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clunk in the mornings after going in rev and turning wheels

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Old 10-01-2003, 01:15 PM
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clunk in the mornings after going in rev and turning wheels

every morning when I leave for work, after my max has been sitting for all night, I hear a loud clunk come from the front end after putting the car in reverse and backing out of my spot...and turning the wheels....is there a problem with the rack and pinion or cv's? after this one clunk I never hear it again until the following day....! I know people say it is the strut bearings and some say there is a problem with the front brake pads or somethin....has anyone ever really narrowed down this problem? does something just need to be greased? Is this problem serious and should be looked at immediately or no???
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Old 10-01-2003, 01:27 PM
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I hear it from the back of my car. I'm 99% sure its just that the rear brake pads have stuck to the rotor, and the clunking I hear is the pads "un-sticking".
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Old 10-01-2003, 02:11 PM
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Yeah i know exactly the sound you are talking about. I have heard that noise ever since i bought my car and i have had mine since the past 3 years now. I had full warranty on it until recently so i use to get it checked out front to back all the time. I never had any problems with the car and the noise has always been there and is still there. So its safe to assume its a normal noise and not something serious otherwise it would have already caused problems.
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Old 10-01-2003, 10:06 PM
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clunking noise

it sounds like it is almost definitely coming from the front end...but how do the brake pads "un-stick" when turning the wheels? can't i just pump the brake pedal first thing in the morning and that will unstick them? in either case..this problem sounds like i just need to grease the pistons or put that disc brake quiet stuff in...which appears to be cheap and easy!!! any other suggestions?
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Old 10-02-2003, 04:14 AM
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My vote goes to the brake pads. See if it does it going backwards or forwards for a first time move in the mornings. And does it make the noise before you move the steering wheel? If so, then definately the brakes.
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Old 10-02-2003, 05:24 AM
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Originally Posted by michaelnyden
it sounds like it is almost definitely coming from the front end...but how do the brake pads "un-stick" when turning the wheels? can't i just pump the brake pedal first thing in the morning and that will unstick them? in either case..this problem sounds like i just need to grease the pistons or put that disc brake quiet stuff in...which appears to be cheap and easy!!! any other suggestions?
No, the pistons don't act in releasing the pads. There are return springs to help with that. Usually, when you're moving the pads just naturally move away from the rotor when pressure is released. If you're return spring is worn, or if you don't have one (not all 4th gens do) the pads will remain sitting against the rotor while the car isn't moving.
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Old 10-02-2003, 06:15 AM
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No such thing as a return springs on disc brakes. The clip that is no longer used or supplied in replacement pads from Nissan was an additional anti-rattle device.
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Old 10-02-2003, 06:32 AM
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Originally Posted by njmaxseltd
No such thing as a return springs on disc brakes. The clip that is no longer used or supplied in replacement pads from Nissan was an additional anti-rattle device.
Duh. I knew that.
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Old 10-02-2003, 06:40 AM
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i think its the struts. when i first got my car, it did the same thing in the morning. Took it in for service, no problem found. tried again. no problem found. FORCED nissan to change my struts. problem found

I think that when the fluid in the strut was cold it would clunk. after it warmed up, there was no more clunk. untill the next morning anyways.
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Old 10-02-2003, 06:56 AM
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somtimes i hear clunk clunk clunk when i shake my head around...
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Old 10-02-2003, 11:09 AM
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I had a similar clunck in the mornings when pulling out of my driveway and decided to remove the front wheels and inspect. It turned out to be a torn CV boot. The joint was loosing grease, thereby creating the "clunck" I was hearing.
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Old 10-02-2003, 04:52 PM
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I say brake pads.
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Old 10-03-2003, 08:02 AM
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I have the noise too but I have always thought it was just the parking brake sticking. If you move slowly at first the clunk will be quieter.
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Old 10-03-2003, 08:44 AM
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I 've got same problem, and in my opinion those are CV joints, cause it appeas to make that sound only when I start turning the wheel... I better check it out one more time.....tomorrow morning to be 100% sure.
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