My 99 started making griding noises like a wump wump wump. I jacked my car up and found the left front wheel loose. But it wasn't the wheel, but the 36mm axle nut was loose. So I tighten the nut as best I could. The sound is almost gone, but I can still hear a tiny bit. So I wonder if the bearings were damaged because of the loose nut. btw - how could the nut get loose? Is there suppose to be some washer hold it (besides the pin)? I only have 65K on the car.
TIA, Mark
The nut can't loosen if the cotter pin was installed. Either you've totally lost a bearing or the nut wasn't properly torqued to start with. Have you had any front suspension work done to the car? How much were you able to tighten the nut? It's supposed to be torqued down to
175 - 230 foot pounds, in other words, a lot!The front wheel bearings are press-fit into the steering knuckle. The hub is then pressed into the inner bore of the wheel bearing. Hopefully, the bearing has not been damaged. If the bearing or hub HAS been damaged, you will still hear a creaking noise. This noise is either the hub or bearing slowly grinding itself away. Although not immediately dangerous, it will slowly loosen the press-fit connection and the hub will begin to get "sloppy". Case in point: I had an 84 Dodge Daytona (typical front drive system, similar to the Maxima) and I hit a curb in 1986 when sliding in an ice storm with the wheels turned. After I had it realigned and checked out as OK, 2 years later, the creaking noise arose. The hub nut loosened while on a long trip, so I stopped to tighten the nut with a large socket and torque wrench. 500 miles later when I got home, it was loose again and I removed the wheel and noticed a small bit of side play. I removed the steering knuckle assembly and discovered that the outer bearing surface had been "galled" almost half of it's length, thereby reducing the amount of contact surface inside the wheel bearing. I don't know exactly how this occurred, possibly from being knocked ever so slightly out-of-round by the curb impact, but I replaced the entire knuckle assembly with a unit from a salvage yard. This was in 1988 and I drove the car another 10 years with no problems until I sold it.
These wheel bearings are sealed and have no means of external lubrication. They are huge roller bearings with 2 separate races and are very precise with no play. They have to be pressed into the knuckle and then the hub has to be pressed into the inner bore of the bearing at a machine shop.
Have yours checked for any slop or side play and then retorqued. You may have to wait awhile until the symptoms get worse before replacing.
Good luck!
Chris
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