Trunk Rattle fix
- JerriEric
- Posts: 73
- Joined: Fri Jun 07, 2013 10:23 pm
- Location: Windham, Maine
- Motorcycle: GL1800 '06
Trunk Rattle fix
I and many others have tried to locate the rattle produced from the trunk area. I tried for years to stop the rattle. This included removing the trunk lid liner and placing foam around all connections coming into the lid, putting stick on foam around the passenger cubby openings and various other fixes that did not work. Until I found the culprit which, when others have applied, solved the rattle problem. The rattle comes from the trunk lid hinges on the front of the trunk. You can see the hinges when the trunk is open. The solution is to get some stick on door foam to seal air leaks in your home. One side is sticky and the rest is just foam that compresses. You can find it at any hardware store. Place the sticky part of the foam in the bottom hinge facing up so when you close the trunk the top hinge just closes as it normally would but it compresses the foam and NO MORE RATTLE.
- virgilmobile
- Posts: 9092
- Joined: Sun Sep 19, 2010 5:39 pm
- Location: Denham Springs,La.
- Motorcycle: 1988 GL1500 I
Previously owned
78 GL1000
81 GL1100
82 GL1100 I
83 GL1100 I
83 GL1100 standard
84 GL 1200 I
Re: Trunk Rattle fix
Good find.Ill make a special note about it.
Thanks.Ill look at my 1500 too and see if its the same.
Thanks.Ill look at my 1500 too and see if its the same.
- medicineman
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2012 9:45 am
- Location: Aurora, Colorado
- Motorcycle: 2005 GL1800A
- Contact:
Re: Trunk Rattle fix
I'll try that. Thanks.
Re: Trunk Rattle fix
i installed foam under the lower hinge and it helped a lot. I will try your suggestion. So you installed the foam in between the upper and lower halves of the hinge. Thanks for the write up.
- Fatwing Chris
- Posts: 770
- Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2010 6:10 pm
- Location: Ont.,Canada
- Motorcycle: 2004 ABS Model Goldwing
Re: Trunk Rattle fix
Never noticed a rattle,but then again there is always someone leaning on it. 

If I'da known it would last this long,I'da taken better care of it.
Chris
Double Dark
Darkside # 1602
Chris
Double Dark
Darkside # 1602
- JerriEric
- Posts: 73
- Joined: Fri Jun 07, 2013 10:23 pm
- Location: Windham, Maine
- Motorcycle: GL1800 '06
Re: Trunk Rattle fix
Yes between the hinges.rcdoc wrote:i installed foam under the lower hinge and it helped a lot. I will try your suggestion. So you installed the foam in between the upper and lower halves of the hinge. Thanks for the write up.
Re: Trunk Rattle fix
jerrieric I took your suggestion and installed the foam strip between the upper and lower halves of the hinge and the trunk is the quietest it has ever been, I bought this bike used and it had the baby bumpers and all that did was make the truck so hard to close. Most of the time I had to slam the trunk. Now I close the trunk with little effort. Thanks again for your write up.
- JerriEric
- Posts: 73
- Joined: Fri Jun 07, 2013 10:23 pm
- Location: Windham, Maine
- Motorcycle: GL1800 '06
Re: Trunk Rattle fix
I bought the trunk support by WingRider. It has adjustable bumpers. I bought this before I discovered the real rattle culprit. But like the support.rcdoc wrote:jerrieric I took your suggestion and installed the foam strip between the upper and lower halves of the hinge and the trunk is the quietest it has ever been, I bought this bike used and it had the baby bumpers and all that did was make the truck so hard to close. Most of the time I had to slam the trunk. Now I close the trunk with little effort. Thanks again for your write up.
Re: Trunk Rattle fix
The wingrider support is a great addition when carrying luggage on a luggage rack. It takes the weight off of the lower trunk and helps to reduce the rash caused by the upper lid rubbing on the lower.
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- Posts: 1
- Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2014 9:04 pm
- Location: Seattle, Washington
- Motorcycle: 1989 gl1500
Re: Trunk Rattle fix
I cannot seem to adjust my side saddlebags so the door closes. It leaks water, can u explain?
- JHUBBLE
- Posts: 20
- Joined: Fri Nov 18, 2016 2:53 pm
- Location: Guntersville, Alabama
- Motorcycle: 2007 GL1800 L4 / 2007 Yamaha Royal Star Venture/ 1997 Kawasaki 800 Vulcan Classic
Re: Trunk Rattle fix
I used a 6 ft. piece of 5/32 windshield washer fluid hose (bought at local auto parts store prepackaged) for under $5. I inserted it into the rubber gasket around the trunk lid. This took some working around and quite a bit of hand work to get all the way around. This will buff up the rubber gasket and keep the lid from chaffing the paint on the trunk.
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- Posts: 1
- Joined: Mon Jan 09, 2017 9:13 pm
- Location: Indiana
- Motorcycle: 2006 GL1800
2006 ZG1000
Re: Trunk Rattle fix
Hi All,
I saw this thread and was like, whaaa?
The solution is an 8 dollar fix from cycle max.
http://cyclemax.com/inc/sdetail/gl1800_ ... _/76/68191
Had these on my first wing and was like, well DUH! It goes under the list of what "honda SHOULD have done." The PO of my bike had laced the bumper gap with all sorts of crap. Velcro, foam strips, ugh it was awful, and hideous to look at. These bumpers keep it just the right height to keep the weather stripping that's on the lid itself, do it its' job properly. This is a great product, and easy purchase. Way less hassle than trial and error with velcro and foam.
I saw this thread and was like, whaaa?
The solution is an 8 dollar fix from cycle max.
http://cyclemax.com/inc/sdetail/gl1800_ ... _/76/68191
Had these on my first wing and was like, well DUH! It goes under the list of what "honda SHOULD have done." The PO of my bike had laced the bumper gap with all sorts of crap. Velcro, foam strips, ugh it was awful, and hideous to look at. These bumpers keep it just the right height to keep the weather stripping that's on the lid itself, do it its' job properly. This is a great product, and easy purchase. Way less hassle than trial and error with velcro and foam.
-
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Thu Jul 18, 2019 8:29 pm
- Location: Grant's pass, Oregon
- Motorcycle: 2005 1800a
Re: Trunk Rattle fix
Thank you for this. Just bought a 2005 and noticed the rattle will give it a tryJerriEric wrote: ↑Wed Jun 11, 2014 5:29 pm DSCN0740.JPGI and many others have tried to locate the rattle produced from the trunk area. I tried for years to stop the rattle. This included removing the trunk lid liner and placing foam around all connections coming into the lid, putting stick on foam around the passenger cubby openings and various other fixes that did not work. Until I found the culprit which, when others have applied, solved the rattle problem. The rattle comes from the trunk lid hinges on the front of the trunk. You can see the hinges when the trunk is open. The solution is to get some stick on door foam to seal air leaks in your home. One side is sticky and the rest is just foam that compresses. You can find it at any hardware store. Place the sticky part of the foam in the bottom hinge facing up so when you close the trunk the top hinge just closes as it normally would but it compresses the foam and NO MORE RATTLE.
- C-dub
- Posts: 600
- Joined: Thu Aug 24, 2017 8:29 pm
- Location: DFW, Texas
- Motorcycle: 2016 Goldwing Audio/Comfort/Nav ABS
Previous bikes:
2005 Hayabusa
1999 Suzuki Bandit 1200S
1979 Suzuki GS850G
1983 Suzuki GS1100E
1981 Honda XL250
1975 Suzuki GT185M
1970 Suzuki TC90 dirtbike
Re: Trunk Rattle fix
I tried this yesterday and then went for a ride today.JerriEric wrote: ↑Wed Jun 11, 2014 5:29 pm DSCN0740.JPGI and many others have tried to locate the rattle produced from the trunk area. I tried for years to stop the rattle. This included removing the trunk lid liner and placing foam around all connections coming into the lid, putting stick on foam around the passenger cubby openings and various other fixes that did not work. Until I found the culprit which, when others have applied, solved the rattle problem. The rattle comes from the trunk lid hinges on the front of the trunk. You can see the hinges when the trunk is open. The solution is to get some stick on door foam to seal air leaks in your home. One side is sticky and the rest is just foam that compresses. You can find it at any hardware store. Place the sticky part of the foam in the bottom hinge facing up so when you close the trunk the top hinge just closes as it normally would but it compresses the foam and NO MORE RATTLE.

I used 1/2" wide, 1/2" thick weatherstrip foam. I thought it would work well when I installed it yesterday, but was surprised and disappointed when I got out for a ride this morning. I'll take another look and see if maybe I used too short of a piece or something. I hope my rattle isn't from something else.
I am not and have never been a LEO. My avatar is in honor of my friend, Dallas Police Sargeant Michael Smith, who was murdered along with four other officers in Dallas on 7.7.2016.
Patriot Guard Rider
Patriot Guard Rider
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- Posts: 36
- Joined: Wed May 14, 2014 2:46 pm
- Location: Hobart, Indiana
- Motorcycle: 1991 gl1500 interstae
Re: Trunk Rattle fix
those damn hinges! i remember when i had a few 1800,s they all rattled, just got my wing today..of course the same rattle. i do remember wrapping foam rubber around those damn hinges...