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HOW-TO dampen rattle from soft top compartment shelf
- DMike
- Senior Member
- Posts: 2445
- Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2007 7:15 pm
HOW-TO dampen rattle from soft top compartment shelf
An easy mod for rattling soft top compartment shelf.
My ’05 Z4 had some stubborn rattles, which I have managed to eliminate one by one (A-pillar, roll-over hoop plastic, soft top latch). The compartment shelf rattled and squeaked a lot, especially at uneven surfaces and sub-zero temperatures. The shelf is hard plastic and contains at both ends plastic flaps with springs, i.e. it’s undoubtedly designed a rattle resonator for genuine sports car experience!
Remove the shelf: close the top, shelf down, pull fabric loose from the shelf, remove two clips on either side, remove shelf. This has been covered previously on the forum and TIS.
Shelf removed.
Squeaking flap. Pictures on Realoem.com don’t have them, maybe they disappeared at facelift?
Underside of the shelf. Hard plastic. No dampening.
Adding some self adhesive bitumen mat, cut into strips.
Covered the entire underside…
…and the flaps too. Also added some felt tape where the springs touch plastic.
Final images with shelf put back in place. Rattle free for three years and counting...
DMike
My ’05 Z4 had some stubborn rattles, which I have managed to eliminate one by one (A-pillar, roll-over hoop plastic, soft top latch). The compartment shelf rattled and squeaked a lot, especially at uneven surfaces and sub-zero temperatures. The shelf is hard plastic and contains at both ends plastic flaps with springs, i.e. it’s undoubtedly designed a rattle resonator for genuine sports car experience!
Remove the shelf: close the top, shelf down, pull fabric loose from the shelf, remove two clips on either side, remove shelf. This has been covered previously on the forum and TIS.
Shelf removed.
Squeaking flap. Pictures on Realoem.com don’t have them, maybe they disappeared at facelift?
Underside of the shelf. Hard plastic. No dampening.
Adding some self adhesive bitumen mat, cut into strips.
Covered the entire underside…
…and the flaps too. Also added some felt tape where the springs touch plastic.
Final images with shelf put back in place. Rattle free for three years and counting...
DMike
Last edited by DMike on Thu Feb 14, 2013 8:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
2005 Z4 3.0i Sterling grey
- Andy
- Lifer
- Posts: 3194
- Joined: Thu Jun 21, 2007 7:30 pm
- Location: Warwickshire
Re: HOW-TO dampen rattle from soft top compartment shelf
You kept this to yourself for 3 years? Mine defo rattles & I'm sure most do, it's just how noticeable it gets so good work on taking the time to do the mod.DMike wrote: Final images with shelf put back in place. Rattle free for three years and counting...
DMike
Do you have any tips on how to replace the little clips in your penultimate photo? Got a couple come off & can't work out how to clip them back in.
Imola Z4MR #0026 6 yrs, & 66k so far..
- gannet
- Lifer
- Posts: 10086
- Joined: Mon Nov 26, 2007 11:45 am
- Location: Surrey
Re: HOW-TO dampen rattle from soft top compartment shelf
Ive neva noticed any rattling from mine...
-- Gannet.
Current: MINI JCW... - Modification: Driver Upgraded
Previous: DS3 DSport, Z4 3.0SE, 206 GTi & XS, Alfa 147 Lusso
Current: MINI JCW... - Modification: Driver Upgraded
Previous: DS3 DSport, Z4 3.0SE, 206 GTi & XS, Alfa 147 Lusso
- DMike
- Senior Member
- Posts: 2445
- Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2007 7:15 pm
Re: HOW-TO dampen rattle from soft top compartment shelf
The shelf can be reached from the cabin to re-insert the clips. Requires acrobatic maneuvers or an accessory elbow joint.Andy wrote:You kept this to yourself for 3 years? Mine defo rattles & I'm sure most do, it's just how noticeable it gets so good work on taking the time to do the mod.DMike wrote: Final images with shelf put back in place. Rattle free for three years and counting...
DMike
Do you have any tips on how to replace the little clips in your penultimate photo? Got a couple come off & can't work out how to clip them back in.
2005 Z4 3.0i Sterling grey
- TINO
- Member
- Posts: 811
- Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2011 4:31 pm
- Location: cambridge
Re: HOW-TO dampen rattle from soft top compartment shelf
cant say i here mine.welcome,nice to come across a hands on fix it yourself!
- andysat
- Lifer
- Posts: 16731
- Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2009 6:52 pm
Re: HOW-TO dampen rattle from soft top compartment shelf
Cant say i hear mine either, but thanks for the write up
Gone but not forgotten.
New ride silver e93.
- nicollow
- Member
- Posts: 214
- Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2011 10:25 am
Re: HOW-TO dampen rattle from soft top compartment shelf
Theres a clatter from the boot of my car even though theres nothing in it. Pretty much traked it down to the flappy rattle shelf. On my list of mods, so thanks very much for the write up
- VENDAR
- Member
- Posts: 299
- Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2012 11:05 am
- DMike
- Senior Member
- Posts: 2445
- Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2007 7:15 pm
Re: HOW-TO dampen rattle from soft top compartment shelf
Links updated.VENDAR wrote:photos are gone. can you reupload them?
2005 Z4 3.0i Sterling grey
- Swiftly
- Lifer
- Posts: 8817
- Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2011 10:43 pm
- Location: Edinburgh
Re: HOW-TO dampen rattle from soft top compartment shelf
Thanks, mine rattles sometimes.
- VENDAR
- Member
- Posts: 299
- Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2012 11:05 am