Rattle

[plee4139]

I'm sure you patient and knowledgable folks must be weary of my frequent posts asking about one problem after another, yet here's another one: Every time I hit a bump or ride on a rough road, which is all roads here on long Island, I hear this rattling sound coming from under the dash. I went under there and found that the radio wasn't secure and I did my best to secure it by inserting a missing screw tightening exisiting ones, but to no avail. I know the clunking sound which eminates from the front end when the bushings are worn, but this isn't it. thoughts?

[mbstude]

Every Studebaker I’ve ever been in has something that rattles.

[Mrs K Corbin]

it's the NUT holding the Wheel!

[jclary]

it's the NUT holding the Wheel!

Yep...here we are with half-century old vehicles as a hobby and we need to weigh the "fun-factor" against expectations of perfection. Kinda reminds me of a riding partner I had back in the 1970's. She always showed up with her Chevy truck and color matching horse trailer. Her horse had a perfectly braided mane with little color-coordinated bows. Everything matched down to the shades of leather from the bridle, reins, and saddle. But, all day, she did nothing but fuss at the horse, complain, and nitpick. Pretty lady, but miserable. Last I heard...her husband drank himself to death.

As far as the rattle goes, stay after it, fooling around with these relics requires tenacity. I have had one of my vehicles for over four decades. It has a sound that reminds me of a cricket. I have never named my vehicles, but I am thinking about naming this one "Cricket."
Be careful about eliminating rattles 'cause getting rid of one might lead to another your never want to hear.

[JoeHall]

I once had a 56J with such rattle and it nearly drove me nuts, before I finally found it. Check the hood torsion bar that runs across, and connects the left and right hinges. It is supposed to have two rubber sleeves, about 3-4" long. Those sleeves tap the two dimples in the upper firewall, when the car hits bumps in the road. If those sleeves have shifted, as they often do, the metal bar then hits those metal dimples on the firewall, and make the sound you describe. Those two dimples are just outboard of the wiper motor. Easy enough to check, just do a visual to see if they align with the dimples. You can also just replace them, as they become hard and brittle over the decades anyway. I just use a piece of 3'8" ID gas hose, cut to length, and slit full length.

Hope this helps.
Joe H

[GrumpyOne]

Check the windshield wiper mounts/bolts/gasket. Had a rattle in the Power Hawk for thirty years and that's what was causing it. Faulty installation at the factory...

[studegary]

I once had a 56J with such rattle and it nearly drove me nuts, before I finally found it. Check the hood torsion bar that runs across, and connects the left and right hinges. It is supposed to have two rubber sleeves, about 3-4" long. Those sleeves tap the two dimples in the upper firewall, when the car hits bumps in the road. If those sleeves have shifted, as they often do, the metal bar then hits those metal dimples on the firewall, and make the sound you describe. Those two dimples are just outboard of the wiper motor. Easy enough to check, just do a visual to see if they align with the dimples. You can also just replace them, as they become hard and brittle over the decades anyway. I just use a piece of 3'8" ID gas hose, cut to length, and slit full length.

Hope this helps.
Joe H

Joe beat me to it. This is what I thought your noise was from. People always seem to describe the noise as coming from under the dash. It is amazing how many cars, even "restored" cars, either do not have these bumpers or they are located in the wrong places. If you are not sure, post an underhood picture of your car showing the firewall/hood area.

[Lou Van Anne]

Yup, rattles were standard equipment.....along with the wind whistling thru the windows....just get used to it!

Every Studebaker I’ve ever been in has something that rattles.

[Lou Van Anne]

Yup.....every Studebaker has a nut holding the wheel!.....I confess.

it's the NUT holding the Wheel!

[plee4139]

Yup.....every Studebaker has a nut holding the wheel!.....I confess.

I beg your pardon, but I am not a "nut." I am a legume. Thank you.

[StudeNewby]

I beg your pardon, but I am not a "nut." I am a legume. Thank you.

I love Studebaker peeps!

[jclary]

I beg your pardon, but I am not a "nut." I am a legume. Thank you.

Careful there...that could mean that you could be qualified as a "PEA-NUT" and susceptible to cracking at the seams!

[showbizkid]

I once had a rattle I couldn't track down from the instrument panel. After much searching and actually laying under the dash with a mechanic's stethoscope while someone else drove the car (that was fun...!), I tracked the sound to one of the instrument pods. Turned out someone, while trying to change a burned-out bulb in the speedometer pod, had broken the bulb off. The rattling was the glass bulb rolling & rattling around the bottom of the case as I drove.

[Studebakercenteroforegon]

It should be noted, that the proper name for the two 292268 split rubber parts that attach to the hood hinge tie rod is “Anti-rattler”. What does that tell you?

[plee4139]

I once had a 56J with such rattle and it nearly drove me nuts, before I finally found it. Check the hood torsion bar that runs across, and connects the left and right hinges. It is supposed to have two rubber sleeves, about 3-4" long. Those sleeves tap the two dimples in the upper firewall, when the car hits bumps in the road. If those sleeves have shifted, as they often do, the metal bar then hits those metal dimples on the firewall, and make the sound you describe. Those two dimples are just outboard of the wiper motor. Easy enough to check, just do a visual to see if they align with the dimples. You can also just replace them, as they become hard and brittle over the decades anyway. I just use a piece of 3'8" ID gas hose, cut to length, and slit full length.

Hope this helps.
Joe H

i took your suggestion and it appears to work. Also, the coil wasn't secure in the holder so I tightened that. Thanks. Now I can go back to just having my wife make me crazy.