Okay I havent been on for a while and I am back because I need some help... as usual.

I have some clunking noises over bumps and the shop tells me I need new sway bar end links. Are the OEM replacements that the shop will order good enough or is there something else you guys can recommend?

My cat is pooched and making awful noises so Im throwing in my Megan test pipe this month. I think I may as well throw on an exhaust while its all unbolted, I think Im willing to settle for the custom maxima 2.5" as I can't wait any long for the 3".... any thoughts on this, who has one of these?

The headers are still rattling and the shop is going to grind off more of my crossmember, hopefully that solves the noise issue.

Last problem is that when I accelerate hard from a dead stop I get a nasty sort of crunching noise from the front passenger side and it is noticably worse when I am accelerating through a turn. I checked the CV boots and they look fine, the other thing Im considering is maybe the wheel bearing. Anybody had similar noises and know whats wrong?

Thanks in advance for any wisdom you guys have to offer, you've never failed me in the past.

Nick

PS I got hail damage a couple months ago and the damage is estimated at around $5000!!! thank god for insurance, Its going to be a while for the body shop as half the city got hit... it took two months just to get my damage appraisal.

 

About your end-links: it seems most everybody in the 5th gen forum is using MOOG end-links over OEM. I'm using them. Been working fine.



Custom Maxima again... Can't people read anymore?

 

Def get MOOG...

 

Avoid CustomMaxima. It's an ebay exhaust but with an additional $100+ added to the pricetag.

 

Last problem is that when I accelerate hard from a dead stop I get a nasty sort of crunching noise from the front passenger side and it is noticably worse when I am accelerating through a turn. I checked the CV boots and they look fine, the other thing Im considering is maybe the wheel bearing. Anybody had similar noises and know whats wrong?

anybody have an opinion on this issue?? the shop said they can't tell anything being wrong with the axles or bearing but Im not sure about that... could the links be causing this problem?

I forgot to mention earlier... I also had a puncture in my tire this morning and I drove to work on it without realizing... it pulled to the right but I thought it was because of my front end issue. They plugged the tire and it seems okay but said I should replace it, thing is I got a steal of a deal from a friend at a tire place. He got me 2 bridgestone potenzas installed for $150 (95% tread left, barely used) and he can't hook up the same tires so I think I'll just run this one till its pooched as they still have great tread.

 

Wow. Nothing but problems for you... Yeah, I've heard the eBay exhaust is decent for those on a budget... As for the sound, maybe motor mount? That's just my guess though...

I've had the suspension noises for a while now and I'm almost positive it's my end links. I've got a tune in the works though, so all my spare change is going towards that for now A little sway bar noise never hurt anyone

 

if you're willing to settle with custom maxima exhaust, might as well get the ebay exhaust.. like stated previously, its the same thing

if you're not into the big single tip, theres a dual tipped muffler on ebay for cheap as well (thats what im using).. you can weld that on

 

Ebay now has a dual tip catback that CM is claiming to be theirs as well but with the extra $100 price tag. The item even uses the same pictures.

http://forums.maxima.org/group-deals...Q5fAccessories

Personally, I would look at the Megan Racing Catback before getting this:

http://forums.maxima.org/group-deals...k-exhaust.html

 

Check your ball joints. I replaced both mine (actually, the control arms) and my front suspension makes a lot of less noise and is a lot more stable.

I also replaced the sway bar end links with OEM's at the same time, so its hard to say which "fixed" it.

 

Thanks for the input guys! The noise I am describing is only on an aggressive launch and it only lasts for a second... Im going to tell my mechanic to check ball joints and control arms as well. Im going to do the end links as it is relatively inexpensive. I know I can live with the noise but I would be more comfortable knowing my front end is at 100%

I'll take a look at the ebay dual tip, I didnt know the megan was available... I tried to buy one last year and waited 4 months on backorder before demanding a refund, if they are actually in stock I might go with that.

And yes, nothing but problems for me... I have the worst luck with cars as rochester and jowo know all too well from my previous threads months ago, its been a steep downhill since then but I still love my max. Im going to get all the body work done, fix up the suspension issues and get my exhaust on. Then new windshield and HID fogs in spring once the roads are cleared of gravel.

 

JDM has the entire Megan system for $303 plus $15 shipping.
You can find it here http://www.jdmhub.com/index.php?rout...duct_id=178781

 

I have this front passenger side crunching as well. Been told a guess was the bushing. I thought about the control arm myself, because the boots are fine. Or they were last time they were checked. Weren't the lower control arms recalled? I have the 01 SE. They are listed as recalled but I haven't checked to see if mine were ever done. I only bought the car 4 months ago, maybe 3, I forget now, but close enough. If mine were never replaced on the recall, do they still have to do the work? If they do, will the bushings get replaced also? I read somewhere that on the recall, both control arms would be replaced, I mean both sides. Anyone know? My crunching is on breaking, and then continues when I start out from breaking, like I stop, then, when I go, it continues to crunch for a few seconds. I am also told my brake pads are ok. So I figured the control arm bushings are bad, but was wondering if they were recalled and they were never replaced, if I can get it done this late or not. Thanks!

 

Does it happen all the time or just sometimes? I have noticed lately sometimes I hear a clunking sound over bumps too.

 

The clunking over bumps is mostly noticeable when I am accelerating, particularly aggressive acceleration. If I accelerate gently its not as bad. Also if I am coming up to a bumpy section of road I usually coast with no throttle and the clunking is not as bad.

I've been doing a little testing and I realize that the bad crunching noise I have is only from a launch at dead stop. It does not happen if I am already moving and I hit the gas hard. It does not make any noise on braking.

My shop has ordered the Moog endlinks for me and they are going on next week, hopefully this solves my issues. Im confident my axles are fine because I only have 160,000kms (about 80,000 miles) and I have experienced bad axles at 300,000+kms on other cars and my current symptoms are much different than bad axles I have experienced before... also when I had new tires put on the front a couple months ago I did a quick visual inspection of the brakes, CV's and suspension and the boots were in great shape with no cracks or an damage whatsoever.

Thanks for all the input guys, I'll have the shop check my control arms and bushings when they put the end links on. I'll keep you posted as new info is available on the issue.