Driver Side Creak- Inside- Video

[Rob]

As of this morning i have tracked down the noise to a general area. Need to locate the source, Going to do some further investigation tonight. @Rob was right on the money with his post. I believe the noise is coming from underneath the truck and using the bolted connection for the drivers seat to transmit the sound into the cab. because the noise is down low its reflecting and sounds like its coming from the dash. I've been carrying my scope in the truck for when and if the noise returned and mine was squeaking like an SOB this morning so I pulled over and grabbed the scope and tracked it down to the front seat bolts, but I think they are just functioning as transmitters not the source. My suspicion is that it's the front body mount bolts. I know it sounds strange but bear with me. Below is a link to another thread on this forum where guys are having an issue with a front end clunk that many have traced back to front body mount, apparently the bolts are a tad to long and make contact with floor pan, I think the squeak is metal on metal contact in the floor pan traveling through the connection point where the seat frame bolts to the floor board. If it was the seat itself you should be able to get it to make the noise while the truck is stationary by just bouncing around the seat with your body weight. It may not be the body mount but there is something below the floor board causing this issue. @Rob was correct in his suspicion of the source, it sure sounds like its coming from the dash until you have a mechanics stethoscope on and you realize it's not, that's why even though he took apart all his dash panels he never located the issue. I'm not saying this is everyones issue but if you want to check it out for yourself you can pick up a mechanics stethoscope on amazon for about 12 dollars. Great tool for any DIY guy to have in his tool box.

https://5thgenrams.com/community/threads/front-end-clunk-while-turning.1003/page-35#post-44695

Ive had the the whole center ip removed including cluster. Its actually funny the truck starts and drives without a cluster. Noise is loudest with no center console in. I have my chassis ears that I haven't put on the truck yet but as soon as I hook them up to my truck I will find out exactly what it is. Also if any of you guys take a look under the truck drivers side let me know if you see and lines that are supposed to be snapped to the frame that are not. I found a few that were not and the fuel vapor line that runs above the tank doesn't seem to have a bracket. I will post pics of how I secured that line. I haven't heard the noise after that but I wanna verify with my chassis ears bc my sound would go away after a small drive

 

[1Cord]

As of this morning i have tracked down the noise to a general area. Need to locate the source, Going to do some further investigation tonight. @Rob was right on the money with his post. I believe the noise is coming from underneath the truck and using the bolted connection for the drivers seat to transmit the sound into the cab. because the noise is down low its reflecting and sounds like its coming from the dash. I've been carrying my scope in the truck for when and if the noise returned and mine was squeaking like an SOB this morning so I pulled over and grabbed the scope and tracked it down to the front seat bolts, but I think they are just functioning as transmitters not the source. My suspicion is that it's the front body mount bolts. I know it sounds strange but bear with me. Below is a link to another thread on this forum where guys are having an issue with a front end clunk that many have traced back to front body mount, apparently the bolts are a tad to long and make contact with floor pan, I think the squeak is metal on metal contact in the floor pan traveling through the connection point where the seat frame bolts to the floor board. If it was the seat itself you should be able to get it to make the noise while the truck is stationary by just bouncing around the seat with your body weight. It may not be the body mount but there is something below the floor board causing this issue. @Rob was correct in his suspicion of the source, it sure sounds like its coming from the dash until you have a mechanics stethoscope on and you realize it's not, that's why even though he took apart all his dash panels he never located the issue. I'm not saying this is everyones issue but if you want to check it out for yourself you can pick up a mechanics stethoscope on amazon for about 12 dollars. Great tool for any DIY guy to have in his tool box.

https://5thgenrams.com/community/threads/front-end-clunk-while-turning.1003/page-35#post-44695

I think you're on to something here. My truck has been at the dealer for 15 days now because I have the clunk and the parts are on back order. However, I went in last week because the tech couldn't hear the creaking only the loud clunk. He had tightened down the cab bolts before i got there and to my surprise the creaking was gone. I'm not sure that will be the case once i get my truck back but i'm hopeful. I'll let you know in the next 15-20 days as the parts are so far back ordered.

 

[Billet1500 4x4]

Ive had the the whole center ip removed including cluster. Its actually funny the truck starts and drives without a cluster. Noise is loudest with no center console in. I have my chassis ears that I haven't put on the truck yet but as soon as I hook them up to my truck I will find out exactly what it is. Also if any of you guys take a look under the truck drivers side let me know if you see and lines that are supposed to be snapped to the frame that are not. I found a few that were not and the fuel vapor line that runs above the tank doesn't seem to have a bracket. I will post pics of how I secured that line. I haven't heard the noise after that but I wanna verify with my chassis ears bc my sound would go away after a small drive

Good looking out, I'm rolling under there this evening, spend a little creeper time under there and see what I find.

 

[marcd118]

Where are the cab bolts located underneath?

 

[Billet1500 4x4]

Where are the cab bolts located underneath?

Yes, not sure if they're the culprit or something else under there. Rob mentioned lines not being secured to the frame and that the fuel vapor line doesn't have a bracket, So I'm going to check that out after work today. I'll snap some pic's if I find the smoking gun or something that might be the issue. The font end clunk thread is getting pretty long now but there are several good pictures in there showing the cab bolt in question.

 

[Dusty1948]

There is another thread that discusses creaking accompanied sometimes with a "clunk." There are messages in that thread that talk about the front cab mounts not being torqued to the correct specification, as well as the mounting bolts being too long in some instances.

There might be a STAR case on this already.

Hopes this helps.

Regards,
Dusty

2019 Ram 1500 Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Now at: 004958 miles.

 

[Billet1500 4x4]

Well unfortunately no smoking guns, I did find one thing I didn't like , the control cable for the transmission has been rubbing on the steering shaft for quite some time, I doubt this is the source but something to check. All lines were clipped into the frame mounts like they're supposed to. There was however a lot of slop in the electrical connector that passes through the floorboard , its located about even with the back of the drivers seat and covered by a plastic shield held to the floor pan by three bolts, I removed the cover and taped the connector to the terminal block with some electrical tape to keep it from rattling around, I still don't think that's the source though, lastly I retorqued the front cab mount, did not see any witness Mark's on any of the bolts at the mount location but retorqued them anyways.

 

[Dusty1948]

Well unfortunately no smoking guns, I did find one thing I didn't like , the control cable for the transmission has been rubbing on the steering shaft for quite some time, I doubt this is the source but something to check. All lines were clipped into the frame mounts like they're supposed to. There was however a lot of slop in the electrical connector that passes through the floorboard , its located about even with the back of the drivers seat and covered by a plastic shield held to the floor pan by three bolts, I removed the cover and taped the connector to the terminal block with some electrical tape to keep it from rattling around, I still don't think that's the source though, lastly I retorqued the front cab mount, did not see any witness Mark's on any of the bolts at the mount location but retorqued them anyways.

Did you measure the torque before tightening, and/or what was the final torque?

Regards,
Dusty

2019 Ram 1500 Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Now at: 004958 miles.

 

[Billet1500 4x4]

Did you measure the torque before tightening, and/or what was the final torque?

Regards,
Dusty

2019 Ram 1500 Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Now at: 004958 miles.

120 ft lbs before 120 ft lbs after, I can't find the actual recommended torque spec and they're covered in red thread locker so the initial torque measurement is definitely skewed. 120 seems way to high i would expect it to be somewhere around 80.

 

[Billet1500 4x4]

So I reread the clunk thread and found the post by @Delmonico_19 who happens to be a ram technician, wish he worked at my dealership, anyways he initially thought it was bolt contact but it turned out it was the bracket actually making contact with the floor pan not the bolts, so this could be the source of the squeak the repair is pretty involved it requires unbolting the entire cab and lifting it up enough to remove the bracket and body mount at the a pillar. I downloaded his photo to repost so you can see the area he boxed in black is where the contact occurs it could be its just enough to creak but not clunk on some trucks. I've installed body lifts before so I'm not afraid to check this out if my creak is still there. More of weekend event than after work endeavor though.

 

[marcd118]

Im starting to think you are right about where the squeak is coming from. I just wish I could pin point it as its driving me crazy.

 

[Billet1500 4x4]

Im starting to think you are right about where the squeak is coming from. I just wish I could pin point it as its driving me crazy.

I was hoping to have time to do it this weekend but I don't think it's going to happen, maybe next weekend.

 

[Tgregs1]

Just rolling over 1300 miles on my ram 1500 Big Horn and all of a sudden it started making that noise.. sounded like it’s coming from the dash or floorboard and it’s definetely when I turn while driving but not while stationary. Wondering if you still have the problem and what did the dealership say? That video is the exact same sound my truck makes... any updates?

 

[1Cord]

Just rolling over 1300 miles on my ram 1500 Big Horn and all of a sudden it started making that noise.. sounded like it’s coming from the dash or floorboard and it’s definetely when I turn while driving but not while stationary. Wondering if you still have the problem and what did the dealership say? That video is the exact same sound my truck makes... any updates?

Take it in and have them re-torque the cab bolts on the driver side. I have the clunk that a lot of others are experiencing and the tech tightened my cab bolts and the noise got much better. I did hear a little creak this morning but nothing like it was before the re-torque.

 

[marcd118]

Take it in and have them re-torque the cab bolts on the driver side. I have the clunk that a lot of others are experiencing and the tech tightened my cab bolts and the noise got much better. I did hear a little creak this morning but nothing like it was before the re-torque.

Is this something I could just do? Where exactly are they located?

 

[Billet1500 4x4]

Is this something I could just do? Where exactly are they located?

Under the truck, drivers side a pillar, you'll need a 1/2" drive torque wrench

 

[Rob]

It is not a issue of the torque spec. It’s either the issue of the floor board under the a pillar mount bracket that needs to be corrected or the mount bolt is touching the floor board causing the noise either way the dealer should take care of it pretty quickly. I’m ase certified myself and let the dealer do it on my truck. Whisper quiet now. Good luck.

 

[marcd118]

Well its not the sound of something banging against the floor board but rather a squeaking noise.

 

[Rob]

i know. It’s not a banging. Take my advice and do what u want with it. I’ve had my truck since March and dealt with the noise. I know exactly what noise your referring to. I also seem witness marks from where the bolt in barely rubbing the floor board. If you can loosen the a pillar mount bolt just about a half turn and see if your noise improves. Let me know either way I’ll lead you in the right direction.

 

[Billet1500 4x4]

Well its not the sound of something banging against the floor board but rather a squeaking noise.

I think the squeak is coming from the same area where the "clunk issues originates from. The truck has a metal plate sandwiched between the body mount and the floor board and they make contact. I think on some trucks it causes a clunk and others a squeak.