[sicminded]

Note: I took it in to try and have it resolved by the dealer - to no avail. In fact, they made it worse and said it was the best they could do.

I spent 30 minutes to resolve this on my own. There is NO more annoying vibration and bass distortion inside my vehicle. (there is minimal and I mean minimal vibration on the outside). I can play N.W.A. at volume level 35+ with the bass turned up and it's never sounded better!


I did Four (4) main things (i've included some pics):


(1) Handle removal. Use your finger nail or a flat head screw driver and gently pop out the cover plate. I used a Power Screw driver and then did the remainder of the unscrewing by hand. The screws screw into a bracket holder that snaps into the frame, so if it gets loose it gives the sensation of the screw locking up. Make sure you are screwing out straight while the entire panel is still clipped in, if the screw holders get cock-eyed a little it will feel like its tough to unscrew, but it will unscrew.

(2) The main culprit was the subwoofer and how/where it sits in the tailgate. It sends strong vibrations into the hollow tailgate area. The wires for speakers, windshield wipers etc are held down nicely with padded tape already, so I didn't even touch that. I removed the sub and placed a thick piece of foam (car sponge square) directly behind the subwoofer so it touches both the sub and the tailgate metal, dampening the vibration.

(3) Push pins were padded on one side only, so I easily slid the push pins out of there holder and added a piece of felt bumper to each push pin back where it touches plastic (sold at Lowes or Home Depot). Plastic on plastic will resonate vibration. Adding the felt bumpers made them fit snug and tight.

(4) Dynamat. Since Dynamat is a heavy material, I used this sparingly and only in key areas where the plastic was not molded well to other plastic pieces (see pics). I did not want to weigh the tailgate down and cause strain on the lift mechanism. I purchased a Dynamat Door Kit on Amazon and custom cut the pieces I needed. The plastic panel that was removed seems to have a two piece plastic mold that wasn't held together all that well. Tiny weld points that left it vulnerable to vibration kickback. Placing pieces on the seems in key spots fixed it.


Satisfied that nothing was rattling, I put everything back together. Turned on some music with bass and tested it out. It worked. I stood outside of the vehicle and noticed a small vibration noise from the silver trim piece that runs across the back above the license plate, I could barely notice it with the volume cranked. Easy fix later. License plate was NOT vibrating, but Dynmat does sell a license plate kit. I just use rubber washers on the screws that hold the plate.


I hope this helps someone. Its amazing to be able to play my music as loud as I want and not have the vibrating distortion. I apologize - I forgot to snap a pic of the foam. Using different thicknesses of foam will affect the deepness of the bass, it's a user preference. I'd recommend a dense sponge or egg carton foam doubled up.

 

[Count Laszlo]

Re: 2013 Tailgate Base Vibration -- FIXED

Absolutely AWESOME post ever. I was going to take on this project over the weekend, but read that if you remove the back panel, you need to replace it with brand new clips. Is that true? They look like they can be taken off and put back on numerous times without getting worn out.

It almost looks like you could get away with using Gorilla Tape in the places where you used the Dynamat. Is it really just a poor-weld symptom more than anything? Very clever to say the least.

I read you need to get the handle off before taking the panel off. I tried removing the handle/but when I almost had the hex-screws completely out, they froze. They became very tight and I didn't want to force them out. So I decided to screw them back in. Hence, second reason why I didn't take on the job myself.

What is the best method for getting the back panel off, each clip? Does it take a ton of prying off... just curious of what to expect if I do decide to take this one on.

Really great job - very inspiring!

 

[sicminded]

Re: 2013 Tailgate Base Vibration -- FIXED

To answer a few of your questions; I encountered the same thing when trying to remove the screws. I thought it wasn't going to work. At first I used a Power Screw driver and then did the remainder of the unscrewing by hand. The screws screw into a bracket holder that snaps into the frame, so if it gets loose it gives the sensation of the screw locking up. Make sure you are screwing out straight while the entire panel is still clipped in, if the screw holders get cock-eyed a little it will feel like its tough to unscrew, but it will unscrew.

Once I had the screws out, it was super easy to give a nice even tug from the top down; one hand on the far left upper most part and my right hand just to the right of top center. Putting it back (snapping them back in) was just as easy once you line up the pushpins to the holes on top. I didn't break any clips, they look pretty well built as you can see in the pic. They are short and stubby.

You can purchase damping tape (http://www.amazon.com/2552-Sound-Vibration-Damping-Foil/dp/B005S4EWZ2) or try gorilla. I chose to use dynamat because of the thick stickyness of the material.

Yes, its a poor plastic weld job by Land Rover, poor design to say the least.

It does not take a ton of force to remove the panel, it's just one big thin flimsy piece of plastic. The hardest part was unscrewing the screws and that wasn't even that bad.

Good luck! Check out some of these foam ideas: http://www.thefoamfactory.com/acousticfoam/pyramidfoam.html

Absolutely AWESOME post ever. I was going to take on this project over the weekend, but read that if you remove the back panel, you need to replace it with brand new clips. Is that true? They look like they can be taken off and put back on numerous times without getting worn out.

It almost looks like you could get away with using Gorilla Tape in the places where you used the Dynamat. Is it really just a poor-weld symptom more than anything? Very clever to say the least.

I read you need to get the handle off before taking the panel off. I tried removing the handle/but when I almost had the hex-screws completely out, they froze. They became very tight and I didn't want to force them out. So I decided to screw them back in. Hence, second reason why I didn't take on the job myself.

What is the best method for getting the back panel off, each clip? Does it take a ton of prying off... just curious of what to expect if I do decide to take this one on.

Really great job - very inspiring!

 

[Count Laszlo]

Re: 2013 Tailgate Base Vibration -- FIXED

To answer a few of your questions; I encountered the same thing when trying to remove the screws. I thought it wasn't going to work. At first I used a Power Screw driver and then did the remainder of the unscrewing by hand. The screws screw into a bracket holder that snaps into the frame, so if it gets loose it gives the sensation of the screw locking up. Make sure you are screwing out straight while the entire panel is still clipped in, if the screw holders get cock-eyed a little it will feel like its tough to unscrew, but it will unscrew.

Once I had the screws out, it was super easy to give a nice even tug from the top down; one hand on the far left upper most part and my right hand just to the right of top center. Putting it back (snapping them back in) was just as easy once you line up the pushpins to the holes on top. I didn't break any clips, they look pretty well built as you can see in the pic. They are short and stubby.

You can purchase damping tape (http://www.amazon.com/2552-Sound-Vibration-Damping-Foil/dp/B005S4EWZ2) or try gorilla. I chose to use dynamat because of the thick stickyness of the material.

Yes, its a poor plastic weld job by Land Rover, poor design to say the least.

It does not take a ton of force to remove the panel, it's just one big thin flimsy piece of plastic. The hardest part was unscrewing the screws and that wasn't even that bad.

Good luck! Check out some of these foam ideas: http://www.thefoamfactory.com/acousticfoam/pyramidfoam.html

Awesome... thank you so much for the details and good for you to take it on!

I was going to bring it in to the dealer this Wed but I'd rather do the job myself - they won't really know what to do anyway.

I'll just have to re-tackle the screws for the handle and from there it looks like a piece of cake.

 

[Count Laszlo]

Re: 2013 Tailgate Base Vibration -- FIXED

Done... vibration gone!!!

Thank, goodness. That vibration ruins the entire stereo experience.

I used Gorilla Tape instead of the Dynamax. Each heat seal on the panel that connects the sub/panel to the larger panel needed to be sealed. Half of the heat seals were done very poorly and basically, weren't done. I also used auto felt around the entire edge of the larger panel and also used a backing for all the clips so they sit nice and snug as suggested.

No vibration inside whatsoever.

On the outside, there is a very, very slight vibration that's not coming from the gate, but rather the right side taillight and what I also believe the silver trim as the OP notes. But it's so little it's not even worth chasing down IMO. Although I know my obsession will force me to take that on one day.

Anyway, thanks to the OP, sub performs as it should and we no longer have to call it a POS.

Yay!

Oh, by the way, the handle screws had thread lock applied to them, that's why they suddenly became very resistant. Once you get past the thread lock, they come right now. Whew, that was scary.

 

[Daddykay24]

Re: 2013 Tailgate Base Vibration -- FIXED

I would like to thank the op for this write up as well. I read this fix this afternoon and headed right over to home depo. I already had a small piece of dynomat and placed it right behind the sub woofer. The only thing missing from this write up is the step to separate the handle and remove the screws.

 

[Count Laszlo]

Re: 2013 Tailgate Base Vibration -- FIXED

The handle cover comes off by first using your finger nail to pop out one of the outer edges, then I took a very small regular head screwdriver with the end softened by some packing tape, and then I slowly and carefully slid the tip of the screw driver along the side and popped out each affixed area until the the entire piece came off. Hope that helps for future doers.

This fix really works, thanks again to the OP! You're the first person who tackled it with descriptions and pics that made the job really easy.

 

[sicminded]

Re: 2013 Tailgate Base Vibration -- FIXED

I'm glad it helped you guys. Too bad LR can't take the time to make this easy fix.

 

[umbertob]

Re: 2013 Tailgate Base Vibration -- FIXED

First post edited per OP request.

 

[Jason Sport]

Note: I took it in to try and have it resolved by the dealer - to no avail. In fact, they made it worse and said it was the best they could do.

I spent 30 minutes to resolve this on my own. There is NO more annoying vibration and bass distortion inside my vehicle. (there is minimal and I mean minimal vibration on the outside). I can play N.W.A. at volume level 35+ with the bass turned up and it's never sounded better!


I did Four (4) main things (i've included some pics):


(1) Handle removal. Use your finger nail or a flat head screw driver and gently pop out the cover plate. I used a Power Screw driver and then did the remainder of the unscrewing by hand. The screws screw into a bracket holder that snaps into the frame, so if it gets loose it gives the sensation of the screw locking up. Make sure you are screwing out straight while the entire panel is still clipped in, if the screw holders get cock-eyed a little it will feel like its tough to unscrew, but it will unscrew.

(2) The main culprit was the subwoofer and how/where it sits in the tailgate. It sends strong vibrations into the hollow tailgate area. The wires for speakers, windshield wipers etc are held down nicely with padded tape already, so I didn't even touch that. I removed the sub and placed a thick piece of foam (car sponge square) directly behind the subwoofer so it touches both the sub and the tailgate metal, dampening the vibration.

(3) Push pins were padded on one side only, so I easily slid the push pins out of there holder and added a piece of felt bumper to each push pin back where it touches plastic (sold at Lowes or Home Depot). Plastic on plastic will resonate vibration. Adding the felt bumpers made them fit snug and tight.

(4) Dynamat. Since Dynamat is a heavy material, I used this sparingly and only in key areas where the plastic was not molded well to other plastic pieces (see pics). I did not want to weigh the tailgate down and cause strain on the lift mechanism. I purchased a Dynamat Door Kit on Amazon and custom cut the pieces I needed. The plastic panel that was removed seems to have a two piece plastic mold that wasn't held together all that well. Tiny weld points that left it vulnerable to vibration kickback. Placing pieces on the seems in key spots fixed it.


Satisfied that nothing was rattling, I put everything back together. Turned on some music with bass and tested it out. It worked. I stood outside of the vehicle and noticed a small vibration noise from the silver trim piece that runs across the back above the license plate, I could barely notice it with the volume cranked. Easy fix later. License plate was NOT vibrating, but Dynmat does sell a license plate kit. I just use rubber washers on the screws that hold the plate.


I hope this helps someone. Its amazing to be able to play my music as loud as I want and not have the vibrating distortion. I apologize - I forgot to snap a pic of the foam. Using different thicknesses of foam will affect the deepness of the bass, it's a user preference. I'd recommend a dense sponge or egg carton foam doubled up.

View attachment 25337 View attachment 25393 View attachment 25385 View attachment 25377 View attachment 25369 View attachment 25361 View attachment 25353 View attachment 25345 View attachment 25329 View attachment 25321 View attachment 25401

How thick was the foam piece you added behind the sub. Thank you. Awesome post btw. Just bought a new sub.

 

[knalex01]

I realize this is an old thread but I found it very useful! Started this project today, I did break one or two of the little white clips so I'm going to replace them all, for future reference it looks like the part number for the clips is LR013135

 

[knalex01]

Over the weekend I worked on this. OP was concerned about Dynamat weight but I wasn't - if you consider the weight of a sheet or two of Dynamat it's insignificant (in my opinion) to the overall weight of the tailgate.

It took several hours to cut and install all the Dynamat you see in the picture. It took almost 2 full sheets to do what you see below.

Did it help? Yes. Was it worth the time and effort? I'm not sure . . . .

I think the felt on the clips and a bit of Dynamat where the parts come together (as shown by OP) is probably 95% of the fix. But since I had it off and had spare Dynamat I thought what the hell.

When I first reinstalled I did NOT have the grey foam tape shown in the picture and I had a pretty severe rattle near the upper edge where the panel sits by the back glass. Hence the foam tape around the edge. I'm probably going to pull it back off and use a much thicker foam tape so that I have a bit more "crush" factor and maybe seal the enclosure a bit better.

 

[rquinn12]

Over the weekend I worked on this. OP was concerned about Dynamat weight but I wasn't - if you consider the weight of a sheet or two of Dynamat it's insignificant (in my opinion) to the overall weight of the tailgate.

It took several hours to cut and install all the Dynamat you see in the picture. It took almost 2 full sheets to do what you see below.

Did it help? Yes. Was it worth the time and effort? I'm not sure . . . .

I think the felt on the clips and a bit of Dynamat where the parts come together (as shown by OP) is probably 95% of the fix. But since I had it off and had spare Dynamat I thought what the hell.

When I first reinstalled I did NOT have the grey foam tape shown in the picture and I had a pretty severe rattle near the upper edge where the panel sits by the back glass. Hence the foam tape around the edge. I'm probably going to pull it back off and use a much thicker foam tape so that I have a bit more "crush" factor and maybe seal the enclosure a bit better.




View attachment 293382

Nice work, thanks for responding to this old post. It has been annoying the hell out of me and I have been putting it off. Looks like its going to have to happen this weekend. What type of fa tape did you end up going with? and any other sticking points you would note or recommendations to upgrade or perfect if you were doing it again?

How much Dynamat I'm going to order tomorrow. Thx

 

[knalex01]

Hi rquinn12 - I mention above it took 2 sheets, meaning their full size sheets. Again, probably overkill, but that's often how I do things.

That tape is just some old foam tape I had laying around - I'm probably going to replace that with some 1/2" to 3/4" thick tape.

 

[Jason Sport]

Hey guys, I have a brand new Subwoofer 🔊 for a 2006-2009 Range Rover Sport with the Land Rover receipt. I thought my original Subwoofer was blown but it’s fine and can not return the new one. Paid $480us but will sell for $240us plus shipping. Cheers