Front end "rattle"

What kind of rattle, interior, or do you think it might be frame/suspension related?

 

Look at the bars that run from cab over top of eng. to rad. bolts can let bars rattle when not all the way tight?

 

Are you sure, absolutely sure, it's the front end suspension? It's more likely it's something else,(or you'd feel it in the steering wheel.) such as the fenders in front of the tanks, or the inner fenders, the inner fenders especially cause it's cheap plastic that breaks easy causing a ton of rattling noises. . Those are problem spots on Columbia's. If you can feel it in the floor board, then check your front cab mounts. If it's a high pitch rattle, check your bumper. I've seen a ton of Columbia's with loose bumper bolts.

 

My dad has an 06 Columbia. And after owning a number of Freightliners I'd just have to say that's just how they are. His rattles and shakes and vibrates going down the road too and we've gone through everything making sure all is tight etc. You'd think Freightliner would've learned how to build a truck after 70 some years. The Columbia is a decent truck but cheaply built like everything else they make. After years of shaking in rattling in Freightliners I finally bought a KW and will never go back.

 

Sometimes the u-joints in the steering colum cause rattles,,most I would check the springs and all components in the front suspension you should jack up the truck when you do your check,,Check to see if there is any shiny metal where any components contact,,

Way back I owned a freightliner,,everything rattled , when the truck got to 300,000 I got rid of it and went to Peterbilts, put over a million miles on my 98 pete and no rattles,,even the rear suspension was tight when I sold it,,Had the front end aligned the day I bought it and never aligned it again,,

 

That sounds totally normal for a Columbia. The hood on mine broke in three places from being rattled around for years and now is chattering away through the fenders. Anybody that talks to me on the phone asks if I'm driving a locomotive, but I've become completely deaf to whatever it is they're hearing.