Grinding noise when slightly turning wheel left or right

[darrylwmiller]

I have a 2016 AWD Nissan rogue that when driving over 30km/h even the slightest turn of the steering wheel left or right makes a grinding sound from the left side front. I do know I have an inner tie rod that needs to be replaced on the front drivers side, could this be causing that sound? It does not make the noise when wheel is perfectly straight, but even the slightest turn to change lanes and you can really hear it.

https://youtube.com/shorts/QhP5Np3nKE4? ... G-G8ClJCYH

[VStar650CL]

Two questions:
1) Does the noise occur regardless of whether you're moving or stopped?
2) If moving, does the noise continue through the turn, or does it stop when the steering wheel stops turning?

If the answer to (1) is yes and the answer to (2) is it stops with the steering wheel motion, check the U-joint at the base of the steering shaft for looseness and binding, and check the grommet where the shaft passes through the floor for rubbing on the shaft. Both are common causes of noise linked to the steering wheel in gen2's.

[darrylwmiller]

The noise does not happen when the car is not in motion. The noise continues throigh the whole turn and seems to get slightly louder with more wheel turning in the left or right direction. It is also loider when driving at highway speeds but when the wheel is perfectly straight, there is no noise.

[VStar650CL]

That sounds like probably a bad outer CV. It could be a wheel bearing with a thrust problem, but that's pretty unusual, typical bearing failure on Nissans is a flat spot which would be making noise in a straight line. That's also true of the inner CV's. The fact that it only happens with a yaw load pretty much excludes everything from the axle shaft inward.

[VStar650CL]

PS - If you don't find anything there, then it gets serious. The only other thing in the left front which could make noise in response to turning is the differential, which on your ride is part of the transmission.

[darrylwmiller]

Yikes, anything specific I could to to test cv's and wheel bearing. Is there something specific I could check for front diff in the transmission?

[VStar650CL]

From what you describe it doesn't seem like the noise is load-related, so it should make it with the wheels up. A stethoscope should tell you where it's coming from. Nissan wheel bearings are almost dead silent, so anything you hear in the hub assembly indicates a problem, even tiny clicks or ticks. Discriminating the bearing from the outer CV may not be easy, but a bad CV usually has side-to-side play. The diff is an open type, so if it's in there you may need to slow whichever wheel which is spinning in order to hook up the other wheel and simulate the action of changing direction. Use a broom, shovel, or other implement to drag on the tread and slow but not stop the wheel.

[VStar650CL]

Oh, important PS - Turn off the VDC so you don't throw codes in the ABS, and if it's AWD you need to pull the electrical connector for the coupler on the rear diff.

[darrylwmiller]

Thanks for all the detailed info. If I pull the electrical connector off the rear diff I would be safe to just have the front of the car jacked up, correct? Also to turn off VDC I am just pushing the traction control button until light is illuminated on dash right?

[VStar650CL]

Correct.

[darrylwmiller]

I jacked up the car on stands. Put it in drive and held a broom against the drivers side wheel to slow it down, could not replicate the noise. I changed my tires back to all season while I was at it and inspected brakes and dust shields - all good there. Tire has some play at the 9 and 3 positions from the inner tie rod that needs to be replaced.

Transfer case at the front was slightly low on fluid from a small leak where the 2 halves meet (about a drop evey 3 - 4 days). Drained that and refilled and I noted a very small amount of silver specks (no big filings). Refilled and took it for a drive again and same issue. Car sounds like it has a roar on acceleration but grinding persists even with foot of the gas. The sound increase with no throttle going down hill.

Added another video for reference. Also noticed some off and on buzzing like a faint radio zapping signal that comes and goes from behind the dash. Might have to take it in to get checked.

First video is swaying wheel slightly back and forth on highway.

https://youtube.com/shorts/Da-ffQ7S61g? ... MCin8KZy9V

2nd video is from 0 - 100kmh. You can hear some of the buzzing I am talking about in this one.

https://youtube.com/shorts/K0Wyimxk6Fw? ... lHIF-xDRAB

[VStar650CL]

That's a wheel bearing. I can hear it there all the time, just gets worse when you corner. If you spin the wheels and stick a stethoscope on the hub, it will certainly make noise. The reason you don't hear it without a steth is because it has a roller with a flat spot, it has to be loaded to make noise. The fact that it gets so much louder when cornering means the roller is probably broken and not just flatted, so it's chewing up the race and the other rollers.

[darrylwmiller]

Guess I know what I am doing on my off day along with the inner tie rod. Thanks for the support VStar650CL. One more question, the wheel speed sensor, do you suggest removing it before taking hub and bearing out? I have read about some issues breaking it while trying to remove it from the steering knuckle.

[VStar650CL]

One more question, the wheel speed sensor, do you suggest removing it before taking hub and bearing out? I have read about some issues breaking it while trying to remove it from the steering knuckle.

Sometimes you break them anyway, they're made of epoxy and won't take a lot of abuse if they get rusted into the hole. I'd give it the WD40 treatment the day before, and yes, definitely remove it first.

[darrylwmiller]

Things went sideways. Went to remove bolt on speed sensor and it snapped. Drilled a whole for bolt extractor and that did not work. Hole is slightly off center.

[VStar650CL]

Short of a new knuckle, I have seen people get away with gluing them in using JB Weld and clamping the sensor down until it sets. Original formula JB is good to 550F, which is hotter than anything except the brake rotor could ever get. The downside, of course, is that it only works once. If the sensor ever fails, you need both a new sensor and a new knuckle.

[darrylwmiller]

Think it is possible to tap the hole?

[VStar650CL]

Yep. I've also seen people (very carefully) enlarge the hole in the sensor flange to accommodate a larger or off-center screw hole. I'd make sure the sensor comes out in one piece before anything else, that knuckle looks awfully rusty and there's a good chance it's seized in the hole.

[darrylwmiller]

Yeah, It sat over night with PB Blaster and it is not budging with the bolt head removed.

[VStar650CL]

Then it's probably going to break anyway. When there's that much rust, you usually can't apply enough torque to budge them without breaking the epoxy. The epoxy is the problem, that's all the shell of the sensor is made from and it isn't very sturdy.

[darrylwmiller]

Alright, thanks for the info. Going to pick up a tap kit with an M6 tap and a 15/64" drill bit and give it a shot. Going to attempt to remove bearing hub with sensor in place. Not much to lose at this point.

[VStar650CL]

That can be done. Hang the knuckle on some heavy rubber bungees while you're working, so it can't go anywhere unexpected and rip the wire loose while you're trying to work the bearing free. If you need to hammer, arrange a jackstand under it and clamp it down.

[VStar650CL]

PS - If it works, putting a screw back into that sensor is strictly optional. When there's that much rust, they're not usually coming out again with anything short of C4.

[darrylwmiller]

Success! Thanks for a the tips. Is there a right side up for the new hub and bearing?

[VStar650CL]

Nope. It's bilaterally symmetric.

[darrylwmiller]

Thanks for all the help Vstar. Now on to the inners and outers.

[VStar650CL]