Hello,
I have a 92 sentra 1.6L. When I drive at low speeds, the front end makes all types of noises. It is expecially bad when going over paved area that have dips and aren't smooth. My CV joints were replaced recently. I am thinking it is due to the front control arms from reading other posts. The floor vibrates on both the driver and passenger foor area when I hear the noises. I read the Haynes manual about removal inspection and installation. How hard is it even to inspect the control arm bushings for wear? Where is the safest place to put the jackstand or jackstands (the Hanyes manual calls for jackstands). As mentioned in previous posts, it says not to replace only the bushings but the whole control arm for this year. But others have seemed to successfully just replaced the bearings. I live in an apt complex, so I was just wondering if it would really be feasible to just replace the bearings or would it just be easier to replace the whole front control arms for about 145/each control arm? Also my local nissan shop quoted 200 dollars per control arm part, and said it would probably be an hour to change just one control arm. So if I went to have it done I would spend about $600 with tax with labor at $70/hour. Thanks for reading the long post, and any advice/pointers would be great.
Hello,
I have a 92 sentra 1.6L. When I drive at low speeds, the front end makes all types of noises. It is expecially bad when going over paved area that have dips and aren't smooth. My CV joints were replaced recently. I am thinking it is due to the front control arms from reading other posts. The floor vibrates on both the driver and passenger foor area when I hear the noises. I read the Haynes manual about removal inspection and installation. How hard is it even to inspect the control arm bushings for wear? Where is the safest place to put the jackstand or jackstands (the Hanyes manual calls for jackstands). As mentioned in previous posts, it says not to replace only the bushings but the whole control arm for this year. But others have seemed to successfully just replaced the bearings. I live in an apt complex, so I was just wondering if it would really be feasible to just replace the bearings or would it just be easier to replace the whole front control arms for about 145/each control arm? Also my local nissan shop quoted 200 dollars per control arm part, and said it would probably be an hour to change just one control arm. So if I went to have it done I would spend about $600 with tax with labor at $70/hour. Thanks for reading the long post, and any advice/pointers would be great.
Ok Ill try.
I dont mean to sound like an asshole but if you are asking where to put the jackstands, you might want to take this to a shop. I say this as to save you a lot of aggrivation and potentially hazardous situations ,NOT to flame you ok.
However if you posess some mechanical ability or are really wanting to learn , go and buy yourself a factory service manuel.They are a lot more helpful than Haynes.
I would suggest staring with this:
First jack the front wheels off the ground.Under the front floor board, right behind the fire wall you will see a "RAIL" running down both sides of the car aprox 1 foot from the outside edge, place your stands here .There are several places you can put them( your F.S.M. will show more) , just make sure they are not going to be in your way.Use common sense when placing the stands and remember that whatever you put them under has to be capable of holding up the car.
On with the show...
Once the wheels are off the ground you want to grab the tire and try to move it around , shake it,up and down , forward and back, there should be no movement. If there is watch and see what part is moving as you shake the wheel.
Ill wait and see what you find from here because of the many things it COULD be.
Good luck
Thanks for the info. I know how to jack a car, it was just how the Haynes manual stated using jackstands, I didn't know if I was missing something. I don't have time tonight to jack the car and try your suggestions, but tomorrow I'll do it and see what I get. Thanks for the help!
Well i had almost the same problem with my U13 then come to find out the rear mount which lays on the cross member in the rear was Shot to death maybe u could try that.
Hi,
Actually I decided to grab a flashlight and try out your suggestion. There was no movement. Thanks.
The motor mount issue that EX is talking about is very possible to. To check that you will need some one to help unless you can sit in your car wiyh the hood open and see the top of the engine,
OK is what you want to do is set the parking brake and put the car in reverse while holding the brake pedal, Then slowly give it some gas,still holdin the brake, and watch the engine for a lot of movement, repeat this process in drive also
You are looking for exessive movement from the engine .Its normal for it to rock about an inch ethier way but once there it should stop. With broken mounts the engine will continue to move as you continue to give it gas.
I hope this isnt to confusing ,as I sit here and read it.
I also wanted to ask youwhat kind of "NOISES" is it making?
I tried the outline to test the motor mount. There isn't excessive movement with your test. Thanks you guys for the suggestions and detailed instructions! The noises are hard to describe maybe creaks and clunks. It seems to creak around turns too. Actually tomorrow I will try to record the sounds with a little recorder (lay it on the floor board maybe ) I have. I could then give a link to the uploaded sound file.
Last edited by nissanlog : Sep 13th, 2005 at 09:54 PM.
I tried the outline to test the motor mount. There isn't excessive movement with your test. Thanks you guys for the suggestions and detailed instructions! The noises are hard to describe maybe creaks and clunks. It seems to creak around turns too. Actually tomorrow I will try to record the sounds with a little recorder (lay it on the floor board maybe ) I have. I could then give a link to the uploaded sound file.
Another thing you can do is to spray some lithium grease into the bushings and on your steering stops.Basicaly anywhere there is moving parts touching something.
The vibration of the floorboard is interesting though,does it feel like maybe the tire is "bouncing" when you go over bumps? Could be a case of worn struts.Speaking of struts ,while your lubing everything be sure to get the top strut mount,you know,in the center where the nut is .They can generate some noise too.Basically give it an inspection for anything that might be slapping something else.Look for broken clamps ,chech for loose brackets and such.The vibration thing , can you feel any of it in the steering wheel ?
If your car is not an E model, then you should have swaybars. Check the Front Swaybar (assuming you have one) and see if the endlinks are loose or missing the nut while the car is on the ground. Might need to be tightened, bushings might need replaced, might need new hardware or a combination of the above. This could cause a noise also... just an idea
Thanks for the suggestions. I'll have to check them out tomorrow. Now I am having shift shock/ hard shift from 1st to 2nd. I have an auto trans. I replaced the governor gear a year ago with the new metal one. I guess I'll pull it again tomorrow too and have a look at it.
I'm having this same problem. If it's what's I'm experiencing, it's when the underside of the car is very dry and sounds similar to the aftermarket polyurethane bushings when they've dried out. It's a loud creak like the ones you here in the old black and white scary movies when doors shut themselves. It's pretty annoying.
I've tried lithium on all the moving parts, but it really doesn't seem to help. The noise stops when it rains, but comes right back when the parts dry out again. I'm not having any luck tracking the noise after a couple of months searching, but I'll let you know if I find it.
Wow I thought I was just imagining it so I didn't post it. But I had noticed that when it rained heavily about a week ago it didn't the the creak/clunk as bad if at all until I had driven about 8-10 minutes. And this is when it always creaks going out of my apt complex. Yeah right now like I said my tranny is messing up. So it has taken the forefront in my car issues. I'll let you know if I find out anything either. Thanks!
Well, bad news. The sqeaking from the suspension is actually the sound of the lower ball joint going out. Unfortuneately, from what I can see, the lower ball joint is an integral part of the control arm. I talked to the service dept at my local Nissan dealership and they said that the whole control arm should be replaced instead of having a machine shop press the old ball joint out and press a new one in.
Cost for ball joint is ~$40 and and unknown amount to have the old one removed and new one installed. Cost for a new control arm is ~$145 from the dealership.
I replaced mine with one from advance auto parts. I hate them but autozone didn't have one in stock and it was hard to get. It was about $35 and you'll need a major credit card to rent tools. You need a ball joint press kit and maby a ball joint seperator - I used the fork kind. Autozone dosn't care if you break it as long as you bring it back you'll get a full refund. Don't know about advance auto parts policy.
LOL. I beat mine out and it took 2 hours, 3 beers and an expanded vocabulary of profanity- BAD idea don't do it- use the press. If the press dosn't work or you feel like possibly breaking something and getting hurt you can thread the nut back on the ball joint once its seperated from the wheel hub assembly and shove it back into its mounting bracket so the threaded end is held securely and just jack the car up on the A-arm. Heat it up and pound on it and it will eventually tear itself violently from its mount and fly across your shop floor while the car slams down on whatever is underneath it. Thank God i used jackstands. Use extreme caution and do not attempt to be a dumbass like me.
I tore the boot getting it back in with the press because i wasn't thinking about how to use the tool properly. There are a variety of different sized collars to put on so take the time and find the right one. It seemed like a smooth operation once i figgured it out. Could do it again in about 45 minutes with tools.
Yeah i almost bought that line about buying a new A-arm to. Hah! glad i didn't but i'll still need to replace it again because i riped the boot. Whatever its free under warranty.
) I have. I could then give a link to the uploaded sound file.
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