Ways to reduce the clanking of metal

[steve aleve]

I am sure there are some posts about this but I couldn't find one that seemed to answer it best.

I have swapped a 1954 3100 onto an S-10 frame with a 5.3 and 4l60E. The truck seems to be running pretty good and cruises real nice (even got up to 75 on the freeway).

Now what I am bothered with is that it still sounds like a bucket of bolts when I hit any bump at all. I am thinking I need to go back and install a fender gasket set to help reduce this but I am not sure how quiet I can expect to get a 63 year old truck (body).

Any hep you can provide would be appreciated!

Steve

[mongocanfly]

not having fender gaskets won't sound like a bucket of bolts unless the fender bolts are very loose....it would be more of a squeak...sure you got everything bolted up..no loose braces or such..can you tell where on the truck the noise is coming from..

[my56chevytruck]

Hello Steve,
I guess I'd ask you where does the clanking come from? Do you have welting between the fenders and bed/body, is it the window regulators, door mechanisms? Having a truck that clanks now and then I've determined I need to buy new window regulators and door locking mechanisms, so I'd try to nail down as to what is clanking first. Go around with a few wrenches and try tightening anything and everything as well. good luck.
Morrie

[capnduane]

Had a clankety clank rumble bang rattle, the last few months in my '55 2nd. Came and went. Finally figured out it was my jack handle stuffed down between the gas tank and rear of cab. Put a shop rag down in there and bingo! No more clunks.

[mr48chev]

There isn't enough room to list all of the squeaks, clanks and rattles on my truck.

One big cause of them is removing the support rods between the fenders and the firewall for clearance or "appearance" I thought I was cutting a fat hog doing that in 1982 and I created more noises than one can imagine plug the hood shakes and the fenders shake.

I don't have welting between the fenders and the cab or the fenders and the bed and that no doubt creates some squeaks.

Then there is anything laying loose in the truck under or behind the seat that can make a racket at times as capnduane said he discovered on his truck. The cab corners are great places to stash things (step father kept his beer there in the 54) but a great place for something to hide and rattle.

Then don't forget worn suspension pieces and the crossbar for the stock park brake.

[dsraven]

it goes without saying that you would first do a thorough check of in, under and around the truck to ensure everything is tightened up so there are no obvious loose fasteners or loose items left behind. I have found golf balls under the seats of trucks that were put there by "buddies" as a joke. I have found flashlights inside doors left by the last guy to work on the door. I have found tools left under the hood by the last guy. all that stuff has the potential to make noise. sometimes a good thorough cleaning and vacuum of all the crooks and crannies can reveal all sorts of things you had no idea were left behind. look under and behind the seat, in the cab corners, the glove box etc


set the truck in a quiet area. turn off the shop radio and any other noise source. walk around the unit looking for any traces of a rusty powder that can indicate something is moving that can cause a noise. open doors, hood, tailgate etc. bounce the unit a couple of times and see if you find anything obviously loose.
-check the bumpers and mounts for cracks, loose fasteners or movement
-check the door hinges for looseness by lifting up on the latch end of an almost closed door. does the door move a bunch up and down?
-check the door latches and mechanisms, including the interior handles and connector parts, for wear and slop
-check the window regulators and tracks for wear and slop, window open and window closed. sometimes shaking an open door can tell you if there is something loose or broken inside.
-check the weatherstrip on the doors to see if the door closes tight against the rubber or if it is allowed to move in and out which can cause noise from the hinges or the latches
-check the vent door mechanism in front of the window for wear and slop
-check the hood hinges for wear and slop
-check to ensure the hood seals and rubber parts are all in place and it is not rubbing somewhere it is not meant to rub metal on metal
-check the hood latch for wear and slop
-check the hood seam (if you have one. it is where the left and right halves join) for movement(rusty powder)
-check the tailgate for wear and slop in the hinge points
-check the tailgate chains for rattle on body parts-some guys use an old bike tube to run the chains through so they don't make noise and remove the paint from the truck
-check the box mounts for cracks, missing or loose fasteners and movement
-check the cab mounts for cracks, missing or loose fasteners or movement
-check the rad support, rad and mount for cracks, missing or loose fasteners and movement
-check all the lights to make sure everything is still tightly secured
-check the spare tire mounts for loose fasteners, cracks and movement
-check the seat frame and mounts for cracks, loose fasteners and movement
-check the heater, controls, cables, fan etc for mounting integrity, loose fasteners, cracks or movement
-check the windshield wiper system for cracks, loose fasteners or movement
check the instrument cluster and mounts for cracks, missing or loose fasteners or movement
check any other interior add on or bolt on part for looseness (steering column, pedal systems, radio, speaker, choke or throttle cables, accelerator pedal and linkage, jack and handle securement, items in the glove box, the actual glove box and door etc)

now, block the wheels, jack it up and set it on stands. grab the creeper or cardboard and slide underneath the front with a light.

-check the front end for loose steering parts, radius arm, pitman arm, tie rods, ball joints, control arm bushings, wheel bearings, springs and/or sound deadening materials for springs, brake caliper mounts, worn or missing brake pad abutment pates, stabilizer bar links and/or bushings. shock absorbers and mounts (sometimes a shock can look good and not leak but be broken on the inside causing noise like something is loose), engine mounts and brackets, cross member rivets, trans or p/s cooler mounts and lines, engine oil cooler lines, remote oil filter brackets. as you work your way to the rear check for secure fuel and brake lines, inline fuel filter mounting, exhaust system mounting, shake/check the muffler and catalytic converter-if equipped- for loose guts,check trans cross member and trans mount for cracks or loose fasteners, check the engine to trans fasteners and starter fasteners for looseness, check any cover plates, heat shields or skid plates for cracks or loose fasteners/movement, check all the adapter plates for the body swap for cracks, loose fasteners or movement, check the underside of the cab to ensure the cab mounts and floor are free of cracks, loose fasteners or movement, check the rear springs and shackles/hangers for cracks, loose fasteners, rusty powder between the leaves (some guys spray oil/lube on the springs to stop the squeaks or install teflon rubbing pads between the leaves) or movement. check the fender mounting and brackets-front and rear- for cracks, loose fasteners or movement. check the trailer hitch-if equipped- for cracks, loose fasteners or movement. check the running boards and mounts for cracks, loose fasteners or movement,
check any accessories for mounting integrity etc

after all that, assuming the steering parts are all good, lube anything with a grease nipple. put some lube on the steering knuckles where the turning stops are, lube the hinges/latches on the doors,hood and tailgate, rub some silicone grease/lube on the rubber parts like weatherstripping or rubbing blocks. check to ensure all the seals and weatherstripping are in place at the same time to keep the doors nice and tight against the latches.

now you should have some idea as to what may be causing you squeaks and clunks.


hope this helps you or somebody reading

[steve aleve]

mongocanfly, my56, capn, mr48 and dsraven

Thank you this is all great info!!

It sounds like it may be missing or loose braces and it seems like the hood, fenders and door hardware are the primary causes. I don't have the fender braces on yet so that may be a major cause. I will plan to brace everything and then drive it and see. Maybe that will get rid of the major body panel clank and I can then focus on the pesky small ones like the door hardware and small squeaks!!!

Thanks again

[dsraven]

check those ball joints, wheel bearings, stabilizer links and brake pads/calipers as well. very common on the S10 chassis. maybe more common with the added weight of a v8.
the body on the S10 is fairly rigid except for the break from cab to box. possibly there is more flex enabled due to a more flexible body mounting system having the old cab and sheet metal sitting on pedestals (they may exaggerate the body movement in comparison to the frame because the body insulators are not as close to the frame as the original body).
just some thoughts

[mongocanfly]

And in spite of all of the above, its still a 60 yr old truck ,so some squeaks/rattles will come with the territory....regardless. .