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60+ MPH "wobble", I've done the obvious ...

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Old 01-11-2012, 06:51 AM
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Discount wont touch my car because I have spacers.

Still weird that it has only shown up recently no matter where I get my tires balanced.
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Old 01-11-2012, 06:57 AM
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Originally Posted by NmexMAX
Discount wont touch my car because I have spacers.

Still weird that it has only shown up recently no matter where I get my tires balanced.
Did you ever get around to having the alignment checked again?
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Old 01-11-2012, 07:09 AM
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Originally Posted by nelledge
Did you ever get around to having the alignment checked again?
Yeah, it's fine, within spec anyhow according to the stickys and the readout.
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Old 01-11-2012, 07:26 AM
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Originally Posted by NmexMAX
Discount wont touch my car because I have spacers.

Still weird that it has only shown up recently no matter where I get my tires balanced.
Are you using hub-centric rings or hub-centric spacers? Tried removing the spacers and see if anything changes?
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Old 01-11-2012, 07:36 AM
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Originally Posted by NmexMAX
Yeah, it's fine, within spec anyhow according to the stickys and the readout.
No, not the original paperwork. The actual car. An alignment can be perfect when you leave the shop. Then that jamnut that was not fully tightened starts to back off and you're back to square one. You know this.

I would checklist(current) the front end and start narrowing down your suspects.
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Old 01-11-2012, 07:50 AM
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Originally Posted by nelledge
No, not the original paperwork. The actual car. An alignment can be perfect when you leave the shop. Then that jamnut that was not fully tightened starts to back off and you're back to square one. You know this.

I would checklist(current) the front end and start narrowing down your suspects.
I still need to get on my back and check it out. Still, I've had 2-3 alignments since this started.
Originally Posted by Shift_Max
Are you using hub-centric rings or hub-centric spacers? Tried removing the spacers and see if anything changes?
This has also corssed my mind ...
It happens with 2 sets of spacers. These are hubcentric H&R Trak spacers.

I'm planning on trying this new set of wheels, and will try them with and without spacers to see if anything changes.
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Old 01-11-2012, 08:33 AM
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Check the mounting surface of the rim on the inside with a straight edge i had a pepboys tech torque down a rim one time and cause a knot right on the rim of the lug hole causing it to shake.
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Old 01-11-2012, 12:46 PM
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Originally Posted by cjandura
Check the mounting surface of the rim on the inside with a straight edge i had a pepboys tech torque down a rim one time and cause a knot right on the rim of the lug hole causing it to shake.
Matting surface of the rim, the disk and the hub are critical! If the are dented or dirty they will cause vibration!
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Old 01-11-2012, 01:07 PM
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Looks as if I've got a few things to take a look at.
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Old 01-12-2012, 08:42 AM
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Ahhh... Like the spacers got over-torqued one-time too many and now aren't laying flat against the hub? Unless NM puts the wheels on himself, in which case they wouldn't have been over-torqued.

How many times can you take on and off wheels with spacers, NM? I don't have any experience with them. Are they plastic?
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Old 01-12-2012, 09:08 AM
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They're Al. I've done it all myself. May need to take a look at see if they're still true. They are rather old.

I use 5mm with the 18's and LW 17's and 10mm with the OEM 17's.
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Old 01-12-2012, 10:09 PM
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Originally Posted by roggeezy
wheel bearings? Any play in the wheels when you jack the car up?

read the whole thing and this came to mind


if tires were changed then i am willing to bet the wheel bearings are fubar'd...or they will be if left alone for a long period of time

wobbling will get worse
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Old 01-12-2012, 11:10 PM
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Originally Posted by Amave
read the whole thing and this came to mind


if tires were changed then i am willing to bet the wheel bearings are fubar'd...or they will be if left alone for a long period of time

wobbling will get worse
^This...

Having the same exact issues as the OP with my driver side front. Driver side front wheel has a decent amount of play in it in the 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock position(in and out). Going to replace the wheel bearing and possibly the hub assembly in the next couple of days.
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Old 01-13-2012, 05:12 AM
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^^^ Same here. But an OEM bearing is around $120 and a hub is around $60 from nissan. Pricey bastards lol.
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Old 01-13-2012, 05:29 AM
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when i replaced my wheel bearings i used SMK bearings, they are stout and run about $50 each .

changed mine about 2 yrs ago
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Old 01-13-2012, 05:34 AM
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I had bad luck with aftermarket bearings so i stick with oem. I just rather pay a higher cost up front then risk putting a bearing in and having it make noise.
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Old 01-13-2012, 07:06 AM
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I think it is going to be the bearings since this has got progressively worse over the past few months.

On courtesy right now.
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Old 01-13-2012, 07:15 AM
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Courtesyparts is actually kinda pricey. Use this instead.
www.nissanpartsasap.com
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Old 01-13-2012, 07:28 AM
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They don't have just the bearing assy though.
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Old 01-13-2012, 07:32 AM
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Yeah they do.
http://www.nissanpartsasap.com/nissa...&illust_seq=01
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Old 01-13-2012, 07:42 AM
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Thanks for the spoon feed.
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Old 01-13-2012, 07:49 AM
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It is actually about $20 cheaper then courtesyparts.
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Old 01-13-2012, 09:15 AM
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Yep. Courtesy was $120.0x + shipping, these guys are like $103.xx.

Going to give it the old bearing check this weekend, and if so, I'll just take it in next Friday, don't want to do this myself, tired of it already!

If it does fix the problem, I will dyno next Saturday.
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Old 01-13-2012, 09:26 AM
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That is one reason I have put off installing a wheel bearing on my 5.5 gen. Plus removing the old bearing from the hub is a PITA.
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Old 01-15-2012, 08:15 PM
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Originally Posted by NmexMAX
Yep. Courtesy was $120.0x + shipping, these guys are like $103.xx.

Going to give it the old bearing check this weekend, and if so, I'll just take it in next Friday, don't want to do this myself, tired of it already!

If it does fix the problem, I will dyno next Saturday.
Originally Posted by Shift_Max
That is one reason I have put off installing a wheel bearing on my 5.5 gen. Plus removing the old bearing from the hub is a PITA.

were you guys aware that if you removed your spindle and took it to a machine shop they can press out the old bearing and press in the new one?

It is a seal bearing so you don't have to add grease or replace seals like on some other Nissan models, the only thing that has to be removed and reinstalled are the circlips on the inside and outside of the hub assembly .


When i replaced my bearings ( i did the work myself ) the hardest part was removing the spindle from the suspension.

The easiest part to be honest was pressing out the hub, then pressing out the bearing and reinstalled the bearing and hub.

Just remember that the ABS sensor is the biggest PITA to remove from the spindle assembly and you may be better off just unplugging it from the body side connector than the spindle side uless you don't care if the ABS light is on or if you want to buy a new sensor to install.

Due to rust i couldnt remove the sensor from the spindle so i left it and took the whole spindle assy. and sensor ( along with the wire hanging ) to the shop press and did the work and in doing so i mangled the dust cover ( that flimsy metal behind the rotor meant to keep dust and heat away from the wheel ) so i just removed it altogether.


Once i put everything back together ( you shouldnt need an alignment but its always a good idea if you need one anyway ) and rode test it, it was quiet as a mouse. no more helicopter noise when driving !

This was the summer of 2010 and to this day it is nice and quiet

i used these wheel bearings .
http://www.amazon.com/SKF-W0133-1608...ar=1&carId=002




And my mistake they bearings were made by SKF
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Old 01-16-2012, 06:59 PM
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Woah! Korean parts in a vehicle made in Japan!? Madness.


Change your bearings the hard way. Then you get to use a race driver, which is the coolest tool name ever.
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Old 01-16-2012, 10:34 PM
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I've read good things about timken bearings and hubs....
timken bearings go for ~$35 each on www.partstrain.com

wheel bearings:
http://www.partstrain.com/store/?N=0...=wheel+bearing
hub assemblies:
http://www.partstrain.com/store/?N=0...t=hub+assembly
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Old 01-17-2012, 04:43 AM
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Originally Posted by Amave
were you guys aware that if you removed your spindle and took it to a machine shop they can press out the old bearing and press in the new one?
I did remove my front bearings without a press. I used a tow ball and a sledge hammer. Pretty easily: https://maxima.org/showthread.php?t=606951&highlight=Bearing
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Old 01-17-2012, 06:49 AM
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Why?

because racedriver!

Good info, thanks for the links fellas.
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Old 01-17-2012, 07:10 AM
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I just hate the fact that when you pull the hub out of the knuckle, half of the bearing still sits on it.
I did it once and had to cut that part of the bearing off since it would not come off the hub.
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Old 02-28-2012, 12:35 PM
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Just thought I'd update this thread. So, I had an appointment to change my bearings last Saturday, but I thought, I should get off my lazy butt, and try a few things before hand.

From reading all over the forums, I came to the conclusion that I should at least try these items before actually getting new bearings put in.

1.) Remove spacers
2.) Balance tires
3.) Install new rotors

Now, i know the spacers were mentioned somewhere and it just eliminated a variable. And #2, I knew these particular tires were slightly off balance since they're my winter tires, and the bozo that last balanced them didn't do it right, so I knew it would help. And after reading all around the forum, new rotors might help too, although my issues weren't occurring when I deprese3d the brake. Either way, I have a brand new set of front rotors, so why not?

Ok, so Thursday evening, I removed the spacers, and drove to work Friday morning. BAM! The wobble (+/- 5ºC) was gone.

Then, I got the tires balanced on Saturday and drove about 250 miles for a trip, speeds up to 80 or so MPH, BAM, car feels like a freakin dream now.

At this time, it feels so solid and fantastic, i.e., new ITRs/OTRs/SFCs/ES sway bar and x member bushings/LCA's. Wow.

So now I must ask myself, obviously the spacers were causing some of this. So, I took a look at them and they don't look too bad of shape. I think perhaps I may just clean them up real well, and reinstall and see what happens.

I've run around for years and years on spacers and have yet to see this problem until recently.

So either both sets of my spacers are getting old, or they need to be cleaned up.

These are H&R hubcentric spacers. (Trak+).

Left the rear spacers on, they seem fine. The reason for the spacers is of course since I am rolling with my snow tires on, for a slight cosmetic enhancement (stock SE 17's) TE).
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Old 02-28-2012, 12:53 PM
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Glad to hear you got it sorted out.
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Old 02-28-2012, 01:21 PM
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If you have a machine shop handy have them true them up by removing a few thousands off of them and checking the runout
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Old 02-28-2012, 02:04 PM
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Originally Posted by cjandura
If you have a machine shop handy have them true them up by removing a few thousands off of them and checking the runout
I'll need to check into that, seems like the best way to go.
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Old 02-29-2012, 08:22 AM
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Ha. The item you defended so heavily ended up being the culprit! It's good it was the spacers and not any of the new parts you purchased.
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Old 02-29-2012, 08:33 AM
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Still going to install the new bearings and hubs?
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Old 02-29-2012, 08:36 AM
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Originally Posted by Shift_Max
Still going to install the new bearings and hubs?
Yup, this spring, why not since I've already got 'em.


Originally Posted by Eirik
Ha. The item you defended so heavily ended up being the culprit! It's good it was the spacers and not any of the new parts you purchased.
Pretty sure they were over torqued, you know how those tire places are. I'm going to clean them up and then torque them back on properly and see what happens.

Either way, I will never ever buy a wheel with anything more than a +32 ever again. FTL. Rear spacers are fine.

Last edited by NmexMAX; 02-29-2012 at 08:38 AM.
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Old 02-29-2012, 10:24 AM
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At this point I really have to say it is either wheel and/or tire related. I think your luck may be bad enough where it affected both sets.

Did you notice any difference between the two sets?
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Old 02-29-2012, 10:41 AM
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i think i over torqued mine but i didn't have alot of thread... and i haven't noticed any wobbles....


do u really think it was from that? and how bad was the wobble on a scale from 1 - 10?
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Old 02-29-2012, 10:42 AM
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Originally Posted by foodmanry
At this point I really have to say it is either wheel and/or tire related. I think your luck may be bad enough where it affected both sets.

Did you notice any difference between the two sets?
Problem fixed with the SE 17's, going to install my LW 17x8's in the coming weeks and see if the same behavior is noticed. Before I do that, I'll clean up the 5mm spacers I use with those (10mm spacers are used with the OEM SE's), but before that, I'll install without spacers.

Last edited by NmexMAX; 02-29-2012 at 10:46 AM.
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