kmax97

I'm hearing a loud noise from the back wheels... It sounds like a jet airplane about to take off(loud roar). I usually hear this noise at ~ 40 mph and higher.

Could it be that I have a bad wheel bearing ?

It is really annoying... What could have cause this?
I have stock SE rims for my 97 gxe - but I had aftermarket rims on there before - could this have caused the problem?


Also, the ride on my max is really bouncy and hard.. I can feel every bump when I'm on a rough road surface... I replaced my struts last year from the dealer. Is this normal ?



Thanks...

Daniel B. Martin

Yes, it could be a damaged wheel bearing. You should also check for an exhaust leak at or near the muffler or a foreign object caught in a place where it rubs a brake rotor.

I don't know how wheels (stock or aftermarket) could make a sound "like a jet airplane about to take off" unless they are rubbing on a non-rotating part such as a brake caliper.

No, this is not a normal condition. Check your tires for over-inflation. Check your struts with the Bumper Jounce test.

Park the car on a level surface. Walk to any corner and use your weight to press down on the bumper. As soon as it sinks, release it and let it come up. As soon as it comes up, press down again. Do this three or four times. When you have a good up-and-down rhythm going, press down one last time, step back, and observe. If the body comes up just once and stops, the strut at that corner is good. If the body continues to oscillate, the strut at that corner is bad. Repeat this Bumper Jounce test at the other three corners.

Some people scorn the Bumper Jounce test as outdated or inaccurate. There is some truth in that viewpoint but it is still the best test available to us driveway mechanics.

Perhaps your struts are still good but your springs have sagged. This will cause your car to ride low and bottom on bumps.

kmax97

Thanks for the info! I will keep all that in mind.
I have another question... I just noticed that my newly installed (after market) brake pads were missing their pad return springs... The mechanic at the indep. shop just noticed it and informed me.
Will this be a problem?

So, I paid a visit to the parts dept. at the dealer.. and they told me that they no longer install those pad return springs because they tend to pop out and get stuck near the rotors? Is this true?

At first they told they didn't have the part in stock... but later found out that I had to purchase the whole hardware kit which was listed at $25.

Daniel B. Martin

I doubt it.

Could be, but I never saw this happen.

I suggest you postpone buying the hardware kit. If your brakes are quiet, then you don't need the kit. If you decide to buy the kit you may save a few dollars by ordering from one of the Nissan dealers which sells factory parts via mail order, at a discount. You may also buy an aftermarket brake hardware kit from any auto parts store for less than $20.

kmax97

Ok, but I'm hearing an occasional squeal.. and a clicking noise when I hit the brakes... as if the brake pads are not in place or they are rubbing against it the wrong way.

Daniel B. Martin

Flip a coin. Heads, you buy the hardware kit. Tails, you just live with an occasional squeal.

The hardware kit does not guarantee silent brakes. Verify that your aftermarket brake pads have holes drilled in the edges of the steel backing plates. If there are no holes you will not be able to install the Pad Return Springs.

kmax97

If I buy the whole hardware kit, will I using all the parts or just the pad return springs that come with the kit?

kmax97

If I buy the whole hardware kit, will I using all the parts or just the pad return springs that come with the kit?

Daniel B. Martin

I guess that's up to you. At this point it's not at all clear that you need the hardware kit.

Weasel

iTrader: (2)

On the same topic, have you ever encountered sagging OEM springs? I've owned a rather high-mileage car before this one and I've known people with cars upwards of 200,000 miles, and I've never seen this problem. It's always the struts that go bad.

Daniel B. Martin

This is deplorably common on some General Motors makes but I've never seen it on a Maxima. When someone complains about "feeling every bump" the problem is more likely springs than shocks (struts). That is because it is mostly springs which absorb the shock of a bump and mostly shocks which control the rebound. Emphasis on "mostly".