2018 Seneca - Loud Banging Noise

kndspd · 10-21-2018, 08:19 AM

We have a 2018 Seneca 37k with a loud banging noise happening above the rear axle. Sometimes there is no noise at all. Other times, hit a bump on the road, even a small one, and BANG! After that the banging continues for a while loud and soft. You really feel it in your feet if standing in the half-bath which is just forward of the rear tires.

Thought it might be half-bath gray tank being loose and hitting floor above. Reinforced mounting - no change. Have laid on ground looking up under and see nothing obvious hitting bottom of rig. Have removed panels near tanks but cannot see into area above rear axle. Noise seems to be within frame between bottom and flooring above.

Does anyone have a clue? Bang is VERY LOUD when it happens. Thanks.

WinnieView · 10-21-2018, 08:26 AM

We had a noise somewhat like that in our previous DP and found a broken upper shock mount and the leaning shock making the occasional noise.

gprapim · 10-21-2018, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kndspd

We have a 2018 Seneca 37k with a loud banging noise happening above the rear axle. Sometimes there is no noise at all. Other times, hit a bump on the road, even a small one, and BANG! After that the banging continues for a while loud and soft. You really feel it in your feet if standing in the half-bath which is just forward of the rear tires.

Thought it might be half-bath gray tank being loose and hitting floor above. Reinforced mounting - no change. Have laid on ground looking up under and see nothing obvious hitting bottom of rig. Have removed panels near tanks but cannot see into area above rear axle. Noise seems to be within frame between bottom and flooring above.

Does anyone have a clue? Bang is VERY LOUD when it happens. Thanks.

Check your shock mounts and if there is a sway bar, check out all of its mounts as well.

kndspd · 10-21-2018, 01:52 PM

2008 Seneca got me looking in the right direction. I was trying to get closer to see the top shock mount when I noticed a nipple near the bottom of the spring pack that had nothing connected. Looked at the other wheel/spring and saw that a rod with ring end was supposed to be on there. Went back to other side and found the disconnected rod folded up above the spring pack. Touched it and it hissed (...keep in mind I am the DW here...).

Got the hubby and he quickly realized that it was the link that tells the air bags the position of suspension. He reconnected it and the bag on that side started to fill and level. Went for a test ride and now the Seneca rides like a Cadillac!

Damn thing had been bottoming out on the steel bump stops for 7400 miles! We don’t think it was ever connected since we have had this issue since we took delivery in January. The real kicker is that both of us have looked under there at least a dozen times trying to find the noise. Thanks for your help guys.

SloPoke · 10-21-2018, 01:58 PM

Great news that you have found and fixed it!!! And, Welcome to JOF and the Seneca family here.

McGintys924 · 10-21-2018, 02:40 PM

Welcome, and glad you got it fixed! The people here will keep you going down the road since these things have happened to one of us at one time or another.

Those of us with M2 trucks found that the front stabilizer bars were defective and needed an upgrade; some things seem like they had been designed for a different set up. Too bad the factory driver and dealership (you know they took it for fuel) never realized any problem.

kndspd · 10-21-2018, 04:23 PM

Dealer did more than take it for fuel. Day we were to pick up I tried to adjust my seat. It pinched a wire (didn’t know it at the time) and then nothing in the cab worked. Great service guy at dealer tried for 5 hours to find problem and eventually we drove their loaner car 3 hours home. They delivered the RV 5 days later - a 3 hour drive. Guess the driver thought that banging noise was normal. We were starting to think that too...

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