Yup, one more.

Researched and just could not find where there is clarification about how to address hood shaking. My hood started shaking at highway speeds, actually could feel the vibration with the car...not good.

I read up and there are threads mentioning the TSB and kit you can get through Nissan to install rubber strips above the headlights and a little rubber bump stop that gets added to the center of the hood behind the hood latch.

Well, that little rubber stop was really worn and Nissan wants about $6 to replace it...uhm, no.

There was mention about adjusting bump stops, but no images and no clarification. Well, in case I was not the only one left scratching his head, I finally figured out what was being referred to and how to actually make an adjustment.

See the image below.



To the far right of the blue headlight bolt/washer, you will see a round rubber stopper. This is the hood bump stop. These ARE adjustable. You must rotate them counter-clock wise in order to raise the stopper. Turn clock wise to lower them. There are corkscrew slits cut into the rubber which shorten or lengthen the stopper. I suggest turning only a 1/4 turn at a time until you can shut the hood and there is no movement of the hood at the outer edges. There may still be slight movement at the hood latch, this is normal. Hope that helps someone!

 

Yup, I purchase a set of bumpers(don't remember them being $6 ) but anyways, paired them with the rubber seals above the headlamps, immediately took away all of my hood shake. In your case, you have eyelids and I'm pretty sure it won't work..

 

Saw a thread a while back which someone pointed out wrapping the hood latch with some tape also stopped the hood vibrations.

What did the trick for me was crashing my car and making the hood pinch the passenger side headlamp. No vibrations! Oh but hideous accident damage..

 

raise the bump stops up so your hood is flush with your fenders, if there is still vibration, 3 10m bolts(might be twelves have to look) and lower your hood latch to add force against the stoppers, the impirtant part is keeping ur hood flush with the fenders hight wise

 

p.s

there is usually alot of play with hood latches, do not completly loosen bolts, undo them enought so you can just move it around by hand, tighten and GENTLY close. adjust again if needed.

 

Same. Did this. I had to go out and get new rubber bumpstops because mine were just falling apart.

 

You guys with the hood shaking crack me up

 

Hmm sounds like something worth trying. My good rattles so much I was afraid it was going to pop off when I drove it on the highway for the first time. There seems to be a maybe 1-1.5inch gap between my front bumper and the hood, do you guys think I should attempt to lower the hood? Or is that a different issue?

 

Different issue entirely.

Significant part of what you describe is due to poor design of securing the bumper, allowing it to sag.

Easy solution is to replace the four useless clips that hold the bumper located above the grill. I suggest buying a set of dress up bolts and washers from eBay. Then get some standard washers and nuts for the backside from Lowes.

Simply lift the bumper by hand, hold it in place with your leg, then secure a bolt and washer on each side. Then, I suggest you remove the headlights and tighten the nuts holding the bumper and fender together.

If you don't want to buy a whole set of bolts/washers, I've got chrome and gunmetal gray as well as the standard washers and the nuts you will need.

 

If you look back at the image I posted, this is an example of the washers/bolt sets I got from eBay.

 

Hmm..I'll take a look at it later when it isn't raining haha. I turned that rubber stopper around 70 times and it made the gap smaller (still there :/) and now the hood is aligned with the left fender (left if you are standing in front of the car) and almost aligned with the right fender (my car was in an accident on the right side before I bought it). I haven't driven on the highway yet, but there is definitely less movement with the hood. My guess is when they replaced the right headlight and other parts on the right side they did not adjust the stopper correctly. I had such a large opening between my hood and front bumper that I'm surprised the air pressure from driving on the high way did not make it fly up..

 

Just updating. Continued to have increasing hood vibrations. Decided to drop a little green to fix it. Really pleased the cost wasnt very much overall, about $30. Bought new bumpers, new hood niple, and headlight/hood seals. The niple and headlight seals are part of the TSB fix as indicated for the 5th gen. So, if the salesman can't find it for your 5.5, thats why. Have not installed the headlight seals due to plans for 3M'ing my lights and clear coating them this weekend. I am posting images though of everything.

 

Got the number for this kit?

 

I asked my parts guy if it was a "kit" and he said it was not, everything is seperate. However, of course I have the part numbers. Contact guys at Tri-city Nissan, find the number on their website: www.nissanpartsasap.com Let them know you're from Maxima.org.

* Hood bumpers (x2) 90878-2L700
* Pack-rim f/stop (rubber strip/seal above headlight) 26033-2Y900
* Pack-rim f/stop (rubber strip/seal above headlight) 26083-2Y900
I don't know which is right/left; not indicated.
*Bumper-hood (rubber niple for center of hood) 95829-50A00

 

Random but if you're looking on eBay for the hood bumpers 90878-2L700 it looks like the 300zx uses the same part #.

 

I got my headlights removed, took off the eyebrows, and sanded/refinished the clear housing. First clear coat attempt failed miserably. Took it back completely down and started again. Second time just got slight orange peel. Easily resolved. Looks good as new! Re-installed and got the new seals above the lights installed. Simple double adhesive tape.

Driving impressions, hood shake is 95% gone. I mean, how can there be NO hood shake with the thing half the surface area of the moon!? Very pleased! Well worth the money. Outside the resurfacing of the headlights, install time for installing the new rubber peices is less than 15 minutes.

 

With the exception of the 1st part # (90878-2L700), all of the others are in service bulletin NTB02-005 titled 2001-2002 MAXIMA HOOD VIBRATION".

 

Yup, curious the bulletin supposedly only covers 5th gen (2000-2001) per my Nissan parts guy. But the TSB does say 2001-2002. Edit, just noticed the TSB does state vehicles made before November 2001, interesting. Naturally, theres no difference in model years and I'm not so niave to think Nissan actually fixed this in the 5.5 gen. I mentioned it previously and clarified its not a kit, though the TSB makes it seem as such. An added note, the TSB also recommends checking the bond/weld across the back support (where wiper sprayers are) and the hood skin. There is an easy and couple dollar fix if the skin has come loose.

 

So you won't be reinstalling your eyebrows? They won't fit after installing the seals? Or just got sick of them? Why won't they fit. Im just trying to understand before I do this fix.

Thanks for posting this by the way. I think it will make a big difference.

 

Good observation. Honestly, I think they will fit with the eyebrows, but where the rubber seal ends near the fender, the seal won't look as seemless (natural part of the headlight) when installed. With hood shut, wouldn't notice.

However, I decided to take the eyebrows off because:

1. I was tired of trying to defog/clear the headlights around the brows. Not surprisingly, even after clearing, there was a "fade" line between the exposed headlight and where the brows had covered. Only after completely taking the entire lens down to ground zero and through numerous phases did that line get removed. After this, I knew I never again wanted to have the brows on if I ever need to re-clear the lenses. I refuse to install and re-install the brows to clean them as well.
2. Although I love the look of the brows/lids, the 5/5.5 gen Max still looks good and aggressive without them.
3. The paint was peeling from the brows and I couldn't bring myself to have them redone given also #'s 1 and 2 above.

 

Thanks Chris. I like the look of the eyebrows too. But I wanted to make sure it would work with the seal. Ill have to try and find out. Ill be getting the thinner version v2. So l'll see and report back. I don't see there being an issue either but I just wanted to make sure.