• Welcome to For E Bodies Only !

    We are a community of Plymouth Cuda and Dodge Challenger owners. Join now! Its Free!

Door closing rattle

V12T

Active Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2017
Messages
39
Reaction score
9
Location
Cornwall UK
70 Challenger. I THINK I have everything assembled correctly but there is a rattle when I close them. I have new cats whiskers and the top adjustable dampers against the glass are in place. Even if I hold the glass whilst closing it still does it. Could someone please suggest what to look at to find the source or is a satisfying "clunk" not possible.
 

moparleo

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 17, 2011
Messages
6,926
Reaction score
1,709
Location
So. Cal. Riverside area Moreno Valley
It will never sound like a new car... internal window mechanism is sloppy. all internal door/window mounting parts would need to be replaced if a wear able part ( guides, stops etc...) and/or clearances tightened if metal.
 

Chryco Psycho

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2008
Messages
4,401
Reaction score
2,039
Location
Panama
the door lock rods had cloth sleeves on them & positioned behind the window guide , that could be the rattle
 

V12T

Active Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2017
Messages
39
Reaction score
9
Location
Cornwall UK
the door lock rods had cloth sleeves on them & positioned behind the window guide , that could be the rattle
No cloth sleeves. Will fabricate something.
Do you still get the rattle regardless if the window is up or down? Is it with both doors or just one?
It varies with window location. Worse when down. Both doors.
 

70chall440

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2010
Messages
1,260
Reaction score
975
Location
Western Washington
They all rattle to one degree or another, in fact this was one of the major complaints when these cars were relatively new. They are big doors with big glass so there is a lot of weight there and things get sloppy over time which creates rattles. If you don't like it or can't live with it put some sound deadener inside the door, it make a huge different.
 

V12T

Active Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2017
Messages
39
Reaction score
9
Location
Cornwall UK
They all rattle to one degree or another, in fact this was one of the major complaints when these cars were relatively new. They are big doors with big glass so there is a lot of weight there and things get sloppy over time which creates rattles. If you don't like it or can't live with it put some sound deadener inside the door, it make a huge different.
Already done that - perhaps I'm being too picky!
 

Iguana

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2020
Messages
47
Reaction score
17
Location
Auburn, ca
My passenger side door has almost all new hardware inside and sounds just as terrible as my almost original driver's side door when closing. Like 70chall440 said, I've just started to figure it's just basically the way they're built. But I don't like it either.
 

70chall440

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2010
Messages
1,260
Reaction score
975
Location
Western Washington
Ive owned E bodies since the mid to late 70's and they all rattled. When I built my Cuda I fully insulated the doors and now they sound like a new car when shutting, very solid with little to now rattling.

Do you have the vapor barrier behind the door panel (the clear plastic sheet)? Believe or not that can make a difference in the sound transmission.
 

V12T

Active Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2017
Messages
39
Reaction score
9
Location
Cornwall UK
Ive owned E bodies since the mid to late 70's and they all rattled. When I built my Cuda I fully insulated the doors and now they sound like a new car when shutting, very solid with little to now rattling.

Do you have the vapor barrier behind the door panel (the clear plastic sheet)? Believe or not that can make a difference in the sound transmission.
Yes, I have vapour barrier. I guess I must just go through everything and make sure it's tight and damped or insulated. The cloth on the lock/handle rods may make a difference too.
 

mmissile

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2013
Messages
1,137
Reaction score
353
Location
Macomb County Michigan
As stated above. These cars were the first attempt at a pony-car for Chrysler. There were lots of things that were cheesy and obviously under engineered/hurried. The hinges wore out in no time, from the size and heft of the doors. The doors were also like amp-cabinets.....magnifying sound. The windows weren't properly supported/wobbled, and the hairy guides gathered dirt....scratching the hell outta the glass. This was when they were only a couple years old.
 

70chall440

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2010
Messages
1,260
Reaction score
975
Location
Western Washington
The plastic door panels don't help the situation either as unlike cardboard/cloth of previous years/models they don't absorb any sound and frequently contribute to the overall crappy sound coming out of the doors when closing.

The only way I have seen to overcome it is as I said, use sound deadener. I do the inside of outer skin (which helps a lot) and and I do the outside of the inner frame (part just under the door panel). When both are done the door will sound like a modern car door when closing. Now having said that, all that sound deadener does add some weight to the door so you need to ensure that your hinges are in good shape or new (newly rebuilt).
 

V12T

Active Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2017
Messages
39
Reaction score
9
Location
Cornwall UK
The plastic door panels don't help the situation either as unlike cardboard/cloth of previous years/models they don't absorb any sound and frequently contribute to the overall crappy sound coming out of the doors when closing.

The only way I have seen to overcome it is as I said, use sound deadener. I do the inside of outer skin (which helps a lot) and and I do the outside of the inner frame (part just under the door panel). When both are done the door will sound like a modern car door when closing. Now having said that, all that sound deadener does add some weight to the door so you need to ensure that your hinges are in good shape or new (newly rebuilt).
I did the inside of outer skin but not under the plastic panel. Will do that too. My panels are leather trimmed which probably helps. Hinges are rebuilt.
 

Richard T

Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2021
Messages
7
Reaction score
8
Location
Gold River, California
70 Challenger. I THINK I have everything assembled correctly but there is a rattle when I close them. I have new cats whiskers and the top adjustable dampers against the glass are in place. Even if I hold the glass whilst closing it still does it. Could someone please suggest what to look at to find the source or is a satisfying "clunk" not possible.
I remember reading an article in Muscle Car Review years ago about the E Body development team at Chrysler. The E body was rushed through for 1970 production and the team leader was happy with the cars until he shut the doors. He knew it was a bad design, but they rushed to production then never resolved the problem. You'll have to make some upgrades on your own to resolve that. This is on my 2022 bucket list for my '70 Challenger.
 

Rons340

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2021
Messages
110
Reaction score
60
Location
Tennessee
The sound deadening on the door skin, for me, is a must. That will take the tinny sound out but the clunking noise that seems to echo forever when you close the door is a monumental task to improve. I have noticed during my long life of muscle cars that the "other" Big 3 car manufactures had the same issue. It's just the weight of the door assembly with all of those moving parts.
I was able to improve mine somewhat through adjustments and adding Dynamat covers but could not eliminate it completely.
 

71droptop

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2010
Messages
162
Reaction score
10
Location
Lower Hudson Valley
There is a large rubber gromet at the bottom of the door that when the glass is lowered it should rest on it.
Often missing or just lying around. If the tab on the gromet is missing you can glue it in place.
 

Rons340

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2021
Messages
110
Reaction score
60
Location
Tennessee
There is a large rubber gromet at the bottom of the door that when the glass is lowered it should rest on it.
Often missing or just lying around. If the tab on the gromet is missing you can glue it in place.
I replaced those stops in both doors and Year One was the only place I could find them at the time.
Great call out!
 

mmissile

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2013
Messages
1,137
Reaction score
353
Location
Macomb County Michigan
Clean surfaces and 3M Black Super-Weatherstrip adhesive. They'll never come out.

I just finished-up both of my doors, and they don't make a noise....except for a huge thud when you close them.
cuda left door inner done.jpg
cuda rt door panel complete.jpg
 
Last edited:
Back
Top