Scottwax

iTrader: (8)

The other day, I noticed a 'wa-wa' coming from the front of the car when it was cold that went away once it warmed up. No vibrations, etc but my ABS motor was going nuts when coming to a stop. Cleaned the sensors, still a problem. Anyway, yesterday, the 'wa-wa' noise was noticably louder than it had been and from doing a search, it appeared I had a bad wheel bearing. My tools got stolen a few years back and I've not replentished them to the point I could change out the wheel bearing, plus I don't have a garage and working on my car when outside with 38 degree temps would suck. I took it to the mechanic my Dad uses. Not only was the wheel bearing bad, but the ABS rotor on the axle was chewed up, so I need a new axle too. The hub is fine though and the bearing on the driver's side is also still good.

Reason for the wheel bearing failure? Last time someone was in there poking around (probably when the brakes were done, they have a ton of pad life left), they left off the tin spacer that fits between the castle nut and the cotter pin. Nut backs off, excessive clearance eats the bearing. All because some idiot didn't put everything back together right.

Anyway, labor is $140 and he gives me his cost on parts since my family has used (and recommended his shop) for the last 10 years. At least I know he will fix it right and for a better price than I can get elsewhere.

mtrai760

iTrader: (19)

I hate improper maintenance. If your not going to take the time to do it right, why do it at all?

d00df00d

iTrader: (4)

merlin2375

iTrader: (3)

That stinks, not being careful FTL.

Scottwax

iTrader: (8)

Even worse, it appears whoever owned the car before me paid someone do not do it right.

mtrai760

iTrader: (19)

I won't hijack your thread, but I feel your pain. My 98 had multiple problems caused by the previous owners poor maintenance, to the tune of a couple thousand dollars.

DasYears

at least youre getting a good price

Scottwax

iTrader: (8)

This guy is an excellent mechanic too. There is a good one closer to me, but his speciality is Honda and Acura and I no longer have a Honda.

nlmaxima

iTrader: (10)

Is your ABS sensor OK? The torque for the axle nut is 250ft/lbs, you might want to mention that to your mechanic.

Matt93SE

iTrader: (44)

don't feel so bad...
I just found out my $50 lab puppy has bad hips and is going to cost me $10,000 to replace both hips so he'll be able walk properly when fully grown.

ghostrider17

iTrader: (6)

Dude....no puppy is worth $10,000.
I have a Doberman, and I'd not spend more than $1k to fix him if it came to that. He's a dog - and dogs ARE replaceable.
I LITERALLY had to put my cat down yesterday from getting mauled by a wild animal. It sucked - but it was the right thing to do.

Sorry for the hijack.

gr

DasYears

i think that puppy needs a little shot

Prophecy99

iTrader: (1)

could I see a picture of what were talkin about here

Scottwax

iTrader: (8)

My Nissan shop manual for my car is in .pdf form, he showed me what was missing on the page he pulled up on his Chilton's program. Whatever was missing allowed the castle nut to back off enough to eat the bearing. The driver's side had started to back off too, but the bearing was fine.

nlmaxima-ABS sensor was fine and the problems I was having with it are completely gone. All he had to do was clean them, no damage to either one.

He even gave me a 15% discount on the work, basically did the labor in real time instead of book time like he usually does (and the dealerships always do!).

NiSmOVQ35

iTrader: (1)

Agreed.

baylormax02

Forums are a real treat. going from how a mechanic put the parts back together wrong, to 10,000 puppy hip... that dog better be some sorta bionic-mega-bad-*** "go get me a sandwich" puppy.

And i should prob get a good mechanic in my part of town after reading all this...

Scottwax

iTrader: (8)

A good mechanic these days is a necessity. There are a lot of thing you can still do yourself but without the proper diagnostic tools, some stuff is really hard to pin down.

JSutter

iTrader: (46)

You know that some years those "tin spacers" were not installed from the factory? I have worked on multiple Maximas, some have them some dont.

KRRZ350

iTrader: (29)

^^ Actually, I think they stopped using them just on '99's to save $$, or possibly certain factories Either way, it wasn't tourqed properly.

WOW, that is a very good price on the labor for sure! Just out of curiosity, does that include alignment?

Scottwax

iTrader: (8)

The book showed them but Bankston Nissan sent some lock nuts that they said are the proper part now. Whatever was supposed to be there to prevent the nut from backing off was not there when everything came apart. Whether or not the tin spacer or a luck nut was supposed to be used, the nut still ended up loosening up and eating a bearing.

JSutter

iTrader: (46)

I feel your pain, I have replaced enough bearings. I just wanted to point out that it may not have been the previous "idiot" poking around.

Love_00_Max

I am going to get my bearing replaced this weekend and wanted to know if 200 lbs is good enough to not move the axle nut ever.

BTW, the last time I monkeyed with the axles, I don't remember seeing anything other than the cotter pin and the big 32mm axle bolt. No castle nut, no nothing, if the axle nut comes loose then it there is nothing to prevent it from becoming loose other that massive 200 lbs torque...

hotstartup

iTrader: (3)

i dont get what spacer your talking about. ill be changing my brakes pads soon but dont see what your talking about unless somehow they seperated the ball joints.

Scottwax

iTrader: (8)

No, the price didn't include alignment. Oddly enough, even with obviously excessive clearance, there was no vibration, no pulling to one side and tire wear was even. The mechanic told me based on that, no need to re-align the front end.

Love_00_Max-book on mine says 245 lbs torque.

Since Nissan didn't send the tin spacers shown in the Chilton's manual he has but instead sent lock nuts, he also used red Loctite Red to make sure it doesn't back off again.

JSutter-true, but then again it still could be some idiot's fault if they didn't torque the nut to specs. No way of knowing though. At least I do have fresh brake pads front and rear.

hotstartup-the Chilton's manual he has (actually he has the pro mechanic's computer version) shows a tin spacer that fits between the castle nut and the cotter pin. The Nissan shop manual I have on disc only shows a lock nut and cotter pin.

Love_00_Max

There is a good 5mm from the axle nut snug to the hub to the cotter pin hole, are you telling me I need to get a castle nut and some washers from home depot to prevent the axle nut from moving. I would think >200 lbs is not going to make the axle nut move ever. I would be better off sticking in another 32mm bolt and getting rid off the cotter pin..

hotstartup

iTrader: (3)

scott, i was thinking that the cotter pins are mostly in use when they are around a ball joint. in doing brakes why would you need to remove it?

nlmaxima

iTrader: (10)

>200 ft/lbs is not enough. Torque to 245-250 and you can use a little loctite.

Scottwax

iTrader: (8)

Either to pull the rotor to turn them or some mechanics service the wheel bearings when they do brake jobs. Back in the olden days when I had my Chevelle, I always repacked the wheel bearings when I did my brakes-which was often because I bracket raced and had drum brakes front and rear.

ghostrider17

iTrader: (6)

I just got my pass. Wheel Bearing AND Hub replaced to the tune of $400!!
$70 for the Bearing + $150 for the hub + 2.5hrs. labor + tax.
Mech showed me the result of my handy work....very shot.
The Hub was an OEM replacement from Nissan...not even sure if anyone offers an aftermarket?!
Get it done at the first signs boys -- cost me an extra $150 for the hub to get replaced!

gr

Love_00_Max

What determines a hub failure too.. if the spindle teeth is worn out or something else. The chances of hub failure could happen if the bearing is really shot meaning the inner race is out of the bearing and the hub is all wobbly right -- was that in your case. This could result in hub spindle teeth deteriotation but other than that what could destroy a hub.

ghostrider17

iTrader: (6)

The hub would no longer accept the bearing race (outer, I believe) and basically was spinning free inside the hub, so to speak.

It seems the splines in the hub & on the driveshaft were fine. I think there is an incremental amount of damage that can be done by an equal amount of neglect when ignoring the signs of damage to the bearing. Apparently I reached stage II: bearing AND hub.

Scottwax

iTrader: (8)

You lost the hub, I lost the ABS rotor teeth on the axle, ended up costing the same for parts.

ghostrider17

iTrader: (6)

Yeah - meant to thank you for that info, btw!
I made a special effort to ask the mechanic what shape the ABS sensor was in when he took apart the axle.
I made double certain it worked properly after leaving the shop....we had 5" of fresh snow on the ground, so it was easy!

gr

**Falken Ziex 512's SUUUUCK in the snow, btw!!!**

00MaxSE

iTrader: (25)

Sorry to hear it Scott. Glad you're not payin much though.

I could've told you that.

ghostrider17

iTrader: (6)

For the $$$, they're STILL good tires....just not in snow!