Rumbling rattle in RR, rear axle issues?

[Bluemill]

We have a 2001 SE R50, 4WD. We have a persistent rumbling rattle in the right rear of the vehicle. My first attempt to repair was replacing the shocks, and that wasn't it. This week I replaced the rear 2 sections of the exhaust, which were shot at 103,000 miles. I was certain that would fix it, for the noise really sounds like it's coming from about where the main muffler is. NO LUCK!

This weekend, I will jack it up, put it on jack stands and see if the unladen axle has any loose bushings, bolts, etc.

Immediately after doing the shocks, while just turning around in my driveway, I heard this "tamping" rattle, at very low speed, and knew that the rattle was still there!

I've read some threads on this site, and it looks like this is a common problem. Did any body find the fix?

Best,

Bluemill

[ARKQX33V6]

Check the wheel bearing bearings rear

[tigwelder]

A persistent rattle that I had turned out to be the one of the sway bar end links.

[Bluemill]

Thanks. That's two things I ought to be able to figure out if it's on jackstands. This does not growl like a wheel bearing, it's only making noise with a little hop in the road or shift in the weight of the car. Not a constant growl or squeek, or more noise if you turn on that side, etc.

Best,

Bluemill

[fueler]

is your spare tire nice and snug under there?

[Bluemill]

Oh yes, but I will take the whole thing out now to be sure this Weekend.

[GRNMACHINE]

Wouldnt doubt if it was your spare tire.

[Bluemill]

Well , in the past I have cranked it up to the point that I thought I might snap the chain! I really don't think it's it, but hey, I'll pull the whole tire out and drive around a bit to see if that's it. That's an easy experiment.

How about the carbon canister? it's up there- in RR! The filiment could be thumping around inside??

[Chuck Tribolet]

Jack it up with a floor jack under the diff and run it and see if you can find where the noise is coming from.
Be sure to have someone in the driver's seat at all times.


Chuck

[Bluemill]

Ouuuu, a Corvette and a '01 Pathfinder- a good combo. That's what I got. The PF is the winter 'Vette saver. Your suggestion could be real exciting!

Snow & salt is not a good thing on PF 10mm hardware. They just love to snap off when you go to take them off! My front bib is being held on with just 4 (left) very lubed up 10mm bolts! Not a good example of Nissan quality.

[Chuck Tribolet]

Funny, I drive the 'vette more in the winter. We do an annual 1650 mile round trip to Tucson for the holidays. The 'vette gets the
best gas mileage of our three cars (my GF has an '01 Passat wagon) and has the lowest milage by far.

What are you using to lube the bolts? You want something that will NOT wash out. I'd use either Evinrude/Johnson Triple Guard (any
Evinrude/Johnson outboard dealer will have it) or DuPont 111 silicone grease (McMaster-Carr) which is made for lubing water valve bodies.

Those bolts that take a 10 mm wrench are actually 6 mm. You can get them in stainless from West Marine or McMaster-Carr. The
stainless ones are stronger. MMM, now that I think about it, Ace Hardware stores cary stainless metric bolts.

[Bluemill]

I have been using some anti-seize compound, nothing fancy, but you're right it seems every time I take them out, they look like they are without any grease at all. Lately, that's been a lot because I've had the infamous screeching belt at start up- and it's the wider, ps /altern. belt by the way! I have done a lot of adjusting, 3-4 times this past month to nail it down. Knock on wood, it's not screeching any more, and it sounds good revving it. I'll have to see what it does when it's really cold, like the teens to really test it.

The C-5 has a tendency to have locking up splines in the rear axles. Apparently, they are supposed to slide in and out a little as you make tight turns, in your drive way, parking lots, etc. Without attention, they will bind up with rust. When you back up into a tight turn, I would get this god awful "THWACK" like the rear axle was self destructing. Slathering the splines with marine waterproof grease is the fix. Did that 2 yrs. ago and it's been fine ever since, and my car is a daily driver, rain and a little snow even! I used waterproof "Green Grease" as seen on TWO GUYS GARAGE- on SPEED Network. I got at Advance Auto, an east coast chain that's like Autozone, but with more product that's made by other folks, not the Duralast stuff, which actually is pretty good, for the most part.

[Bluemill]

Well I tried about 6 things yesterday and could not nail down the rumble/rattle:

* Up on jack stands, checked all Panhard rod, trailing arms, anti-sway bar links, and bushings

* removed the spare

* drove around with hatch open- could have been loose latch

* checked RR wheel for any play- none, but there was some gear clunk in the differential when changing direction

* pounded all suspension components with a large rubber mallet for play/rattles

* took jumper cables out of RR side storage compartment

* pounded hell out of newly hung exhaust

* brake compensator over rear axle, is still under suspicion; This is part with large 1" X 5" spring attached to pivoting end, thunked pretty good when released.

I don't really think it's the problem.

Come on techs give us a clue!!!!

Best,

Bluemill

[Bluemill]

I won't give up until I find it!

Tore out RR interior trim- nothing suspicious there.

Son-in- law was nice enought to give it a listen, and he said it sounded like bongo drums- the deeper one, hitting two to three times fast when you hit a medium bump.
Next I will tear down RR brake drum. One thread said there was a parking brake cable inside the drum, Hitting the backing plate, on the inside. Another thread, perhaps wheel bearing, -this doesn't sound plausible, not enough play in the wheel detected, BUT I've got to open the drum any way so I'll be checking that too.

One more thing- The brake lines are attached to the side of the rear axle by a couple flaps of sheet metal, folded over. The flaps have rusted to the point of no support, to hold the brake line from rapping and hitting the side of the axle in a good jolt situation. One of them snapped off - like a rusted out heat shield! I will put some plastic zip ties on to secure the brake lines- this could be it!..........

If it is, you guys will know about it.

Best,

Bluemill

[ARKQX33V6]

Just for giggles open that rear diff and see if the oil is up to the lip of that plug opening. And it should be LSD hypoid oil. Wrong oil will cause noise that you won't forget but...

[Bluemill]

My son is getting married next weekend- so I won't be allowed to do any car play! I will have to wait for a week or two to get to the bottom of it. I will sneak on those zip ties because I'm feeling good about this suspicion, they're loose, axle related, i.e. if you hit a stiff bump in the back, that axle will hop with a jolt. The brake lines are stiff tubing, but with enough of a jolt could vibrate enough to cause this noise- I HOPE!

[Bluemill]

A persistent rattle that I had turned out to be the one of the sway bar end links.

You are the guy with the right answer for me - and probably a lot of others out there. I should have taken a closer look at those bushings,
and I know I hit the anti-sway bar with a mallet, but it didn't seem to make any noise- or a similar noise to what I heard when driving.

With your knowledge of metals- I should have taken a more careful look at your post, and recommendation.

Thank you for your help!

Best,

Bluemill

[Bluemill]

I got replacement bushings at Autozone, greased them up and put them on. The right side was really worn, but when you hit it with a mallet it hardly moved at all, but the bouncing axle for over 100,000 miles had taken its toll. The anti-sway bar is about 5/8" wide, while the hole in one direction of the bushing looks to be wider than 3/4". My son had some bushings in our parts inventory, neoprene, the right sized hole, but just at 1/4" too wide on the outside to bolt down. No worries, Autozone had it in Duralast, a brand I can easily endorse! They fit like a glove.

Now that old truck sounds like a new BMW hitting bumps!

Best,

Bluemill

[jimmymoo]

Bluemill or anybody - Is it the sway bar endlink that's bad or the bushing? From Bluemill's last post it sounds like it's the bushing that needed to be replaced but if I understand correctly, Endlink bushings are not replaceable.