Nopike

iTrader: (2)

I replaced my drivers side axle almost two years ago and it seems like my car started making a pulsing huming/rubbing noise from then on. The sound is especially noticable on smooth roads at speeds over 20 mph. It is not very loud and most people assume it is tire noise but it is not an even sound like you would get from tires, it is more of a pulsating sound. Going around turns or braking does not seem to make a diifference with the noise.

I have installed a new set of tires since the noise started and it made no difference, and rotating tires does not help. The sound appears to come from the drivers side front. It sounds like it could be a bad wheel bearing but after two years and 18K miles I would expect a wheel bearing to get louder and that has not happened. I have a new axle to install (under warranty) and hope it fixes the problem. If not, the wheel bearing will probably be my next guess.

I appreciate any feedback from org members but my main question is can a drive axle make a pulsating type humming noise.

pmohr

iTrader: (26)

Axles can certainly make some weird noises, and have odd symptoms.

If you already have one, give it a shot

Be sure to thoroughly check out the area while you're in there, looking for anything else that seems bad.

Nopike

iTrader: (2)

Thanks, guess I'll find out. I have been in there numerous times during the past two years. The noise is just loud enough to bug the heck out of me. My guess is that the one I installed was not remanufactured properly. I don't mind changing the axle it's the getting the front end alignment afterwards that I have been trying to avoid.

Esmug

Hi, I got the exact noise and been tryoing to figure it out for little while. The noise also correlates to the speed too. The faster the speed,so does the sound. I was heading down the road of wheels and related components like tires. I am cking into brakes next. I wouldn't rule out suspension yet either. If the struts, mounts are bad it might cause it. Please post back if the axle fixes it.

sicivic89

iTrader: (58)

I have the same exact noise in the left front!!!! Its not too loud, but I can hear it and it annoys me as well. I thought it might be a wheel bearing too but its been doing it for 15K miles and hasn't gotten any worse. I have changed tires too and the noise is too there.

My car is a 95. I've replaced the struts and strut mounts/bearings along with inner and outer tie rods. All OEM parts with KYB struts. Anyone else have this noise and figure out what solved the issue?

Nopike

iTrader: (2)

Installation of a new axle did not fix the noise. I took it for a test drive with a mechanic and he said he did not hear anything out of the ordinary. He also checked out the front end and said everything is tight as a drum. The sound is kind of annoying and it is difficult to tell exactly where it is coming from. Most people don't even notice it but I do and it does not sound like normal tire noise.

My struts and mounts were replaced two years ago so that part of the suspension is fine.

If it was a wheel bearing you would think it would get worse after two years. I guess it could be the brakes but they appear to be fine, rotors are not warped and pads are worn evenly. Maybe the sound is just natural for 4th gens. If any one has any suggestions for possible cures that are not very parts or labor intensive I'd like to hear them.

blaznmax

hey i drive a 05 maxima six speed and i ahve a axle leak from where the axle meets the tranny and also have a vibration and humming type noise and feel and the humming gets pretty loud and goes alonmg with the vibration was wondering if neone cold help

sicivic89

iTrader: (58)

I hear ya man! I'm the same way. The noise bothers me too! Anyone else have any ideas?

Nopike

iTrader: (2)

My guess is the noise my Maxima makes could be coming from many possible sources, front or rear of the car. Unless it gets worse it's probably not worth putting much effort into fixing it. If it does get worse that will probably make it easier to find.

matrix11229

I have a noise too on driver side. It sounds like electric motor whining and I can hear it at low speed after a long drive. May be it's the brake pads/ rotor that overheat ....
I have that noise for about 2 years.

JtzMax

iTrader: (5)

Seems simple enough, but are you sure it's not a dust cover rubbing the rotor? I would guess you've check that already, but hey if not, who knows. lol To check your wheel bearing, lift the car, support it and grab the tire at 12 / 6 and 9 / 3 and see how much 'in and out' play there is. The tollerance is something like 0.002 IIRC so if there's much play at all, do the bearing. I would agree that it should get worse with time, but maybe it's just broken down a little and not getting worse, but bad enough to make the noise. That make any sense? lol That bearing is a double sided roller (ball) bearing - meaning that the hub sets into one side of the rollers and the axle goes into the other side. So it could be that one side is out, the other is still ok.

That's my take on it anyway. Let us know what you find out after you grab hold of the wheel and give it a shake.

Nopike

iTrader: (2)

Thanks, but the grab wheel and give it a shake probably only works if the bearing is really shot. Mine test fine. Could be a bearing but at this point I am not going to change a bearing unless I'm sure it is bad. The mechanic who checked it out has heard many bad bearings and he said that they sound fine. He did the shake wheel test also
and said everything was OK.

Does not sound like guard rubbiing on rotor and the sound does not change when the brakes are applied.

Justock

I had a similar annoying thrum-thrum-thrum noise on both my '95 and my '02 Maximas. It sounded like the front to me, but in both cases, the noise was gone after doing a rear brake job. The '95 had a torn caliper dust boot and rusty, frozen piston, so the right rear pads were not touching the rotor. The surface of the rotor was rusty. I think the rough rusty surface was lightly scraping the pads.

The '02 had stiff rear rotors and also the grease on the pad sliders had hardened. It looked like the right rear outer pad was half stuck and squeezing the rotor at an angle for a while, because it was worn a a funny angle. Then it must have straightened out. The rotor was rusted where the worn area of the pad no longer touched. Again, the rotor rust may have been causing the noise.

It sound a little far fetched, but it sure is easy to check the rear rotors for abnormal rust.

Nopike

iTrader: (2)

Thanks, I have not taken that close of a look at the rear pads/rotors yet, worth a try. Although I really don't think its the brakes because I would expect the noise to change or disappear when I apply the brakes.

Blassmasta

I have a '99 with the same issue. Decided to get it dealt with and search led me here. Every bearing (including the gearbox) in the drivetrain has been replaced on this car EXCEPT ONE. If I'm not mistaken the passenger side driveaxle is the longer one and has a CENTRE SUPPORT BEARING in addition to the diff bearing at the tranny and the wheel bearing at the hub. I'm going to look into this, just wondering if anyone else had looked at it. PITA to get at and therefore quite probably often ignored.

BlackMamba

iTrader: (1)

what jtz said or if you have bad luck like me then ur axles are leaking trans fluid from the axle and when u accelerate it make a clack/click noise and there is a
"50`s-kind-of-alien-movie-ray-gun" sound then it is your transmission.

Thats just maybe, just maybe.

najee1062

I hope someone come up with something... Im having this same issue and for the life of me can't find the source. did all that was posted on this thread excepted the rear hubs... I changed both axles and the center support bearing, both wheel bearing and spindles in front, brakes and rotors front and back, struts front and back. the only thing left is the rear hubs and trans bearing but i have a auto...would that matter?

Nopike

iTrader: (2)

The center support bearing that you are talking about is part of the passenger side drive shaft. I changed both drive shafts and still the same sound. I have lived with this for four years now. I'll get rid of the car within the next couple of years. My guess is that it is a wheel bearing but until the bearings fail to where I can be reasonable sure I don't intend to change them. Rear hubs are another possible source for this noise. Will try and check those for play.

Blassmasta

Cool ... let me know if you have any success. The car would be perfect if not for that annoying drone.

mikechambers

i have a really good nissan mechanic that i go to when im feeling lazy and i too have the same problem and he says its a wheel bearing.. passenger side rear is the first to go most of the time and as long as you dont mind the noise and none of the wheels have any play you should be fine

Nopike

iTrader: (2)

Thanks for the advise on rear bearing. I jacked up the car and checked my rear wheels, I did not feel any play. The pads rub gently on the brake rotor when the wheels are turned but I think that is normal. I did a total brake job on the rear last year and that did not have any effect on the noise. Could be the noise is coming from the rear hub bearing but only if the weight of the car is applied. Maybe I'll have someone drive the car while I sit in the back seat and listen closely.

j-dawg

I had a bad rear bearing and there was no play in it. I did hear a horrible clicking noise as I rotated it, though.

Either way, new rear bearings are $20 at Pick'n'Pull and it's an easy bolt-in replacement. If you have a hunch, it's worth trying.

Nealoc187

iTrader: (23)

nopike, what you describe sounds like a wheel bearing to me.

i live in the west suburbs so not too far from you, though I'm in canada for the next 5 months. if you still haven't figured out your problem by the time I get back in november, I'd be happy to take a listen/look. i've got a bad wheelbearing on my 95 right now so I know exactly what they sound like lol.

j-dawg

Hey, we can form a westburbs trio with broken wheel bearings, only mine is fixed now.

I do have a video that I filmed trying to capture the noise:


It may not be entirely clear to which noise I refer, but you hear some horrible oscillating growl the whole time, but worst at ~1min. That noise had been there since I bought the car and turned out to be the left rear bearing. Bought one at the Summit P'n'P for <$20 and my car is now quiet as a mouse. The whole first year I owned it I thought it was just a really loud car.

Nopike

iTrader: (2)

Thanks, I appreciate that. Good chance I'll take you up on that offer if I still have issues. I have had the noise for about 4 years now. I am not sure because it is difficult to pinpoint. The noise appears to be coming from the front of the vehicle. You would think a bearing would get louder and fail after four years. Could be something with the auto trans also but if I coast in neutral I still hear it.

Thanks for the video, mine is just not very obvious and it has not really gotten any louder in 4 years. The noise is annoying but not so annoying that I want to spend a lot of time or money to fix it.

Nopike

iTrader: (2)

Took my car to a mechanic I trust. They checked out the bearings using a stethoscope and said they are nice and smooth. They informed me that the noise I'm hearing is from the tires. That makes sense to me.

The mechanic was not a big fan of Yokohama's. I have Avid V4S on the car they have approximately 25K miles on them and appear to have plenty of life left. Guess I'll just have to turn the stereo up for now.


Thanks for the help everyone.

Nopike

iTrader: (2)

Took the car to Discount tire. They were aware of Yokohama V4S uni directional tires having this issue. They really sounded like crap lately, like you are driving on totally bad bearings. Gave me a credit toward new tires. I'm totally disappointed with Yokohama and Discount tires. Got some Kohmos, will only keep the car for another 2-3 years so these should do fine. The car drives nice and quiet now.

Remminator

iTrader: (1)

had a similar problem with the wife's Taurus, thought it was a wheel bearing, but turned out to be a bad tire. FYI, the check in play of the wheel to check the bearing really does work, mine went bad and I could move the wheel about 1/8".

najee1062

I thought for sure that my problems was coming from wheel bearings in the rear just because i had the fronts change this past winter and had the same noise. so I had done just about everything possible that would warrant this noise and found that it wasn't bearings at all but my rear passenger side brake caliper sticking and how I figured it out was by trying to turn the wheel and it wouldn't move freely as the driver side did.

I repaired the caliper today and wolla that humming noise I had for the last 2 years is gone.

jmill

Hey guys,
so I've been experiencing a similar issue but it's been very difficult to describe to ppl, and I feel like I'm the only one who notices, but what can I say the driver always feels their car. So I experience this pounding/vibration like noise and feeling in the gas pedal when I lightly accelerate. Ive studied it's just under 2k rpms and it's only when I am gently accelerating, once I get thru it and get over 2k it's smooth sailing. I'm not sure if this is the same experience as what a lot of ppl posted, been reading a lot of posts and not sure ??

george__

iTrader: (1)

Vibration dampener missing, poor axle brand etc could definitely cause this

jmill

Thank you!! I'll try that. I started to worry it could be transmitton because it only seems to be first gear and I can't get my gear shift to slide into first gear either. I am not mechanically inclined, just trying to learn as I go.

CS_AR

I had a front end noise on the I30 passenger side that I couldn't figure out that appeared around 35 MPH. I thought it might have been a recently replaced CV axle. I exchanged the axle and still had the noise. Since the car does not have a VLSD (read positive traction) type transmission, I jacked up the car so the passenger wheel could spin freely and had someone put the car in drive and spin it up to 35 MPH. The passenger side had a loud roar. Next I checked the driver side that was much quieter. I pulled the hub assembly and sent it to a Napa machine shop that installed a new wheel bearing. The new wheel bearing fixed the noise problem. I had a rear passenger side wheel bearing fail on the I30 after the wheel had been smashed in an accident. I bought a new wheel hub assembly that remedied that problem.