2011 Rogue Steering Knuckle Removal Issues

Nissan Rogue forum - Includes Nissan Qashqai and Nissan Dualis as well.
unistang
Posts: 22
Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2010 7:56 am
Car: 2011 Nissan Rogue

Post

I'm not new to working on cars but Nissans, as much as i love them, seem to give me more roadblocks than most when it comes to repairs. Ran into the following on my AWD Rogue when trying to replace the front driver side wheel bearing hub unit:

- Snapped off the bolt on the ABS sensor. Can't really say i'm surprised here. Awful design and had the same issues on my maximas so i should have seen it coming.
- Lower ball joint bolt will NOT budge. I don't have a low end impact gun either. The bolt came off but when trying to break the shaft loose to remove it, it might as well have been welded on.

I guess i have a few questions:

- What am i doing wrong on the ball joint? I have separated ball joints of this type many times without an issue and most on much older cars. Before i get out a BFH or a 4 foot breaker bar and potentially create a problem that i didn't have in the first place, I figured I'd ask here.
- Even though i snapped the bolt off the ABS sensor hold down, the sensor is stuck in place. Really didn't feel like breaking it because i don't have time at the moment (i wasn't as rough as i could have been) but i have a feeling that is the only way. Can i remove the bearing HUB without removing the ABS sensor or am i going to have to pull this whole thing out (after i figure out the ball joint issue above) and somehow figure it out on the bench? I obviously don't care about salvaging the sensor at this point since it seems like they aren't that expensive.

Appreciate all the help guys and hope this isn't too rudimentary. I tried searching for this stuff and didn't come up with anything.


User avatar
darylzero
Posts: 1245
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2009 5:28 am
Car: Nissan Rogue 2009 SL AWD Premium Pkg.

Post


Rogue Jarhead
Posts: 455
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2013 12:15 pm
Car: 2011 Nissan Rogue Krom

Post

Pickle fork for the ball joint. Yes the sensor has to come out before the hub or you will break the sensor. However it sounds like yours is already kaput. Still I would remove it before the hub comes out or you will bend the tone ring on the back of the hub. Rock auto has new sensors for $75-85 each.

My opinion is Nissan choose a poor way to place that sensor, you cannot pull the hub with the sensor in place with out bending that ring, likewise on reinstallation. Up north here any sensor that has been in place for more than 2 winters welds itself to the hub and requires a hammer and punch to remove and a drill or file to clean up the hole.

unistang
Posts: 22
Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2010 7:56 am
Car: 2011 Nissan Rogue

Post

I have two new timken hubs ready to go anyways. I'm going to remove everything except the ball joint and I'll be able to tap the cv out. I'm not going to risk damaging a good ball joint. From there I'll just pound the bearing out, drill out the old sensor (or punch) and attempt to helicoil the old bolt. Hopefully that goes as smoothly as it sounds.

Rogue Jarhead
Posts: 455
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2013 12:15 pm
Car: 2011 Nissan Rogue Krom

Post

Pickle fork isn't kind to the joint you're using it on, but it's always worked when I've used it. Usually the rubber boot on the joint is done though.

I put two new Timken hubs on my 2011. Then I had to put two new wheel speed sensors in. You'll see what I mean about where the sensors are located. If you have the new hubs in hand that thin metal ring on the back of the hub is what I call the tone ring. When the hub is in place and the sensor is properly seated in the hole, the tip of the sensor rides between that ring and the back of the hub. No way to pull it or install it withou removing the sensor. To do so bends and distorts the ring and causes the abs, tac control and all kinds of light bulb havoc on your dashboard.

User avatar
ImStricken06
Posts: 5052
Joined: Wed Dec 07, 2011 8:45 am
Car: 2008 Rogue(sold)
2013 Santa Fe
2016 Sorento
Location: Within Range
Contact:

Post

unistang wrote:Lower ball joint bolt will NOT budge. I don't have a low end impact gun either. The bolt came off but when trying to break the shaft loose to remove it, it might as well have been welded on.
always hit what it goes through - the knuckle. worst case scenario, just torch the thing and replace the LCA. a new LCA is like $50. dont waste time or energy on this car. i wanted to replace a cv boot, and ended up needing to destroy the lower control arm, hub, sway bar links, tie-rods, etc.
What am i doing wrong on the ball joint? I have separated ball joints of this type many times without an issue and most on much older cars. Before i get out a BFH or a 4 foot breaker bar and potentially create a problem that i didn't have in the first place, I figured I'd ask here.
everything on this f-ing car is seized up good. idk what parts they used, but they all suck balls.

i think i started a thread on this already,. ill merge if anything. good luck bro.

unistang
Posts: 22
Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2010 7:56 am
Car: 2011 Nissan Rogue

Post

There is no need to remove the lower ball joint right? I feel like if I disconnect the strut, sway link and tie rod that the knuckle should pull forward enough for me to tap out the CV and work on repairing the broken bolt. Just trying to limit the headache I will have to deal with here. I'll save the new LCA for another six pack of beer when it eventually goes out. Given that my wife already toasted two wheel bearings on Chicago potholes I figure the lower ball is not far behind so I'll get what I can out of it. Although I was blaming her at first I'm starting to think these just may be sub par parts. My older Nissans always came apart easy until I got my 2004 Max and now this. It's a shame really. Well treated metal should be a no brainer above the snow belt and I would think newer vehicles would be improving in that area. I guess they figure shops will be dealing with these anyways given the generation we live in.

User avatar
ImStricken06
Posts: 5052
Joined: Wed Dec 07, 2011 8:45 am
Car: 2008 Rogue(sold)
2013 Santa Fe
2016 Sorento
Location: Within Range
Contact:

Post

dude my older nissans, lasted 150k before needing ball joints, tie-rods, LCA, hubs, calipers, etc. this piece of junk rogue was my last nissan. i replaced all four calipers, pads, rotors, had the shift interlock malfunction, seat creaking, windshield pop, steering wheel noise, tpms sensors failed, evap sensor fail, etc all under 50k on the rogue.
between 50k to 90k, i replaced the a/c clutch, belt, sway bay links, tie-rods, lower control arm, hub, right axle, pcv valve, spark plugs, etc.

i traded the rogue in for a 2016 kia sorento and never looked back. our 2013 hyundai santa fe has been 70k virtually trouble free.

unistang
Posts: 22
Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2010 7:56 am
Car: 2011 Nissan Rogue

Post

Guys,

I wanted to post a follow up to this. I ditched the lower ball joint issue and will save that for another day when they eventually out. To get the bearings out i removed the strut bolts and tie rod ends. Here's what i encountered:

Driver side:
- Caliper slide seized on bottom. Strained a few muscles trying to get that bottom bolt out and everything cleaned up and re-greased. Very evident by the uneven pad wear on the back side of the rotor
- Wheel speed sensor bolt snapped. Drilled and heli-coiled pretty easily.
- Wheel speed sensor frozen. Drilled out.
- Lower ball joint bolt seized. Lets save that for another day, but that's what started this whole thread.

Outside of those issues, the shaft slid right out with no issues and the tie rod end separated with a few whacks from a hammer on the housing (same for pass side).

Passenger side:
- Torx fitting on the top of the tie rod end stripped out on re installation and i had to cut off the bolt and get a new end. Everything was going way too smooth on this side so this was not unexpected.
- Wheel speed sensor frozen. Drilled out.
- Shaft on this side took some metal to metal hammering (tried wood dampener and rubber mallet first but it just wasn't happening). I had the bolt on the end to prevent the shaft from getting damaged.

The wheel speed sensor bolt backed out on this side! Heat from the bottom for about a minute, followed buy penetrating oil on the bolt side while still hot and a couple whacks with the hammer on the bolt head did the trick. That's 5 Chicago winters so i guess its possible with the right circumstances as i had everything ready to drill this one out too. I don't recommend doing this if you are trying to save the speed sensor but mine was long gone. There was no way in hell that sensor was coming out.

All in all, it wasn't as bad as i thought. Can't say that this was a big of a nightmare as i thought it was going to be. The hardest part was finding a tie rod end in stock. For some reason NOBODY carries this in stock. I had to drive about 45 minutes to the 1 store in all of western Chicago that had it on a Sunday afternoon since my wife needed the car.

What WAS a pain in the a** was the damn drive belt. WTF? I read the aftermarket belts run on the small side so this is probably why but i still hate when something that i think is going to take me 30 minutes ends up taking 2 hours. I was able to get it on after some swearing and sore hands but its tight. Inner tie rods are the last thing left but that will be summer. These are basic repairs but anyone who needs tips on this specific car, let me know. I'd be glad to help.

Thanks for all the help everyone!

User avatar
ImStricken06
Posts: 5052
Joined: Wed Dec 07, 2011 8:45 am
Car: 2008 Rogue(sold)
2013 Santa Fe
2016 Sorento
Location: Within Range
Contact:

Post

unistang wrote:Guys,
- Caliper slide seized on bottom. Strained a few muscles trying to get that bottom bolt out and everything cleaned up and re-greased. Very evident by the uneven pad wear on the back side of the rotor
- Wheel speed sensor bolt snapped. Drilled and heli-coiled pretty easily.
- Wheel speed sensor frozen. Drilled out.
- Lower ball joint bolt seized. Lets save that for another day, but that's what started this whole thread.
- Torx fitting on the top of the tie rod end stripped out on re installation and i had to cut off the bolt and get a new end. - Wheel speed sensor frozen. Drilled out.
- Shaft on this side took some metal to metal hammering
WELCOME TO ROGUE OWNERSHIP & SELF-REPAIR. THIS CAR IS A TOTAL PITA

unistang
Posts: 22
Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2010 7:56 am
Car: 2011 Nissan Rogue

Post

I don't know why i feel the need to update this, but more to vent than anything. As of 83k and in addition to what i mentioned above:

- Both front lower control arms and ball joints replaced.
- Both inner tie rods replaced
- Both outer tie rods replaced
- Both front end links replaced

I was sore for 2 days after wrestling those lower control arms. Everything else was pretty easy. I'm vested into this car at this point. The only front end parts that haven't been replaced are the axles and struts, but i'm sure that's coming too. I just don't get how there is such a quality difference between these and the Muranos. Its like its a different brand. On the plus side, the engine and transmission have been great!

mpattdu
Posts: 95
Joined: Tue Dec 23, 2008 6:43 am
Car: 2008 Rogue SL AWD

Post

Hoo boy, I hear ya. I did the control arms and wheel bearings a few months ago and it was a heck of a job. I have a 2008 closing in on 120K miles so plenty of rust and seized bolts. Also ended up replacing brakes, rotors, and rebuilt the calipers.

unistang
Posts: 22
Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2010 7:56 am
Car: 2011 Nissan Rogue

Post

The most annoying thing for me is that every time I seem to take the brakes off the dust shields end up rubbing after is all back together and it sounds horrendous until I bend them just right after much trial and error.

Rogue Jarhead
Posts: 455
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2013 12:15 pm
Car: 2011 Nissan Rogue Krom

Post

I’ve gotten in the habit of checking the dust sheild before I put the tire back on.

unistang
Posts: 22
Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2010 7:56 am
Car: 2011 Nissan Rogue

Post

This is getting comical now. A/C compressor failed at 95k and took the whole system with it. On a 98 degree day of course. $1,300. Didn't want to do this one myself. Mechanic said he's already seen 5 rogues in this year with the same problem.

Rogue Jarhead
Posts: 455
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2013 12:15 pm
Car: 2011 Nissan Rogue Krom

Post

Wow my ac compressor stopped working at just about 95k last week. The electromagnetic clutch stopped working. I put this clutch on it from amazon and I have cool air once more.

https://www.amazon.com/ACUMSTE-Compress ... ssan+Rogue

Usually when the compressor won’t spin it’s just the clutch. It took me about an hour this afternoon and I removed the front passenger tire and the inner fender liner.


Return to “Rogue Forum”