So yesterday, I decide to "check" my lug nut torque after driving on the new axles for 2 weeks. I got home, and raised the car up on jack stands and commensed loosening the rear lug nuts. Well I losened and retorqued (to factory specs as stated earlier) successfully the rear left. Moved to the rear right (the axle that the dealer broke two of the studs using a impact gun on) and get to the last lug nut to loosen and it broke as I was finger loosening the rest of the way.
Mind you, I was showing careful attention as I backed the nuts off the studs to check for any "abnormal" loosening that I would usually see with a broken stud lodged in the lug nut iteself.

Well The rest of the lug nuts retorqued without problem. Needless to say, I tapped out (with ease in less than 5 minutes time) the remaining broken stud in the lug nut itself. I looked at the metal, and again was very puzzled by the type of metal/alloy Nissan decided to use for their lug studs.
I went to Advance Autoparts and ordered 18 studs, as they had two in stock. The rest should be in tommorow morning. The studs I bought from them look to be much more high quality, and made in USA. They are heavier and definantly made of a higher grade steel.

I will be looking for a metal analyst (Lab corporation) to send the OEM Nissan 350z lug stud and new lug stud as well to compare quality and material. Honestly, I am very concerned about this as I have read of many people easily breaking their OEM studs on the 350z's.

Furthermore, the "sound" that I have been trying to figure out, and that brand new rear axles did not fix, has continued and gotten even louder.

Tommorow when I will be replacing my studs with my friend (just the rear studs, not touching front right now) we will be fully investigating the rear axle/hub/brake assymbly for any possible problems. The sound resonating is only under braking now, and sounds not like a warped rotor (which is like a smooth rough sand paper sound) but more like something severely bent and really GRINDING on a rotating piece as the rhythm of the sound has a peaked grinding sound with every one "rotation".

As you may now understand, I have pretty much given up on the dealership to help me find the source of the problem. Given today's economy and the horrible sales that dealerships are seeing, I doubt they will want to spend any time, or money to help me fix my problem under warranty.

I will keep you guys informed of my findings and progress.

-Jonathan

 

Only took 1 hour today to replace the rear wheel studs. We investigated the e-brake system, the brake calipers, the pads, the rotors (which were 100% true, no warping) as well as the hubs and mating surfaces.
So no answers to note of, just that the new Auto Zone/Advance Auto Parts brand were 1/4" longer.

Its raining today so I could not hear any difference as of yet from the road noise (water). But for now, I feel alot better having replaced all the rear studs.

-Jonathan