I am having a loud thud coming from my passenger side axle. The problem occurrs when I am at about 30mph or so and then I give the car more than a 1/4 throttle or so.. I got underneath the car today and noticed the passenger side axle mount, that has 3 bolts, was missing 1 and the other to were loose enough to hand tighten them.. I put a new bolt on and torqued all three bolts down, but now I still have the thud, thud, thud... coming from the axle area. I dont seem to feel the "thudding" in the steering wheel, but I do feel it alot in the gas pedal and floor board. With the windows down I can clearly hear the thudding noise coming from the outside as well as a high pitch squeal..ehh, ehh with the thud, thud, thud noise (trying to describe the noise as best as I can on the internet.. LoL).

If I turn left to put all the weight on the passenger side you hear the thudding still, but if I turn right and take the weight off the passenger side its silent. I had checked the axle yesterday to check the wheel bearing condition and I was able to have play in the wheel, which made me think the wheel bearing was done. After seeing those 3 bolts on the axle mount loose and then tightening them I had no play. I definately thought that would have been the problem, but apparently not. (Possible axle spline damage??)

I am beggining to think that it has to do with the input shaft and spline that goes in the tranny?! I also am going to see if the axle is bent, which might be another possibility. I am really looking for ideas/suggestions, so please help me out guys!

Thanks,

-Nick

 

Is the axle in all the way?

BTW This is what happend to me, but it was my fault...
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=385622

 

Update: I got a chance to go take a better look at it and I jacked up the front end now and had my brother go in the car and start in and put it in gear. It seems that the axle might be wobbling a little, but it isnt bad at all. We did this for about 3 mins and then noticed the abs light popped on the dash? I dont know what thats all about, but I now am wondering if it is related to my problem.. I have just put new brakes on a week or so ago.. The axle is getting power as it spins and definately seems to be in place.

I also noticed that the inner CV boot on the P. Axle can be squeezed and you can hear air escaping.. It sounds like there maybe a little noise coming from it also, when I spin the axle by hand.

Any Help is greatly appreciated!!!

-Nick

 

Don't worry about the ABS light. That is normal. Last winter I got stuck in snow and my front tires were spinning while the car was sitting still, and the light turned on for me, but goes off the next time you start the car.

 

The axel doesn't see a weight load, your wheel bearing does. I think you have a bad right front wheel bearing, not a bad axel.

 

I would agree with you but the bearing now has no play(after torquing the axle mount bolts). Also the fact that this noise/thud is really loud. Usually wheel bearing are a humming sounds much quieter than this.

-Nick

 

BTW: I was hoping you would come across this Tom, you really know your stuff when it comes to suspensions and such.. Also, really like your new 35% tints, look really clean on your car

-Nick

 

Also does it seem weird that the vibration is coming only threw the pedals/floorboard.. Not so noticeable in the steering wheel?

I just drove the car around the block again and it sounds like a hammer hitting the floorboards when I drive. This only happens when I am accelerating.. When I let of the gas its quiet, when I put my left foot on the brake its quiet, when I put the clutch in its quiet.

 

Sounds like a worn inner CV joint. Do you have a 2" or similar drop?

njmaxseltd- Even though the axle doesn't see weight loads, low drops put the inner CV joint at angle coming out of the differential. This can accelerate inner CV joint wear. I know this cus mine needs to be changed for this reason. I'm on sprints BTW.

 

What about the carrier bearing? That's right under the passenger side floor.

EDIT: You might as well just pull the right axel out. It's not to hard and you'll finally get down to the root of your problem. It could be the inner joint failing as somebody mentioned.

 

I will be pulling out the axle.. I am almost 100% sure it is the inner CV. I will open it up tomorrow to discover and then I will probably just get a new axle. I do however have a Tein drop of 2.2".. I am thinking that because the bolts on the mount were loose/gone, that allowed the inner cv to separate and possibly break. I will have to find out later though once I remove the axle for the 4th time on this car.

-Nick