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99 Max SE A/T Rear Axle assembly rusted and rotted
Yeah, I live on Long Island, so between the ocean breezes and Winter snow road salt, it's clunking and rotted where the bolts tie to the Lateral Link and Control Rod.
I already have a new Lateral Link and Control Rod. Now I need a Rear Axle Assembly. I believe the Nissan Part Number is: 555012L702
Looks like an Infinity Dealer in NC can ship one for about $650 new.
What have you other forum members done when at this fork in the road? Did you re-fabricate your old one or buy used or new? Paint?
Yeah, I live on Long Island, so between the ocean breezes and Winter snow road salt, it's clunking and rotted where the bolts tie to the Lateral Link and Control Rod.
I already have a new Lateral Link and Control Rod. Now I need a Rear Axle Assembly. I believe the Nissan Part Number is: 555012L702
Looks like an Infinity Dealer in NC can ship one for about $650 new.
What have you other forum members done when at this fork in the road? Did you re-fabricate your old one or buy used or new? Paint?
Thanks in advance!
Got info on the dealership?? Was looking for a new one 2 years ago but every Nissan dealership in the country had zero in stock. Had two people from two separate dealerships confirm this for me.
Got info on the dealership?? Was looking for a new one 2 years ago but every Nissan dealership in the country had zero in stock. Had two people from two separate dealerships confirm this for me.
orderinfinityparts.com has it listed on their website. And then I read your post. So I called Infinity of Charlotte today (dealer behind the website) and he checked and you are right, NOT available.
OUCH! I'm sorry I was part of the bad information chain!
Thanks for clearing that up! Off to the "Used" market.
Time to evaluate my Rear Axle Beam to see if it is still safe and if the TA bushings have failed, but definitely have to replace the Lateral Link and Control Rod (Bushings shot).
Only option is in the driveway.
So, obviously put the car in Park and pressure chock both sides of the front wheels.
Then I see others who have the back of the car up on Axle Stands. Where is the best/safest place to put them and where exactly do I lift the car using a floor jack to get it high enough to place the Jack Stands?
Not happy about working alone like this, so anything that will help make it safer and be effective would be GREATLY APPRECIATED!
Raise the max evenly on 4 jack stands. To replace the lateral link and control rod you need good clearance under the TB (torsion beam). You'll need to drop the wheels and remove the rear shocks off the beam. After that you need to raise the beam higher up with the jack to remove the link and rod.
Raise the rear section with a jack under the TB as you've seen in this photo. I use 2"x4" wood for cushioning with the raising jack to avoid scratching my refurbished TB.
To find where to place the jack stands underneath search this forum with "jack locations". You'll find a nice diagram.
After all new suspension parts and shocks are tightened onto the TB throw the wheels back on then reverse it onto ramps. Raise the front end on jack stands to get the max level. Now fully tighten TB parts to torque spec. You'll find those specs in my previous thread.
Raise the max evenly on 4 jack stands. To replace the lateral link and control rod you need good clearance under the TB (torsion beam). You'll need to drop the wheels and remove the rear shocks off the beam. After that you need to raise the beam higher up with the jack to remove the link and rod.
Raise the rear section with a jack under the TB as you've seen in this photo. I use 2"x4" wood for cushioning with the raising jack to avoid scratching my refurbished TB.
To find where to place the jack stands underneath search this forum with "jack locations". You'll find a nice diagram.
After all new suspension parts and shocks are tightened onto the TB throw the wheels back on then reverse it onto ramps. Raise the front end on jack stands to get the max level. Now fully tighten TB parts to torque spec. You'll find those specs in my previous thread.
Thanks for the write up. I'll be replacing the lateral link and control rod this weekend. Is there a certain order i need to follow when removing and tightening the nuts/bolts on the lateral link/control rod and chassis? May be obvious once I get started. Just want to make sure I am clear on everything. Also, is there an adjustment for centering or balancing the link/beam or is this what is accomplished when raising beam horizontal to link before tightening? I noticed this was discussed in your previous thread.
Thanks for the write up. I'll be replacing the lateral link and control rod this weekend. Is there a certain order i need to follow when removing and tightening the nuts/bolts on the lateral link/control rod and chassis? May be obvious once I get started. Just want to make sure I am clear on everything. Also, is there an adjustment for centering or balancing the link/beam or is this what is accomplished when raising beam horizontal to link before tightening? I noticed this was discussed in your previous thread.
I cannot state for certain but after reading the Rear Axle FSM again it appears only the trailing arm bushings need to be tightened using the full rebound of the shocks? As seen in my thread I tightened the lateral link and control rod to full spec by raising the beam horizontally as high as possible. After throwing on the shocks, wheels, then reversing onto ramps I fully tightened the trailing arm polyurethane bushings.
I cannot state for certain but after reading the Rear Axle FSM again it appears only the trailing arm bushings need to be tightened using the full rebound of the shocks? As seen in my thread I tightened the lateral link and control rod to full spec by raising the beam horizontally as high as possible. After throwing on the shocks, wheels, then reversing onto ramps I fully tightened the trailing arm polyurethane bushings.
I read through the FSM again. A little confused why it states that final tightening of rubber parts must be done with wheels on the ground, which is how I've always done things. However it also states to place lateral link and control rod horizontally against beam and tighten to specified torque and then reinstall beam. It also states, like you mentioned, to tighten beam at trailing arm bushings at full rebound condition (wheels hanging?). I will not be removing beam but this seems like conflicting info.
I read through the FSM again. A little confused why it states that final tightening of rubber parts must be done with wheels on the ground, which is how I've always done things. However it also states to place lateral link and control rod horizontally against beam and tighten to specified torque and then reinstall beam. It also states, like you mentioned, to tighten beam at trailing arm bushings at full rebound condition (wheels hanging?). I will not be removing beam but this seems like conflicting info.
Step 1 states Temporarily attach torsion beam to vehicle. The diagram in step 1 is referring to bolting up only the trailing arms.
Step 2 states Place lateral link and control rod horizontally against torsion beam. Tighten up lateral link on vehicle. They're not saying temporarily tighten so that indicates full torque spec.
Step 4 statesTighten torsion beam in full rebound condition at the place indicated in Step 1.
I conclude they're indicating only the trailing arm bushings need full rebound when tightening?
Thank you again jholley for sharing the details and clarity and where to find all the questionable info! I am dragging my heels on getting this done. I HATE the idea of the car on 4 jack stands! Especially with me under it and cranking on Nuts and Bolts.
I'm going have to suck it up and get it done before I also have to deal with Winter!
"full rebound" is a bit ambiguous. Is that the car sitting on its own weight?
And thanks kingw323 for asking some great questions!
It's people like you that make this one of the best resources ever for those of us who need to do it ourselves!
Thank you again jholley for sharing the details and clarity and where to find all the questionable info! I am dragging my heels on getting this done. I HATE the idea of the car on 4 jack stands! Especially with me under it and cranking on Nuts and Bolts.
I'm going have to suck it up and get it done before I also have to deal with Winter!
"full rebound" is a bit ambiguous. Is that the car sitting on its own weight?
And thanks kingw323 for asking some great questions!
It's people like you that make this one of the best resources ever for those of us who need to do it ourselves!
Full rebound is when shocks are mounted to the rear beam and the wheels are on the ground. To get clearance with the wheels grounded I reverse the rear end onto ramps and raise the front end onto jack stands.
Tightening most rubber bushings requires full rebound. The only exception appears to be the lateral link and control rod?
Got my lateral link and control rod replaced last weekend. Went pretty smoothly without issue other than the fact that it didn't fix my clunk/rattle.
It is a bit confusing how the FSM words things. It says to tighten all rubber parts under "unladen conditions with wheels on the ground". But then specifies to tighten trailing arm to vehicle "in full rebound condition" which sounds like an exception to the previous instructions.
After doing a Google search of "full rebound" I found this site:
http://www.hrsprings.com/technical/terminology
which states the following:
Full Rebound, Full Droop: The suspension is completely unloaded. Example: When the vehicle is on a lift and the tires and wheels are hanging in the air.
Full Jounce, Full Compression: The suspension is completely loaded. The springs and bumpstops are totally compressed.
Loaded Height: Or INSTALLED HEIGHT, is the length of the spring compressed under the load of the vehicle weight, when the vehicle is at rest on level ground. Also may be referred to as STATIC HEIGHT.
I didn't completely remove the beam so I didn't have to worry about how to torque trailing arms to vehicle.
What I did was:
1) Torqued the lateral link and control rod to the beam (horizontally)
2) Jacked up the beam, temporarily tightened lateral link to chassis
3) Torqued lower strut mounting bolts
4) Put wheels back on
5) Lowered rear end onto ramps, and torqued lateral link to chassis.
As for my clunking and rattling noise...the journey continues.
Hope this is accurate and helpful. Didn't mean to ramble.
07-18-2016, 10:51 PM
