I hear a bad rattling sound coming from around the bottom of the third door on my '97 4x4 xcab. The doors seem to be shut tightly. I can't isolate the noise and am getting tired of it. Anyone had this happen?

 

Maybe it's all that rust in the bottom of the door? Just kidding. Could there be something loose in the door itself?

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'99 WHITE F150 XLT FlareSide SC 4.2 Auto 3.55, Superchip,
Black Westin Nerfs, White Prime Design BugShield,
White Vtech Taillight Covers, White Vtech Sidewinders,
'99 White Styleside Body Side Molding, K&N Air Filter
LOTTA SHOW and SOME GO

 

I've got a rattle in the third door as well. Used to happen sporadically, but now it happens pretty much whenever the road is rough, such as cobblestone or brick roads. 800 miles left on the warranty, but I don't trust Ford to fix it. I'll take the door apart when I have a chance and fix it myself.

If your rattle is coming from the bottom, there could be something loose moving about. I had a rattle in my tailgate, and when they took it apart, there was a loose bolt rolling around back there. Guess someone at the factory had a bad day.



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98 F150 4x4 4.6 Auto SC XLT--K&N, Superchip Flipchip, SnugTop XV Cap

 

I had a rattle I couldn't locate that seemed to come from the general area of where the two doors meet. Dealer kept it for a day, said they fixed it, and I didn't even get out of the service bay before I heard it again. On a (desparate) hunch, I tried slightly adjusting the striker for the front door (even though it closed tightly before). To my amazement, it worked! Maybe you have a similar situation with the bottom striker of your third door.

-Scott

 

A friend of mine has a 98 Chevy with the 3rd door. He has used it very little offroad, and the thing sounds like engine knock. I have heard the rattle on the Fords, luckily they dont get as bad as Chevy's!

 

Hello all, when i got my first truck 97 at the end of 96 i to heard the rattle in the door...here is what i found...if you dont close the door hard enough the top latch doesnt engage all the way..thus the rattle noise..took me 3 weeks to locate it...i always checked the bottom latch when i close it so it seemed to be latched..NOTTT..now when i close it i do it alittle harder and check top and bottom..problem solved...have had three (one 97 and 2 98s in my family) and this cures everyone of them...hope this does yours to...Dave

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1998 F-150, SC/Flairside, 4x2,4.6,auto,3.55s,nerf bars,cls 111 towing,bed liner w/mat,atlas polished wheels w/ 265 scorpions,all plastics guards/bug shields,air raid/k & n filter, superchipped, duals out the back corners, flow master 3 chamber

Coming in Sept..3 1/2 in fabtech lift w/ 3 in spindles and 295 BFG A/Ts.

 

It "sounds" like the trick to getting rid of most door rattles is to slam the rear door. I got to thinking...I've never heard a rattle on my SC...hummmm maybe bacause I'm always yelling at my kids not to slam the door, but they do every single time Thank you kids, I didn't know you were really shuting the door properly

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97F150 XLT SC 4x4 Flairside 4.6 V8 5sp Dk Toreador Red, 3.55LS
ARE tonneau cover, p255/70rx16 tires (came w/235), Superchip
Pioneer CD w/4 Polk Speakers & Clarion APA5240amp, skid plates
bed liner, side window deflectors, reese hitch, K&N air filter
40s-2chamber Flowmaster, Bosch +4 spark plugs, rustproofing
Better Built Stainless nerf bars

 

Duct tape DOES rule! Well problem solved! The rattle was eliminated by use of duct tape. On a lark I wrapped the front part of the "thing I can't think of the name for", looks like a upside down U, that the third door latch catches on at bottom. Silence! I know I'll have to adjust or replace the latch sooner or later, but at least it is quiet now and I know exactly where the problem lies.

 

DAVENSA,

Thank you, thank you, thank you! You fixed my third door rattle. Since reading your post, I've shut the door firmly, checked the top latch to make sure it latched, and guess what? No rattle. Send me a bill...

ehren

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98 F150 XLT SC 4x4 4.6 Auto 3.55--K&N, Superchip Flipchip,
SnugTop XV Cap, Hellwig LP-25 helper springs

 

Just to follow up (I'm the guy who adjusted his front door striker): that solved most of the rattle; I got rid of the rest by adjusting the bottom striker of the rear door slighly back (away from door). Now the door doesn't latch completely until snug with the body, and I don't have to slam the top of the door to get it to close tightly!