?) that push on to tiny studs, they get brittle and fall off, the dash is the biggest squeaker and spare tire/jack, lug wrench and doors are the biggest rattlers,
Unless you own a convertible, that's a whole new world of weird noises.

 

[CARBLDR]

A+B+C. tighten and fix everything that has come loose or broken as has been stated. stiffen the chassis with SF connectors. add judiciously placed sound deadener ( not everywhere, just enough to fix panels that rattle when you hit or bump the area with your hand)
I did all of that to the last two fox bodies tgat i have and other than wind noise that came as a by product of the boxy-foxy bodystyle, tye cars are quiet as when they were new.

 

[Mustang5L5]

SFC's, K-member brakes + STB.

Other than that, you can try and find the interior contact points that are rattling and install a sound deadening tape between where the interior plastics rub

 

[Potomus Pete]

Also the brace that goes shock tower to shock tower is supposed to make a big difference. Wish I could afford one right now.

 

[mikestang63]

get a Vortech and you won't hear the rattles

 

[General karthief]

get a Vortech and you won't care about rattles

Fix'd

 

[paulpritt11]

get a Vortech and you won't hear the rattles

Yeah...that'll do it...or just keep the Flowmasters flowing hard

 

[7991LXnSHO]

I cannot find the right name at McMaster Carr today, but the spring steel u shape fittings that slide over the edge of a panel, or using E6000/Goop for the rectangle thread part to tighten up the holes for all the screws in my hatch really help prevent the monthly screw adjustment routine.

 

[General karthief]

U nuts or U clips
NOT u'r nuts or dees nuts

 

[Rdub6]

Kilmat sound deadener at the same time I did my SFC solved a lot of rattles!

 

[manicmechanic007]

Back in the day every screw in a Cadillac and some Lincolns were coated with glue and allowed to dry then the screws were used / set
Never to rattle or come loose

 

[General karthief]

Back in the day every screw in a Cadillac and some Lincolns were coated with glue and allowed to dry then the screws were used / set
Never to rattle or come loose

A little dab of blue silicone works too
And I agree with the kilmat, I put dyomat from firewall to tail lights and it made the car a lot quieter, the dump truck got it also.

 

[Mustang5L5]

A lot of the squeaks and such are where the interior plastics rub and flex. Some of that tape with a felt/soft contact face really comes in handy for some of those contact points.