I have a rattle when I go over bumps. Judging bythe tone of it, it sounds like it is some kinda strong metal (Not the rods going to the locks/handles) Its either in the door, or right behind it (In the speaker area)

I had the door panel off yesterday. There is nothing loose in/on the door. I padded everywhere those rods could rattle against the door metal. and it still there. I checked to make sure the speaker wasnt to deap hitting the body panels behind them, they are fine.

I am almost POSITIVE that its not the door handle, its a little loose but not bad, my friends 89 has a loose door handle and it sounds different.

What else is in the area that could be loose. I was thinking maybe the latching mechanism on the door, but I couldnt move it with a screw driver so I dont suspect that.

Any Help?

 

This is a shot in the dark, but do you have power locks, it might have something to do with the lock mechanism, or anything dealing with that inside the door.

 

I liked your description of the noise---"strong metal".

That's exactly like what the door latch sounds like hitting the striker, and these cars do it all the time.

I dunno if the '86's had them, but my '92 has these striker pads on both the door and the doorframe. They have a slight angle to them, and are identical, but mounted 180* opposite, so as the door closes, they lock up against each other, bracing the door.

They're about 3/4 inch wide and 1 1/2 inches long. Go look at a 90's thirdgen, near the top of the door, if yours doesn't have 'em.

Wish I knew how to draw online!

GM used plastic spacers for shims to force these together, but you can use anything, believe it or not I used cardboard the first day I had the car at work---it worked for awhile. You could cut pieces of an old innertube---just about anything to shim these out. That will take the load off the striker and I'll bet it will get rid of the clunk!