Squeak/Rubbing sound when it's cold out, coming from dash/footwell area

[techno96]

Anyone else have something like this?

Just picked up a 1500 Laramie Friday as an upgrade from my Big Horn. Drive home was great. Driving it later in the noise, I noticed this plastic-y sound rubbing/squeaking noise that would happen on some uneven pavement, not hard to make it do it and not hard to hear with the radio off, but you can hear it with it on, which is why its annoying. Seems to possibly be related to the brake pedal, either that or hitting the brakes causes whatever is making the noise to make the noise. To replicate I can roll the car just a few feet from a stop, and then hit the brakes, as the pedal hits bottom and the car is coming to a stop I can hear this squeak/rub/whatever you want to call it.

One thing worth noting here is I bought it to a friends shop indoors to wash, where its about 68 degrees inside (vs 20 outside). I was there for a few hours. When I was done and moving the car around in the shop, it was quiet, no noise. Once I got the car outside in the cold for a bit and drove around some, it came back. I tried to push on stuff in the footwell, dash, etc while the car is outside and in the cold and I can't find anything. Pushing the brake pedal at stand still doesn't cause the noise, so I don't think its literally the pedal itself, but something that is flexing and rubbing ever so slightly under that pressure.

Anyone have any thoughts or ideas? I'll try to get a video if possible, but I think that'll be an uphill battle.

 

[HeliPilot]

It’s a zip tie that’s located underneath the truck that sits on top of the frame and creaks when it’s cold as it rubs on the bottom of the cab. I removed it from my truck, and the sounds never returned. There’s a thread on it here, with pics of the zip tie to look for.

 

[techno96]

It’s a zip tie that’s located underneath the truck that sits on top of the frame and creaks when it’s cold as it rubs on the bottom of the cab. I removed it from my truck, and the sounds never returned. There’s a thread on it here, with pics of the zip tie to look for.

Hey, thank you. I actually did see that thread earlier. I can’t find the zip tie. Here’s a pic from that same area, can you give me any pointers?

 

[techno96]

@HeliPilot just as another data point, I can hear it when I rock the truck by bouncing on the side step, as well as doing the same thing standing on the drivers side floorboard, so I know its not the actual side step making the noise.

 

[HeliPilot]

Hey, thank you. I actually did see that thread earlier. I can’t find the zip tie. Here’s a pic from that same area, can you give me any pointers?

Yes, you're in the right area. On your second photo, follow the loom from the plug along the frame from front end of the truck towards the rear. It will be the first zip tie you see. It is held in place on top of the frame where the factory pressed it in using a quick connect. If you move the wire loom away from the frame, you will see how and where it orients on top of the frame. You will also see where the zip tie has rubbed away the paint from the bottom of the cab. Hope this makes sense. I used a screw driver and needle nose pliers to pull the zip tie off of its mounting point. As a side note, as soon as I moved the loom where the zip tie was located, it actually made the creaking sound, so I knew I was in the right place.

 

[techno96]

Thank you, about how far back would you say it is? I went back a bit and didn’t see anything either but I was more focused on that area, so it’s possible I missed it.

Yes, you're in the right area. On your second photo, follow the loom from the plug along the frame from front end of the truck towards the rear. It will be the first zip tie you see. It is held in place on top of the frame where the factory pressed it in using a quick connect. If you move the wire loom away from the frame, you will see how and where it orients on top of the frame. You will also see where the zip tie has rubbed away the paint from the bottom of the cab. Hope this makes sense. I used a screw driver and needle nose pliers to pull the zip tie off of its mounting point. As a side note, as soon as I moved the loom where the zip tie was located, it actually made the creaking sound, so I knew I was in the right place.

 

[HeliPilot]

Its a zip tie that goes around the wire loom coming off of that plug. The zip tie holds that loom close to the upper side of the frame. Spread that loom away from the frame, look up between the wire loom and the frame, and you will see where the zip tie crosses from the loom (along the bottom of the cab) into the top of the frame. The cab actually sits on top of the wire loom where it mounts to the frame, and this is where it cracks from. Check out post #123 in this thread Driver Side Creak- Inside- Video. The pic shows where/how it is attached to the frame. The pics I posted are what the zip tie looks like completely removed.