My Max makes that clunking noise when I turn the wheel back and forth. Everyone says thats the strut bearing. Now I went to the local dealer and he said that I needed was the upper strut mount. The bearings are $20 each and the mounts are $40 each. I got the mounts and the more I look at them and the more I think about it...I think I really did need just the bearing and not the mount.

Am I on the right track? Did I get screwed?

 

Bueller...
Bueller...

Anyone?

 

further describe your clunking noise, I had a rubber on rubber sounding noise and it was the strut isolator

 

Its a noticeable thunk thunk thunk kind of noise. This happens as I turn the wheel all the way from lock to lock. It happens all the time, regardless of if the car is moving.

One shop told me that the bad bearings are why they had such a hard time aligning my car. As the wheels turn, the top of the strut would wander around.

I've got the new mounts and I plan to put them on with my new struts and springs this week. But, if I just need the bearings I want to take those mounts back before I put them on. No way Nissan will take them back after I put them on once, even if they didnt fix the problem.

 

If I were you I'd be ready to replace both items; once the strut is apart you can further assess the damage; the isolator; if the item is in question, replace it. It's not worth it to pay for the labor once and have the bad or soon to be part go bad in the near distant future. IMO the isolator will go before the bearing does.

Is the clunking noise noticable at speeds or just very slow speeds like parking? Is it clunking or rubber on rubber?

 

Also recommend you have the strut boot/cover available for the install; it has a bumper inserted on the upper end inside the cover which you cannot see unless you look inside the bottom of it; this piece was totally disintegrated on my car when I took it appart 2 months back.

 

Yeah I'm gonna inspect the bumpstop. I got new dust boots since all 4 of mine have completely disintegrated. I went to an off road store and got some generic ones instead of paying $25 dollars each for nissan ones. I'm gonna cut the bumpstop out of the old boot and stretch the new boot over it. I'll have the tools for a couple of days, so taking the suspension apart again wont be a problem, but I dont want to have paid for parts I dont need.

 

but i would like to ask one question. My car has 114000 miles on it. im going to change the springs and the shocks in a few weeks. What parts are going to need changing since i got that many miles? I know my boots are gone and i got that clunking noise whenever I sway the car from left to right.

 

I have the same problem and I changed out my strut bearings. Same problem exists. I think it's the strut insulator. The noise is worse on some days. I've said the hell with it for now. All it is a annoying, but it's not audible when I've got the stereo on. When I feel rich, I'll change it out.


Dave

 

I get some weird noise when I turn the wheel all the way to the left then the second I start turning right fast or slow I'll hear a second of weird noise doesn't happen to all the way right.. do I have a strut problem?

 

That makes me feel better...

 

Sounds like CV joints to me. THose are usually the first to go.

Clicking or noise when turning at low speeds, or moving back and forth are both classic signs.

Don

 

It's not the CV joints...I just got new axles. Its a clunking (deeper than the clicking or popping from the CVs) noise when turning at NO speed.

 

I have a distinct tick-tick noise that comes from the drivers side fron wheel, even at rest. Is that the CV joint?