So, I've had this 97 Maxima SE 5-speed for about a year now, and it has had nothing but problems since I bought it. The last owner didn't maintain it, and is showed. I have already dumped over 1k into this car on various little fix-its.

So, one problem that I have had for a while is that there is a thumping coming from the right side. It seems to happen most when I am turning the wheel slightly to the left, such as going through a gentle curve. Sharper curves, turning right, or going straight and it doesn't do it. My wife says it is coming from right under her feet in the passenger wheel well. It is rhythmic, and gets louder and harder when I hit the gas. If I put in the clutch, it goes away. Coasting in neutral, it goes away. If I hit the brakes at the same time as the gas, the noise stays. I just replaced the sway bar bushings and endlink, as well as the strut assemblies. I also replaced the axle, and it is now much quieter, but still faintly there.

I know wheel bearings usually make more of a grinding or constant noise, but can they do this also? What about control arms? Those are the last two parts I haven't touched yet... Have they been known to do things like this? I did try to push/shake the wheel while looking at the control arm bushings, and even though they are dirty, they did not appear to move.

Any other ideas?

Thanks,
Mike

 

only thing I can think is you got the wrong axle? where did you buy it? do you have abs?

 

Bad motor mounts can give you thumping noises. The ones on the sides of the engine (by the the radiator and firewall) are usually the culprits.

 

How do you guys usually check those? Do you pull them out of the car to look at them? I've tried looking at them when they are in the car, but I can't see that much...

And in response to the axle thing, I got them at autozone, and they both went in pretty easily (the first one, and the second). I didn;t think there were problems with them. After I tightened them up, there was only a tiny bit of play on the axle. And no ABS.

 

Did you hear the click when they went all the way in? You should have gotten an axle for 5mt, non abs, open diff.

 

I got an axle for a MT, non-abs, non locking differential, and yes, it clicked when it went in.