Finally got my Charger out and then frustration set in

[1BAD68]

After what seemed like a very long winter, yesterday was 58 and sunny so I fired up the Charger and took it out (been sitting since last October).
Drove it around for about a half hour and noticed a squeak that has been there for a couple years.
So I spent about 3 hours trying to locate this squeak.
Ended up removing everything from the trunk, removing the entire back seat, looked for any welds that might have broke and even drove it with the trunk lid propped open.
Jacked it up and got underneath pounding on everything with a rubber mallet, to no avail.
I'm starting to think its the back window making this squeak, its the only thing that I have not removed and it sounds like its coming from the passenger side of the back window.
Is it possible that the back glass could make a squeaking noise?

[1969chargerrtse]

Been there done that. Even tightend my tank which caused a crack that leaked gas out over night all over the floor. Know what the squeak was?  Upper Rear shock mount. Where the shock bolts to the cross member. Remove your lower shock bolts and let the shocks just hang. Take it for a ride and see if the squeak rattle goes away?  Just an idea. Geez I thought you had real problems?  Us Charger owners would kill to have that issue. I remember when I couldn't even make  it back from a half hour ride.

[1BAD68]

Thats a great idea. I will try that later today.
I know it seems trivial that a squeak could be frustrating but its driving me nuts that I can't find it.
Every little bump...eeek!...eeek!...eeek!

[BrianShaughnessy]

Poly bushings have a tendency to squeak...  so do dried up U joints.

Good luck with finding the problem.

[Khyron]

news flash.... 40+ year old cars make wierd noises ;-)

I made the exaust louder so I dont hear squeeks

[1BAD68]

Trust me I know.
My car has no headliner and no door panels, its plenty loud inside but this is like driving around with an obnoxious parrot over your shoulder.

[RECHRGD]

Been there done that. Even tightend my tank which caused a crack that leaked gas out over night all over the floor. Know what the squeak was?  Upper Rear shock mount. Where the shock bolts to the cross member. Remove your lower shock bolts and let the shocks just hang. Take it for a ride and see if the squeak rattle goes away?  Just an idea. Geez I thought you had real problems?  Us Charger owners would kill to have that issue. I remember when I couldn't even make  it back from a half hour ride.

X2.......That squeak drove me nuts for a couple of years.  I had even checked those bolts and they seemed tight.  I was talking to a old mopar guy at a muffler shop last year and he said that had to be it.  We put it up on the rack and he was able to get an impact wrench on it.  Noise was gone and I gave him a twenty dollar bill for beer.  That was a good day!

[70charginglizard]

At least you didnt have an instrument lighting issue like ive got to look forward to now. 

[elacruze]

Just last night while looking at my rear shocks, found that one weld on the shock crossmember is cracked on the passenger side...car was way too loud before to notice but you may have a closer look at the crossmember attachment points, as well as the shock bolt holes.

[PocketThunder]

Where in sconnie are you from? 

Paul

[tan top]

squeeks & rattles can be a pain  , best get a helper to lay in  trunk or  sit in back while you drive round  over bumps &  stuff   

[TK73]

Louder stereo   

[grdprx]

squeeks & rattles can be a pain  , best get a helper to lay in  trunk or  sit in back while you drive round  over bumps &  stuff   

  I love it!

[1969chargerrtse]

Thats a great idea. I will try that later today.
I know it seems trivial that a squeak could be frustrating but its driving me nuts that I can't find it.
Every little bump...eeek!...eeek!...eeek!

I'm thinking that's gonna be it.  " Every little bump " 

[charger Downunder]

Trunk torsion bars have you checked them put a piece of cut hose around them and see if it fixes the problem.

[1BAD68]

I put a rubber hose on those last year.
I finally found it. My charger has a custom upper shock mount that goes from one side to the other and mounts to both the unibody rails.
One of the bolts had worked loose. So I tightened all of them and the insane parrot noise is GONE!
Now I can hear all the rattles of a 43 year old car again, I'm happy.

[charger Downunder]

Great problem solved. 

[1969chargerrtse]

Cool.

[Kern Dog]

In 2002 I bought my first new vehicle: a 2002 Ram 1500 truck. Finally driving a vehicle with ZERO squeaks or rattles made me MORE vigilant to make my Charger as tight as possible. During the repaint, I replaced all the body bumpers. The suspension was rebuilt , front and rear. I have jute padding under the speaker deck and under the carpet. It has stiffer T bars and leaf springs so it has a firmer ride than stock, but NO rattles. NO exhaust resonance at freeway speeds. Its nice to be able to drive the car without feeling beat up. I have a 1974 Dodge truck that is the ANTI-Charger. LOUD, squeaky, shaky and wind noise so loud, you almost need earplugs at speeds over 40 mph. THAT truck wears me out. Long drives in it leave me feeling like I rode a horse on a bumpy trail for 5 hours.

[1BAD68]

I think once I insulate the roof and get a headliner and install some door panels, it should be pretty quiet inside.

"Where in sconnie are you from?" 
Paul

I'm in Sheboygan, are you in Wisconsin?

[PocketThunder]

I think once I insulate the roof and get a headliner and install some door panels, it should be pretty quiet inside.

"Where in sconnie are you from?" 
Paul

I'm in Sheboygan, are you in Wisconsin?

Oh thats right, i remember asking you once before.   I grew up in Wisconsin, but I'm in Minnesota now, my cousin lives and teaches at Sheboygan HS.  I need to get over there some time and visit.   

[Silver R/T]

Just put in louder exhaust

[hemi68charger]

Is it possible that the back glass could make a squeaking noise?

yes, it's possible. I have a friend with a '67 Coronet R/T and his back glass squeeked. But, the big difference is the '67's had a seal between the glass and frame whereas the Charger is seal tape..........  We were able to trace it by me sitting in the back seat listening as he drove around the neighborhood.....

[1BAD68]

Its back, the obnoxious squeak is driving me nuts!
It looks like when I tighten the bolts for the shock crossmember, the unibody rail is squeezing down and causing the bolts to become loose again.
This is a picture of what I'm dealing with, any ideas how I can fix it so when the bolts are tightened it doesn't collapse the rail?

[tan top]

bit of messing about & fiddly to do , but you could always drill a slightly larger hole on the inside of the frame rail  put a couple of steel tubes in there !  the same width as the frame rail !! then once you run the bolts through them ! & tighten the tubes  stop the frame rails  from squashing !

nother idea !!  weld in a repop OEM type upper shock mounting rail 

[1BAD68]

nother idea !!  weld in a repop OEM type upper shock mounting rail 

Thats kind of what I'm starting to think.
From what I read, most of the stock mounts were ruined due to air shocks, but I don't have any plans to run air shocks so maybe thats the way to go.
Plus I have major exhaust fitting problems because this set up leaves hardly any room for the pipes.

[tan top]

nother idea !!  weld in a repop OEM type upper shock mounting rail  

Thats kind of what I'm starting to think.
From what I read, most of the stock mounts were ruined due to air shocks, but I don't have any plans to run air shocks so maybe thats the way to go.
Plus I have major exhaust fitting problems because this set up leaves hardly any room for the pipes.

well your half way there ! now anyway !  the original has been removed already ,    thats half the battle , getting the  OEM one off

think thats the way i would be going !!  having said that !! sort the crushing of the frame rain out  on that shock mounting set up & thats stronger then the stock set up by the looks of it !
but like you say !!  exhaust problems

[c00nhunterjoe]

Or eliminate the bolts and weld that bracket to the frame

[tan top]

Or eliminate the bolts and weld that bracket to the frame

D'oH do you know what , never thought of that