back door rattle driving me nuts

I have an 89 xj and the rear hatch has been rattling horribly since I bought it about three years ago. I spend all my free time wheelin it or modifying it and the door never gets any attention. If anyone has else has had this problem and fixed it please let me know what to do. I don't have the patience or time to figure it out. I know for sure the rattle is comming from the latch itself and it seems like the door is actually moving from side to side but I cant for the life of me figure out how to fix it. I tried new molding and even tried adding a rubber strip on the door to make it thicker all the way around. It worked for a week or two but doesnt anymore. It moves so much that it wears the latch pin out every year, I turn it around once and then have to get a new one when both sides are worn.

bluebeast said:

If anyone has else has had this problem and fixed it please let me know what to do.

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I have an '89, with the rattle you described. It started when a body shop took the rear hatch off for a paint job, in 1997. Yes, it's annoying, but I've lived with it. I suspect the hinges on the top are not adjusted correctly or are perhaps loose. Take a look at that. I don't know how to adjust it otherwise I would have tried it by know.

Good luck _Maz

Try to tighten the bolts on the latch on the bottom of the hatch. Also try to adjust the stops on the inside frame of the hatch where it meets the jeep body. I have had that same problem for over a year and just recently used these ideas to solve my problem. Hope is works for ya.

Kim.

My 89 was the same way, I just wrapped some electrical tape around the pin and it worked best kind, I just replace it every couple of weeks or so. Stops the annoying rattling for me.

I had the same deal... but mine was the latch at the bottom had about 1/4 inch of freeplay in all firections i posted on here about a TSB chrysler had listed with NHTSA but no one knows about it

'Sounds like your hinges may be worn-out too.

I had this very same problem on my '86, it turned out to be the latch pin is't self. the spot weld on the bottom of the pin had letgo and it rattled like you wouldn't belive. I scooped a new(used) pin off of an XJ that had been rolled. Once I installed the new pin and adjusted everything there was no more anoying rattle. Look for the pin to be sloppy, that may be your only problem.