Vibrating right cat... exhaust hanger?

[bmdubya1198]

I noticed what sounded like a heat shield rattling on the 04 Explorer, and when I checked it out today, I noticed that the sound appeared to be coming from the right (passenger side) catalytic converter. It looked to be vibrating pretty badly when I had someone put it in drive and put the drivetrain under load. Interestingly, it was only the right side... the left cat was perfectly steady.
There is a hanger-looking piece on the right side of the Y pipe, and it seems that it should attach to some sort of bracket on the crossmember. I haven't been able to find such a part in my searching, but I figured someone on here would probably know if that part exists. Or at least have some input on this issue... it's entirely possible that the cat is just coming apart and causing this (had this issue on my BMW X5, and a customer of mine has it on his '02 Explorer).

Any ideas?

I marked the part in question.

 

[Rick]

Did you tap on the heat shield around the converter to see if it is loose? The spot welds often break and the thin metal shield vibrates.

I can't tell you where that bracket connects to, but it is an exhaust hanger which slides into a rubber bushing that isolates the exhaust from the chassis. Could be the rubber isolator fell out and the upper bracket is still there, or the upper bracket fell off with the isolator.

 

[bmdubya1198]

I did, the heat shield is nice and tight. It's weird, because it looks like there should be a bracket for the hanger on the crossmember, but there's no sign of anything ever being there.

 

[fordysenior]

Have you checked the heat shield around the transfer case. Mine rattled a lot when the tabs broke.

 

[bmdubya1198]

Have you checked the heat shield around the transfer case. Mine rattled a lot when the tabs broke.

I'll double check that. I don't think it had any movement, but who knows.

 

[CallMeSyd]

I noticed what sounded like a heat shield rattling on the 04 Explorer, and when I checked it out today, I noticed that the sound appeared to be coming from the right (passenger side) catalytic converter. It looked to be vibrating pretty badly when I had someone put it in drive and put the drivetrain under load. Interestingly, it was only the right side... the left cat was perfectly steady.
There is a hanger-looking piece on the right side of the Y pipe, and it seems that it should attach to some sort of bracket on the crossmember. I haven't been able to find such a part in my searching, but I figured someone on here would probably know if that part exists. Or at least have some input on this issue... it's entirely possible that the cat is just coming apart and causing this (had this issue on my BMW X5, and a customer of mine has it on his '02 Explorer).

Any ideas?

I marked the part in question.
View attachment 444946

That hanger is supposed to go into a little steel bracket with a rubber bushing that bolts to the transmission crossmember. In the center of the crossmember, where the isolator block bolts between the transmission and crossmember, there are 2 large nuts. The hanger bracket would go on the nut farthest to the passenger side. The rattle that you're hearing is most likely the shield on the cat coming apart.

 

[bmdubya1198]

I'm going to get it on the lift at some point for a closer look. It sounds like the heat shield, but it feels solid.
Thanks for confirming that there is supposed to be a bracket there!