Factory fender liners allowing ice between body and frame

I took my truck in for a banging sound in the floor pan on the left side. They said its a bad strut, but it doesnt feel like a strut.
This morning, the sound was there again, I washed my truck and the sound was gone. Thinking back, I normally feel the pressure washer jets on the floor pan by my left foot, I didnt feel them this time so I took a look why.
There is a space right by the cab mount that is packing with snow, turning rock hard with water/ice, then hitting the floor pan when I hit bumps. Even just getting snow in there and driving on wet roads will cause this to freeze rock hard when you park.




So if your getting a banging by your foot, check for ice build up there by the cab mount.

 

Little update, I chipped out most of the ice last night. I was hoping to get some good tests this morning, but we got another 6 inches of snow last night.

But, I stopped at the car wash and sprayed out the wheel wells. After driving for a bit there is no noise coming from there anymore!

 

mud flaps?

 

Interesting! Thanks for the heads up!

 

I did look into mud flaps and they seem to cover this exposed area. Im going to do some more testing by covering the area with rubber roof flashing.


There is a very specific way to make this issue arise. The area needs to be packed with snow, get it wet, then park overnight so it freezes. It needs to be packed hard though, any gaps will allow the snow to move out of the area and not freeze.

 

Noise aside, it will be good to address the problem as its obviously going to get a ton of salt and crap up around that area....even for the non-winter guys...I could imagine a bunch of South Carolina mud, getting petrified and maybe never really getting cleaned out well....cause rust.

 

As stated above, I would be worried about rust if road salt stayed packed in there for long periods of time.

 

Mudflaps help

 

Mudflaps make a huge difference but I still have to pressure wash that area out a few times each winter. With mudflaps it’s usually just abunch of ice and compact snow, before the mudflaps it would turn into cement with road spray and gravel mixed in and filling the entire front cab mount area.

 

I have now 100% confirmed that a banging noise in the floor pan is due to ice build up behind the front wheels.

Friday we had heavy snow, my wheel wells were packed with snow, slush and ice. Overnight the temp dropped to -10, took the truck out today and had a loud banging in the floor pan, went to the car wash and while in line I dug my mini sledgehammer out from under the seats, knocked all the boogers out of the wheel liner and the area between the cab mount and the frame. Cleared out the rest with the car wash.... Sound is completely gone (till next snow storm)


So I'm going to swing by the home Depot and pick up some rubber sheeting used for roofing. Will cut it and bolt it into the wheel wells and then up under the frame a bit.

 

Lol I just figured out what this was too. Last 2 winter's I ran mudflaps and had no issues, this winter I've gone flapless.

Really only seems to be an issue for me when it's below ~10°F

 

Yep same here, only when its really cold the ice just turns rock hard. I think below 0 the salt mixed with the slush cant melt any of the ice in there. Ive started keeping a mini sledge hammer and a small pry bar in the tool bin under the seats.

 

I know this post is a few years old.....Did you ever have a complete resolution for this? I ran 285s with no flaps, well as soon as it snowed this started. Put my flaps back on, still getting it every time it snows. Before I start hacking and packing rubber roofing (which i have plenty on hand) itd be great to know if it solved it. Not going to chip ice and spray every time it snows...its can snow everyday here!

 

Just ignore the sound? When temps rise above freezing hose out the area. There are many nooks and crannies under the truck that can trap snow.

 

Impossible to ignore. Sounds like the trucks literally falling apart-can feel it rattle hard also. My region is below freezing for most of december thru mid march. Just reaching out to someone that seemed to be on the right path. Maybe the fact that the thread ended means he fixed it