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Does every TF of this era rattle like mine?

2.1K views 20 replies 18 participants last post by  pault39  
#1 ·
Out on a c100 mile run yesterday on a mix of A, B and some unclassified but all tarmacced roads and my overiding thought was... my god everything rattles! MOT only a few hundred miles ago and all bushes and joints ok but rattles from windscreen surround, doors, rear of dash, behind seats etc etc. Handling is fine and a great drive but had to jack her up and check underneath today. All looks fine, but why so many rattles? Not driven any others, so cannot compare. Perhaps 45 years of driving saloons has softened me! Can anyone confirm they do rattle and crash?
It is an early 2004 TF.
 
#2 ·
My F rattled like a bag of spanners when I got it. As i worked my way around the car I slowly realized that although everything could have been secured by MG Rover they had misaligned items and missed out bolts etc. Four years later mine is actually now reasonably rattle free! (window mechanisms were the worst culprits!):)
 
#6 ·
Which way Dave? Better or worse?
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I have recently changed to adjustable Spax with Eibach springs and it seems to have woken every rattle up!

I'm going to adjust it to a softer setting and see how that goes.

I have always had an annoying rattle which appears to come from the steering column. I can't find anything along the column or behind the dash as the likely culprit
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#5 ·
They are all preety much like that, i dont think they were put together with much care or time at the factory.
Plus years old and wear dont help, you will just have to do as others have said and start going round tightening and adjusting things one at a time.
 
#9 · (Edited)
Only one rattle on mine and it took a bit of finding. I now never put the windows right down, just leave a little showing in the rails at the top of the door and hey ho, no more rattling. The rest is quiet and smooth, but, most suspension parts have been replaced and put on properly.
 
#11 ·
mine had a real irritating rattle which had only started once I'd fitted the Mk1 rollbars and only when the soft top was up....eventually found out it was one of the push fasteners touching against the top of the roll bar.......other than that, the odd rattle now and again but usually when I'm on B roads with very little tarmac left on them
 
#14 ·
I have intermittent rattle that comes from front of dash near windscreen on passenger side. But all depends on weather & humidity !! When dry & hot like now, it rattles. But when wet, damp & humid, nothing !!! ....
I always drive with my windows either full up or at half mast, then they don't rattle.
In general, mine is a rattle free car, not bad for a good condition MGF that is 13 yrs old !! I am happy.
But with roof down & music up high, all is serine !!
 
#15 ·
I have had mine about a month now and I too had plenty of rattles - to be fair not as many as I expected - but I am slowly sorting them. The driver's window was the worst so I took off the door card and 'gently nipped up' the clamp and it is much better now.

I also cleaned off the engine today using Autoglym Machine and Engine cleaner - looks a whole lot better - pity no-one can see it!

I also tweaked the heat shields and reckon I have solved another rattle.
 
#19 ·
Many years ago my sister was complaining about a rattle from her car. I took it out and told her she was imagining it. She denied it and took me out herself. Sure enough there was a rattle. We drove about for a while as I searched for it. I found it. Told her she was a bloody idiot. The rattle she was *****ing about was her handbag buckle.
 
#20 ·
A good wipe with some silicon grease around the door, on the rubber seal, gets rid of a few squeaks. Just have a look at anywhere that two bits rub together, door trim to body trim is one place. But as the car has no roof it is bound to bend a bit.
 
#21 ·
Mines like a bag of spanners, the worst thing being there's a nut or something on my front end somewhere and it rolls from left to right and vice versa when cornering.......can't find it for the life of me. Am thinking it may behind the dash somewhere!!!.