Hey all.

Talkin' about my 2001 i30. 101k miles.

Lately I noticed that while making long left turns (like on a roundabout or ramp, but not slow like pulling into a parking space) I hear a "squuf squuf squuf" noise coming from my right wheel area.

Braking doesn't seem to change it, but shifting weight to the right side does amplify it. I've heard plenty of failing wheel bearings and this doesn't sound like any that I've heard before. The noise doesn't sound metallic or like scraping.. Almost like someone running while wearing corduroy pants.

This weekend I plan to take the wheel off and poke around, but I'm trying to speculate what I might be getting into.

 

I would think wheel bearing or even a slight chance of the inner fender lining lightly brushing the tire.

 

Soon as I saw "squuf squuf squuf" - I thought wheel bearing. But that's just a guess.

 

Well.. With some afterthought, these may be valid guesses. At first I said that this didn't sound like any wheel bearing I'd heard, however those were usually owned by friends asking me to diagnose and it had been going bad for a month or more. Maybe this is the first time I've heard the early phase of failure.

So now to do some research... Is it a spindle/knuckle assembly or do I just buy the bearing.... That sort of thing....

 

I thought failing CV boot until I read no noise at low speed but still something to check out

 

I would start with your sway bar end links and bushings. Most common for front end noise when turning or over bumps. Plus they are cheap and easy to swap, and should be done anyways.

 

Check your brake dustshield as well.

 

This.

Put all four corners on stands today and checked each wheel. Bearings seem good, brakes have plenty of meat on them. Dust shields aren't rubbing....


The driver's side outer CV boot is indeed torn.

Looking at the post date, the noise has been going on for over a month now since I first noticed it. Is it fair to assume that the CV joiint is contaminated and ruined, or should I chance it with a new boot and see how long I get? I'm not getting the "ratcheting" noise I've heard on failing CV's towards the end... yet....

 

always replace unless you absolutely can't. Any sand, dirt, etc will still be in there with a fixit boot so it will get trashed in time regardless.

 

^^

Just replace the axle and be done. There's no fixing or salvaging unless the boot is barely torn.

 

Oh no.. it's pretty well gone. I'd say 300 degrees of it is cut, just hanging on by a little bit.

What's the word on the street these days for this, OEM or NAPA replacement? I just looked it up on Gunn Nissan's site and they want $630 for it... that can't be right. In another thread someone else said that $160 for a Raxle was "overspending" under certain circumstances.

 

Raxle is fantastic and worth what you pay.

But with a 2001, a NAPA replacement that has a good warranty is fine. No need to go OEM.

 

Raxle doesn't sell them for maximas anymore.

Do not buy napa reman axles. But the new ones from napa. I've done remans a couple of times trying to be cheap and have had to redo the job and take them back for vibrations.

 

Concur. New only.

 

This is excellent info. Thank you everyone. I'll post a followup when I have some more to tell.

(wow, only $10 difference between new and reman? Why WOULD you go reman?)

 

I would think the wheel bearing or the CV joints, although the bearings would make more sense cause of the weight at that side