Sheet Metal Popping From Tailgate

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dhoey1212

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Marquette, MI
Good Evening everyone!

I recently replaced my girlfriend’s very rusted tailgate on her 2010 Wrangler with a used 2016 from a parts yard. I swapped out the tailgates and kept our tire carrier because the one on the 2016 had a large crack. I also replaced the latches too and everything lined up great and shut no problem. I used an impact to tighten all bolts and then used a socket to ensure tightness on the bolts. After I put the new tailgate on I noticed a small dent in the back near the spare tire mount but is covered by the tire when on so it didn’t bother me too much. However, when driving over larger bumps I hear a sheet metal type sound (popping or warping) almost like a saw blade from the back tailgate area. Could this be from the small dent that was on there or something not installed correctly with spare tire carrier or spare tire. I did have trouble getting the spare tire to align with the carrier when putting it back on by myself but tightened the lugs and there’s no movement. After hearing this noise, I really tugged out on the tire while stationary and heard the popping. Could it be the dent? Maybe Carrier not on all the way? Tire not on properly? Or something else I’m not thinking of, any help or opinions appreciated.
 
Pull of the inner plastic covers and maybe check inside between the inner/outer skins of tailgate. Using a mirror or endoscope device, you might see torn metal or broken weld, hidden damage from the dent you spotted. If so, maybe that's causing the the popping/sawblade sounds you're hearing. If you find this maybe epoxy or body adhesion can be inserted to tighten things.
 
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zinisk said:
Pull of the inner plastic covers and maybe check inside between the inner/outer skins of tailgate. Using a mirror or endoscope device, you might see torn metal or broken weld, hidden damage from the dent you spotted. If so, maybe that's causing the the popping/sawblade sounds you're hearing. If you find this maybe epoxy or body adhesion can be inserted to tighten things.
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Thank you so much! I will check this out soon. Do you have any products you would recommend epoxy or body adhesion wise?
 
dhoey1212 said:
Thank you so much! I will check this out soon. Do you have any products you would recommend epoxy or body adhesion wise?
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dlhoey1212, no nothing in particular. Could ask a body shop person. As a test, if you find a gap, try stuffing a bit of foam to confirm, just don't use the expanding foam in a can, LOL. If you have a subwoofer, you may be able to reproduce the vibration needed to generate the sound while parked.
 
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zinisk said:
dlhoey1212, no nothing in particular. Could ask a body shop person. As a test, if you find a gap, try stuffing a bit of foam to confirm, just don't use the expanding foam in a can, LOL. If you have a subwoofer, you may be able to reproduce the vibration needed to generate the sound while parked.
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Absolutely, I’ll try a foam piece or something like that. I also thought about taking it to a collision or body shop to see what they think would be the cost of just popping the dent back out (there’s no paint damage). But obviously that wouldn’t necessarily work if there’s something in the inside of the tailgate that’s damaged. It almost sounds like when going over a bump the weight of the spare almost pops the dent back out for a second then it goes back to being slightly in but I don’t know much about that kind of stuff.
 
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zinisk said:
dlhoey1212, no nothing in particular. Could ask a body shop person. As a test, if you find a gap, try stuffing a bit of foam to confirm, just don't use the expanding foam in a can, LOL. If you have a subwoofer, you may be able to reproduce the vibration needed to generate the sound while parked.
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I did some looking. All the spot welds look good. I swapped a 2016 and it has 2 bolt holes near the hinges that the 2010 didn’t have, what belongs there? Should I bolt something into them? Looks like you were right about the dent, seen picture and videos below. When pulling on the tire carrier you can see the dent pop in and out. Worth seeing if a body shop can pop it out for good?

Video #1
Video #2
Video #3

IMG_1485.jpeg
 
Those bolt holes are for the door check. Jeep added them in 2012. The check keeps the door from opening too far.
 
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I watched your videos. It sounds and looks like a weld gave way inside. You might be able to see it inside if you remove the spare carrier and the vent. You could also look into getting a tailgate reinforcement kit.
 
JeepJeezy said:
I watched your videos. It sounds and looks like a weld gave way inside. You might be able to see it inside if you remove the spare carrier and the vent. You could also look into getting a tailgate reinforcement kit
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I want to get a look inside like you said. Where exactly are the welds inside? Is there some sort of diagram, obviously I should go inside and look to the left where all that play is coming from.
 
dhoey1212 said:
I want to get a look inside like you said. Where exactly are the welds inside? Is there some sort of diagram, obviously I should go inside and look to the left where all that play is coming from.
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There are vertical support braces inside. I'm not 100% sure where they all are located though. I just know they're inside because of installing my tailgate table. I also wonder if there was a slight rear end collision with your "new" tailgate? Only asking because you stated the tire carrier was cracked and now this?
 
JeepJeezy said:
There are vertical support braces inside. I'm not 100% sure where they all are located though. I just know they're inside because of installing my tailgate table. I also wonder if there was a slight rear end collision with your "new" tailgate? Only asking because you stated the tire carrier was cracked and now this?
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that’s kind of what I’m suspecting, and it looks like from the pictures of the jeep that it was taken off from in the salvage yard. Their spare tire was touching the tailgate. You can see where the dust was outlining the tread on the tailgate the dent itself doesn’t really bother me too much because it is hidden by my spare tire but it’s more just the noise and the clunking and popping from inside, I’ll probably take the outside vent off and see if anything in the inside looks to be detached in that case I will have someone weld it back together. my thought, and I don’t know if you will agree with me on this or not is that just a simple dent wouldn’t be popping like that from the weight of the spare tire. Makes me almost think that something inside isn’t fastened properly, but I really have to take a look inside to know.
 
JeepJeezy said:
There are vertical support braces inside. I'm not 100% sure where they all are located though. I just know they're inside because of installing my tailgate table. I also wonder if there was a slight rear end collision with your "new" tailgate? Only asking because you stated the tire carrier was cracked and now this?
Click to expand...
IMG_1362.jpeg


That was the one the tailgate at the salvage yard was taken off of.
 
dhoey1212 said:
that’s kind of what I’m suspecting, and it looks like from the pictures of the jeep that it was taken off from in the salvage yard. Their spare tire was touching the tailgate. You can see where the dust was outlining the tread on the tailgate the dent itself doesn’t really bother me too much because it is hidden by my spare tire but it’s more just the noise and the clunking and popping from inside, I’ll probably take the outside vent off and see if anything in the inside looks to be detached in that case I will have someone weld it back together. my thought, and I don’t know if you will agree with me on this or not is that just a simple dent wouldn’t be popping like that from the weight of the spare tire. Makes me almost think that something inside isn’t fastened properly, but I really have to take a look inside to know.
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I agree with you. It's not like you have a big ol' 35 mounted on there.
 
JeepJeezy said:
I agree with you. It's not like you have a big ol' 35 mounted on there.
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I have my new impact coming soon and will drive without spare to test difference and take the vent out to check vertical support brackets inside for disconnection or looseness. Weird thing to me is everyone has been saying their spot welds on inside have been first sign of breakage and explanation for popping but mine seem to still be mint. I’m absolutely with you on the fact that it was probably rear ended lightly at some point and maybe something inside is wonky but hey for $200 this tailgate is a big upgrade over the old rust bucket. I will update what I find soon.
 
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