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Advice on creaking and gaps

Det4xE

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Looking to see if this is normal or not. I’ve been dealing with excessive creaking from the rear window. Tried loosening bolts, moving the hardtop around, nothing works and it gets progressively worse. Extremely loud at this point. I noticed a weird gap on the right side (see images) is this normal?
Jeep Wrangler JL Advice on creaking and gaps 3BE93C6B-E5A6-40A8-A1B6-29465A58394F
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Bikemobile

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Does it get better with the freedom panels out? Mine creaks bad with freedom panels in but no creaks at all with the sunrider for hardtop in.
 
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Det4xE

Det4xE

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Does it get better with the freedom panels out? Mine creaks bad with freedom panels in but no creaks at all with the sunrider for hardtop in.
It’s definitely the rear glass, freedom panels don’t affect it
 

The Last Cowboy

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This drove me crazy too. It’s the rubber seal where the rear window and the tailgate meet.

Clean both really well. Use a polymer or ceramic wax on the top edge of the tailgate. Then use 303 protectant on the rubber seal. That combo lasted the longest for me.

If you just want to check first, put some WD40 on the seal and drive it for a few minutes. It wont last long, but if it’s quiet you know that’s the problem.
 

morlan52

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Greymatter

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Mine did the same thing, especially after mounting a larger than stock spare tire. Like @The Last Cowboy mentioned it was the rubber seal. I used UHMW tape across the top of the tailgate and it has not made a noise since.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00823JBHA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1
Mine seems to have worsened since adding a larger spare. Not sure how it would make the glass worse. I was thinking it’s the tire also making noise.
 

morlan52

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Mine seems to have worsened since adding a larger spare. Not sure how it would make the glass worse. I was thinking it’s the tire also making noise.
Did you also get larger rubber isolators that press up against the tire? It could also be that. If not, I'd try the suggestions @The Last Cowboy mentioned above to see if it's the glass seal
 

The Last Cowboy

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Not sure how it would make the glass worse.
The top moves slightly different the body. When the tailgate has stress on it from body flex or the tire weight moving it slightly, the top edge of the tailgate moves aganst the rubber seal on the bottom of the rear glass. The slight rub causes the noises you are hearing. Just that tiny bit of movement causes it. I think I may have said it already, but that seal should be silicone. That would solve the issue.
 

Greymatter

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The top moves slightly different the body. When the tailgate has stress on it from body flex or the tire weight moving it slightly, the top edge of the tailgate moves aganst the rubber seal on the bottom of the rear glass. The slight rub causes the noises you are hearing. Just that tiny bit of movement causes it. I think I may have said it already, but that seal should be silicone. That would solve the issue.
That makes sense. I wonder too if having a stronger tailgate hinge would help. I’ve been on the fence of getting one.
 

The Last Cowboy

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The only way to know would be to try one. The best thing would probably be to move the spare to a bumper mount.
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