Okay so,

I replaced the axle for my 5spd VLSD Maxima and now I'm experiencing some problems.

• At around 2000 RPM, I get a lot of shaking through the shifter.
• When I go WOT and let off I hear a clunk sound from the right/front of the car.

When I installed it, I tightened the three bolts on the brace that holds the axle as far as I could tighten them. I did lose a lot of gear oil during the installation, and added about 1.5 QT of Valvoline.

Has anyone had any vibration/noise issues related to not tightening certain bolts enough, or under or over-filling the gearbox?

Thanks. Also, I lost a damn lug nut. Could rolling on four lug nuts cause an issue? I plan on ordering a new set ASAP.

 

NO, but I've had vibration after installing and after market p/s axle from Raxles. Where did you get yours. I am willing to bet it wan't refurbished properly. Can you rebuild your old one? That is exactly what I ended up doing with mine.

 

Bought it brand new from Advance Auto Parts, specifically for 20th Anniversary VLSD manual transmissions, with a lifetime warranty.

My old one came out of the car in two pieces, the boot was completely wrecked.

 

If it started vibrating after you installed it, I would recommend another. Sound like it may be defective.

 

What brand and what part number? Do you happen to still have your old axle?

Edit: You shouldn't be able to overfill because it will just pour out on the ground. This is actually how you can tell you have added the correct amount. Also, I would throw a generic lug nut on for now until you get your replacement set ordered. They're like $.50 at your local parts store.

 

im gonna go with loose axle nut, and/or lug nuts.

 

PN is NCV53589, brand is GSP. Shown here.

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...7_693658806___

Are you referring to the big nut on the end, or the three small nuts holding the brace?

 

the big nut on the end...

 

Cool I'll check that.

 

yeah, make sure the splines are fully seated in the hub. maybe you tightened it, but it wasnt all the way through you know? can u fit an axle socket through the center caps on your wheels? that way you can tighten the nut while the car is on the ground as opposed to trying to hold the brakes or whatever.

 

I can pop the center cap off the wheel and tighten.

 

I'm sure you already know, but just in case 188-245 ft*lb.

 

Thanks for the info.

 

Cef, I just replaced one of my axles with a GSP axle, and I've been having the same issues. Vibrations from 10-30 MPH, and it's getting worse. My first thought was alignment issues, then tie rod issues.

But since everyone's been mentioning the big axle nut on the end, maybe I'll give that a shot tomorrow and see if it helps out any. I didn't tighten mine down very well...just enough to snug it up to where the wheel started turning. I'll see what happens, though.

 

Yeah, I'm gonna torque down that nut and see how it goes.

 

Maybe your VQ30 is finally throwing in the towel.

 

She's just gettin started.

 

i also have the vibration from a advance auto axle for my 5.5 gen ... has any1 discovered a fix for this problem

 

And you actually feel safe driving around like that?

Here's a secret for the org on tightening the big axle nut by yourself with the car in the air without air tools.

Stick a srewdriver in one of the vanes in the rotor shown here.

(random google image FTW)



Now when you turn the socket to tighten the axle nut, the screw driver (or whatever else you find to jam in there...no homo) will brace itself against the brake caliper. Now get a long breaker bar or 1/2 inch ratchet with a long pipe or anything you can find to get alot of leverage and pull up to tighten. Using the groung to brace yourself and to gain leverage added to the amount of leverage you gain with the long breaker bar will give you more than enough TQ to tighen the nut.


As far as the vibration up to 30mph goes, I've been getting the same vibration for months now. And it started ever since using advance auto parts axles. I assumed it was the axles at first, but I never bothered to track down the exact source because I know I need to replace a bunch of front end components anyways.

 

Shane: Oddly enough, the previous axle nut was also tightened just past snug. It kind of confused me, because I thought that seemed awfully loose.

As far as the vibration goes, I'm going to replace my tie rods tomorrow and get a full alignment and see if it persists. If it does, I'm going to try having my OEM axle remanufactured, and re-install that and see what happens. It just seems odd that an axle would cause vibrations only up to 30-35 MPH. I would think if it was an axle, it would vibrate all the time.

 

I don't think tie rods would cause the problem. Maybe the lack of an alignment would though? I'm not sure.

 

A severely worn/damaged tie rod can cause unusual vibrations. It happened in my Z...the car would randomly start vibrating at various speeds, but would eventually level out after a bit.

Turned out both tie rods were completely shot. Replaced them, haven't had any issues since.

 

Hmm. I have a suspicion that my vibration is axle related, not tie rod related. I'll torque down that nut and see.

 

Well considering that 5-6 of us all have the vibration issue...and have all used the same axles, I'm going to go out on a limb and say it probably is.

Although why...? I don't understand. One thing I did notice is that there's a rubber damper on one part of the OEM axle where it runs into the hub. The GSP axle doesn't have that. I think that my buddy's program that he uses referred to that thing as a "dynamic dampener?"

 

True. I'd hate to have to buy an OEM axle after already buying this one.

 

Uhm...well. If you like the idea of spending $670 on a new axle, by all means.

That's why I bought the GSP. I had no idea Nissan wanted that much for one axle. Although I might be able to have my OEM remanufactured...we'll see. Hopefully.

 

This is quite frustrating. I'm gonna slam my coilovers all the way down to show my distaste for Nissan's axles.

 

So you have to replace your driver's side with a GSP, too?

 

Maybe the vibrations will cancel each other out?

 

I'm wondering if maybe GSP did a bad job of balancing the axles?

Maybe that's the cause for the odd vibrations.

 

This is what I've always assumed, but $60 w/lifetime warranty vs. $670 from the dealer, i cant complain over a little vibration.

 

Agreed. Although it wouldn't necessarily be hard to properly balance them with some counter-weights...

I just hope I can get my OEM remanned so that I have it on standby incase the GSP gets too annoying or wears out on me.

 

So I went over all the nuts and tightened them.

I am having vibration under acceleration, and at WOT it feels like my car is gonna come apart. However now it feels like it's coming from the driver's side.

It feels almost like a tie-rod type of vibration. My driver's side inner tie rod is destroyed. Suggestions?

 

Replace it! Were you having this problem before the axle change? I must have missed that. I had a lot of vibration in the front end during hard acceleration on my 4th gen and both my inner tie rods were shot. My outers were good, but they were so cheap and I was already in there I replaced them also.

 

But before I put the new axle in, I never had vibration under acceleration. It just vibrates like hell now.

 

Vq35 swap should take care of your problem(s).





















J/k. In all seriousness I have had a tough time with the aftermarket axles they use where I work. It seems like it's a 50/50 shot when dealing with advanced auto parts, and autozone parts. I know this probably isn't the answer you are looking for, but I would say either have them replace this current axle, or have your oem unit re manufactured. Goodluck

 

Well if it's the axle I'll get my money back.

VQ35...pish posh...

 

Mr Brett I think you are right about them not being balanced properly.

 

My plan: I'm going to the dealer and have one of the techs drive my car and see what they say. If the axle is defective (I have a suspicion that it is) then I'll replace it.

And I'll probably have someone make this a sticky...

 

Sometimes when parts are worn out together, they'll "work" together and feel like they're okay.

It's when you start slapping new, more durable parts on that the old parts that have issues make themselves apparent.

It may very well be your tie rods...it's the same kind of vibration my Z had when its tie rods were bad. Real short, harsh vibrations...not wobbles or bumps that felt like imperfections in the tires or something.