can a 215/45R17 be used to replace a 225/65-17 tire

I had searched this and other newsgroups with Google, but must have made my search criteria a bit too specific.

I won't be changing from Premium Gas, based on the information posted here. As you said, it's still a lot less expensive to run than many other vehicles - my wife's car is a Ford Expedition (purchased new in 1998 when we had need for the extra seating and storage capacity)!

I diddled with the retainer, but maybe I just don't have the finesse. It felt as if the joint wasn't sliding on to the shaft any at all. So the retainer wouldn't be touching the joint yet. Anyway that's my perception. And by the time I got ugly with it I was ready to write it off. It had run without a boot for maybe a couple of months and there did seem to be a little heat damage and roughness on some ball bearings. That's my excuse and I'm sticking with it. Fortunately money wasn't the issue here. What I'll do, since I still have the shaft, is go pull the retainer completely off and maybe develop a better feel for how it works.

Thanks!

Hey, it just occurred to me, when I took off the joint (yes, by hitting the inner race) it took several very hard hits to keep moving it off the shaft. It didn't just pop past the retainer and then slide off, which is what I think you're saying it should do, Steve. Any chance that it was assembled with the wrong retainer in the first place, and then I chose a matching, but wrong retainer, in reassembling? Ok, so I guess I do feel the need to justify myself a bit.

I have a 2003 Nissan Maxima SE, with 47K miles. Everything has been going great except for the front passenger window not closing properly. Here is what happens, I open the window fine, no problem, if I try to close the window, it goes up fine, but then it goes down automatically by itself about

3 to 4 inches. If you try to get it to close again, it will go all the way up but then by its own "will" it goes back down 3 to 4 inches. The only way I can close the window is to close it and pull up on the switch for about 5 to 10 seconds, either the first or second time works. The problem happens when I use the driver's or passenger's controls, which makes me believe that its a problem with something in the door. Would my warranty cover this? If not how do I fix it myself? Thanks for any suggestion or help

WGB

wbusse"at"filterlogix.com

I've checked this further and the noise is clearly coming from the top of the steerign wheel. Most likely from the compartment with airbag as if something is left loose in there. Would you recommend just returning the car amd demanding a new one as this one is brand new or actually ask dealer to fix this? Alex

Should be an easy fix.

Relax - you would have zero chance of returning a car due to a rattle. If you want to be taken seriously by your service department, work with them and give them a chance to fix things.

I have a 2002 SE and had exactly the same issue. The air bag capsule in the steering wheel is suspended using springs and when I hit a decent sized bump, I always had a sound. I did notice that I could reproduce the sound by hitting the edge of the steering wheel. When speaking to the tech at my dealer who works on my Nissans, he advised me that all they could do is replace the steering wheel and airbag assembly and hope for the best. He could not do anything to attempt to silence the airbag capsule or surroundings because it would be considered interfering with a safety system. I wouldn't want any homebrew remedies there either.

I lived with it for awhile and discovered that if my tires were overinflated by even a couple of pounds, I got the sound. When they were at factory specified pressure, the sound went away. I left well enough alone and have been driving with the same wheel and airbag assembly without the rattle.

Check your tire pressure and if the problem persists, give the service dept. a chance to fix it.

I have no idea what happened from where I'm sitting! In the future, you might try what you said, trial fit it without the retaining ring to make sure it slide into place easily. Might have had a burr on it that got caught or something? They are pretty tricky to get back on depending on if there is a bevel on the edge of the hole in the CV or not.

If you can get the codes scanned, that would help point out your problems. You could have a bad O2 sensor, a bad engine temp sensor, possibly fouled fuel injectors. Not sure about the dash lights. Could be a fuse but there would be more things not working if a burnt fuse. Or maybe just some light bulbs burnt out. If you haven't in the last 100k miles, change the rotor, distributor cap, plugs, and maybe wires. Not knowing more about your service history, it's hard to tell. But hey, just get in there and start replacing parts!!

Chris

90 & 94 GXE's

If you smell gasoline vapors during warm weather, your gas cap gasket is bad. Replace the gas cap. You will not pass the safety & emissions inspection in your state w/ a bad gas cap, plus you'll be polluting the air!

Chris

90 & 94 GXE's

The shop manual shows to remove the driveshaft assembly from the car, put in a vise and use a slide hammer with a puller to grab the lock nut, thereby keeping the "rapping" force centered on the shaft to pop the circlip off the cv joint. This is why you need to get it off the car and into your vise. With it still on the car, the rapping force is absorbed and directed equally on the circlip to pop it out of the groove. Doubtful they used the wrong size circlip.

Chris

90 & 94 GXE's

Correction: With the shaft still on the car, the "rapping force" is absorbed by the various gaps and soft parts and will not travel to the clip to pop it out of the groove. Plus it's hard to deliver a blow that needs to hit dead center on the shaft.

Thanks very much for everyone's input.

The new half-shaft is on, and we're in business again. The other side is going to need attention sooner rather than later, and I'll soon have to decide whether to do a boot replacement with my hard-won expertise (semi-expertise?) or do it the easy way by replacing the shaft.

Yeah, our other vehicle is an Explorer, purchased for the same reason. We leased it last July, right before the Freestyle came out. D'oh! (wife's dad is a Ford employee, hence her addiction to them)

Thanks for the replies! Do you by any chance know if loose airbag assembly is a common problem with Nissans? I'll chekc the tire pressure to make sure it iswhat it should be.

Sounds like a bad window switch. Maybe a corroded or dirty switch? Get some electrical contact cleaner and clean it up. Hopefully you don't have to replace that master driver side switch, it's over $100 for the part.

Our maxima has had four batteries replaced in the last 2 years. Dealership has asked us to have it towed each time so they can check the computer for problems. Each time they state the battery has a bad cell and that the alternator and starter test ok. What could be causing a bad cell in a battery about every 6 months?

What does the people who sold you the last three batteries have to say?

Vehicle was purchased on March 29, 2002. The first occurrance was at

11,488 miles on 07/08/03. We jump started and took to dealership. They couldn't find anything wrong. Told us to have vehicle towed if happened again.

The second occurrance was on 08/19/03 at 11,567. Vehicle was towed and the original battery was said to have a faulty cell and was replaced.

The third occurrance was on 05/03/04 and 17,673 miles. We charged battery and took to dealership. Again, they could find nothing wrong.

The 4th occurrance was on 05/27/04 and 21,488 miles. At this time we expressed our concern about a possible alternator problem. We were told by the service advisor that based on the intermittent nature of the problem they would test the car all day and they would contact the manufacturer as well. Again, they could find nothing wrong and they did not test the car all day or contact the manufacturer as we had been promised. When we picked up the car we asked to have alternator bench tested but they declined. We offered to pay for a bench test of the alternator and if found faulty they would replace under warranty. This was declined, stating they could not do that because they couldn?t find anything wrong. At this time we expressed our concern as to the warranty expiration and wanted resolution.

The 5th occurrance was on 11/02/04 and 22,558 miles. Vehicle was towed and the Hill Nissan again found faulty cell in battery. Said it was rare to have back to back battery problems but could happen.

The 6th occurrance was on 4/19/05 and 23,298 miles. Vehicle was towed and again the dealership found a shorted cell in the battery and replaced the battery. This is the 4th battery. Seems if we jump start it they can find nothing wrong. When it is towed they find a faulty cell in the battery.