gonna bring this back from the dead..whats the reason behind rotating the axle 180 degrees when re-installing? what if it goes back in re-greased but not rotated? whats the difference?

also to note, i am only needing to do the pass. side and not both sides...do i need to do the 180 degree rotate of the axle? i just dont get the point in that

 

Just to take it out of any wear pattern it may have gotten into.

 

thank you for that reply. i knew there must be reason behind it just havent been able to find any info. on why it should be rotated..thanks again

 

Hey guys my Z is making a clicking noise ONLY when im coming to a stop.
Now since my Z is fairly new, i took it to the dealership and left it to them. I thought it would be my brakes. But that wasn't the case. So the dude took axles out and greased them up. Clicking went away for maybe 2 weeks?? I took it back.... 2 times. And they dont want to do a damn thing about it. I showed them the pdf and everything. And whats funny is they mentioned something about there being a recall on it when i first took it. Now when i mention to them that they mentioned something about it, they act like im stupid. I like to take things into my own hands anyways. So im going to fix it in my garage. Since if you really want something done right, you do it yourself. Ive been dealing with this noise for a few months and i am totally sick of it. I wanted to make sure that this is what i need to do. Because most people say their car does this when accelerating from a stop. Well mine does it when im stopping. Would this still be the same axle issue?

 

Sounds like it is the same thing, especially if they did 'something' and it went away for a while.

Pull the axle out of the car, clean it down well, grease it up and re-install. I'd bet that solves your noise completely.

Also, when taking it apart, check the hub and the axle nut tightness, it's possible you have some play in the hub or they didn't tighten it down properly and that's why the noise has come back. I had to have the LR wheel hub replaced on my car at under 30K miles, it's a somewhat common failure aparrently.

 

Im going to do this tomorrow. Thanks for response man.

 

Okay guys, went to auto zone got new cotter pins, and rented the 32mm Axle socket. I did not use Molykote M77 grease. I find that 195 bucks for a tub of grease is ridiculous. So i went with the Anti Seize grease. It was about 8 bucks for a can of it. And from what i heard it does work. So after breaking 2 extensions and a ratchet, trying to get the damn Axle nut out. I finally got the damn thing out.

I cleaned it off with a wire brush and applied the Anti Seize.

After everything is put back together i take it for a spin.

I hear no clicking but i have heard it once while riding around town. And that probably means it will come back.

ONLY when i brake. Its never done the clicking while accelerating just when i brake.


What the hell should i do?? The Dealership wont do a damn thing about it.

 

^u should learn to live with it lol. im surprised u hear it. i dont even hear mine unless im driving in a garage with the window down.

 

I have severe OCD.

Living with it is not an option.

 

Check your brake hardware, maybe you have a slide pin or brake shim that is the culprit.

 

Found out this wasn't the problem after i did everything shown here. Started investigating more and for some reason i decided to shake my caliper and pad. They were both shaky. Tightened them up but still loose? Overall clicking is gone

 

I called it lol.

It's supposed to be loose to an extent, the calipers float on the slide pins (assuming you don't have Brembo brakes, then they shouldn't move at all)

But if you had it loose a little it will move every time you apply the brakes, as the torque will move it all the way to one side of the range it can move through.

 

Hey guys,
please help me. haha
this has been an ongoing issue for me, since i bought the car 2 months ago, mine isnt a "clicking noise" and it doesnt only do it from a stop, it comes and goes, but its more of a metal on metal clunking noise. when it does come its most noticable when taking left hand turns (load being on the right) and just accelerating at any speed in any gear, it is a very notcable clunk, you can hear it from a mile away, as opposed to this click the OP fixed.
I replaced my axle and wheel bearing and the noise went away for a good two weeks and TA-DA! here it is again, my mechanic can't seem to figure it out either,
any input is greatly appreciated!
I have a 03 350z
thanks guys!

 

Only while accellerating? I'd suggest maybe something in the diff, but it shouldn't have gone away when he changed the other parts. It's usually a sign of a bad CV joint on the axle.

 

Might wanna start your own thread for this, you just stated that this isn't the problem you're having...

 

Step 6:
Using a breaker bar, 32 mm axle socket, and extension/cheater bar/pipe remove the axle nut. It's on there tight! Use a beefy enough breaker bar and long enough pipe and it will come off. If you use a smaller breaker bar it can sheer the end off as shown, like I said, it's on there tight...



He is NOT joking........

 

Just did this on the weekend, worked like a charm. I'd had the clicking since last summer (turned up in one wheel last July, went away for the winter and then came back on both wheels this past spring). I ended up using some marine grease intended for boat trailers. As best I can tell, you're not really greasing any sort of friction points but rather dampening the sound, so I just got the thickest most resilient stuff I could find so I wouldn't have to do it again.

For the axle nut, I used a foot and a half breaker bar with I want to say 3/4" drive and hopped on it once and that broke it loose pretty easily. Fortunately my dad had picked up this set 1) to help me with this and 2) to do his timing belt on his RL

Anyway everything went perfectly, and I wanted to say my thanks for this awesome guide!

 

My car has same clicking noise noise from rear driver side and front passenger side, both alternatively happen in every acceleration, slowing down, or reverse. Brought it to the shop of a guy i know yesterday, i explained him the the way you fixed it but he didn't accept it would solved the problem, and said he need to rebuilt something that cost $400. BS, so i took it home.

I just did it today on the rear axle, removed axle nut, i did not dare to crawl under the car to remove the 6 nuts of the axle (even i have 3 ton jack stands), so i decided just spray some WD-40. then torque axle nut back. Drove around neighborhood and local road with some aggressive acceleration and/or stops, no more noise from rear axle.

But when i removed the front wheel, i did not see any axle nut so i spayed WD-40 again then put the wheel back. Now the noise only randomly happen from only from front passenger side and only when in reverse, and it rarely happens. So far i can live with the noise only in reverse (its only happen 1/10 times i put in reverse, much better than before)

Thank you for your awesome guide. BTW, anyone know where is axle nut on the front?

 

There is no front axle nut, as the front wheels are not driven, and we have independent front/rear suspension. There's a wheel hub that directly bolts on to the steering knuckle, per this picture:




Also, to the OP: Thank you very for this DIY. I was going out of my mind trying to find out where that click was coming from. While I was upgrading my rear sways, I did as this guide directed for both rear axles, and now the click is gone.

My axles were dry and rusted, and I had to coax the passenger side one out with PB Blaster and a rubber mallet. Of course, I made sure not to get any of the penetrant on the rotors, and cleaned it off the splines with brake cleaner before I greased it with moly.

On the annoying side, I noticed that the top 1/2" of one of my wheel studs had sheared off. Doh!

 

Goodness . . this is happening to me on my 07 350z 50k miles . . . just did brake rotors and pads upgrade at a shop and replaced wheels . . and now i hear chicks while accelerating or slowing down . . . i remember the stock rotors were on there pretty tight . . the guy had to hit on the back of the rotor to get it out . . . do you guys think that might have made the axle nut loose ?