Clutch creaking noise (not the clutch fork one...)

[treminaor]

I can't reproduce it quite as easily as him but I definitely was able to make it happen basically on command:

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUjcY41n_80"]BRZ Axle Nut Squeak - YouTube[/ame]

[treminaor]

Scheduled the service for next Thursday, will update with what they say/do.

[treminaor]

Update: dealer wouldn't do anything for less than $400 and charged me $169 just to confirm the noise existed and was reproducible. They also blamed my springs and spacers and said the labor wouldn't be covered if I let them try to fix anything related to it. They did mention the axle nuts are torqued to spec but from everything I've read on the forums a properly torqued nut can still make the creaking noise.

So instead I'm going to replace the nut myself - need advice on what to use to uncrimp the nut completely as well as how to get a stripped nut off of a wheel spacer. They said they were going to use bluetooth chassis microphones to narrow down the location of the problem... if the axle nut replacement doesn't fix the noise I may invest in my own set since it would still cost less than their diagnostic bill.

Edit: just ordered a set of nut extractors for the spacers and 2 OEM axle nuts.

[treminaor]

Finally got around to replacing the axle nuts and the problem is fixed. The drivers side nut was the loudest and when I removed it there was rust and corrosion forming under it because it was loose enough to let moisture in. I had to use a 4ft board clamped to a 18" breaker bar to get the damn thing off.

Saved myself $400.

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by treminaor

Finally got around to replacing the axle nuts and the problem is fixed. The drivers side nut was the loudest and when I removed it there was rust and corrosion forming under it because it was loose enough to let moisture in. I had to use a 4ft board clamped to a 18" breaker bar to get the damn thing off.

Saved myself $400.

Awesome work. Did the threads on the spindle get buggered up at all, or did the nut come off cleanly.

[treminaor]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

Awesome work. Did the threads on the spindle get buggered up at all, or did the nut come off cleanly.

The first one I took off got a little messed up because I wasnt sure if the notch was still keeping the nut from turning or not, but the passenger side came off like a breeze comparatively. No rust on that side.

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by treminaor

The first one I took off got a little messed up because I wasnt sure if the notch was still keeping the nut from turning or not, but the passenger side came off like a breeze comparatively. No rust on that side.

I remember the first one I did many moons ago. Man, I fucked up the spindle bad.

[treminaor]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

I remember the first one I did many moons ago. Man, I fucked up the spindle bad.

So I've noticed today that the noise is 90% gone but I still will hear the click on occasion. Do I need a new spindle? It's the drivers side making the noise.

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by treminaor

So I've noticed today that the noise is 90% gone but I still will hear the click on occasion. Do I need a new spindle? It's the drivers side making the noise.

I was surprised to read about how much torque you had to apply to remove the nut. That doesn't match up and is why I asked if you chewed threads to remove it.

If the locking crimp was not fully lifted it might explain the torque required to loosen the nut. I'm still skeptical.

Others with firsthand experience may chime in but I've always been skeptical about blaming this click on the spindle nut alone. For this application, splined shafts and hubs are supposed to be manufactured so they are tightly keyed together. There should be zero relative rotation. The spindle nut is only there to keep the parts in place.

Again, hoping to hear from others with hands-on. If I were in your shoes, after marking them to show how they were clocked to each other, I'd disassemble down to having the output shaft and hub in hand. Then I'd clean them and closely inspect both sets of splines for wear. Do they wiggle at all?

I'll stop short of suggesting replacement of both parts but that is where I'm going.

[treminaor]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

I was surprised to read about how much torque you had to apply to remove the nut. That doesn't match up and is why I asked if you chewed threads to remove it.

If the locking crimp was not fully lifted it might explain the torque required to loosen the nut. I'm still skeptical.

Others with firsthand experience may chime in but I've always been skeptical about blaming this click on the spindle nut alone. For this application, splined shafts and hubs are supposed to be manufactured so they are tightly keyed together. There should be zero relative rotation. The spindle nut is only there to keep the parts in place.

Again, hoping to hear from others with hands-on. If I were in your shoes, after marking them to show how they were clocked to each other, I'd disassemble down to having the output shaft and hub in hand. Then I'd clean them and closely inspect both sets of splines for wear. Do they wiggle at all?

I'll stop short of suggesting replacement of both parts but that is where I'm going.

Well like I mentioned, there was corrosion on the back of the nut so I wasn't super surprised at how hard it was to break it free but I also wouldn't be surprised if the spindle took some damage in the process from my attempts to uncrimp the nut. What's the general cost of those parts you are suggesting?

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by treminaor

Well like I mentioned, there was corrosion on the back of the nut so I wasn't super surprised at how hard it was to break it free but I also wouldn't be surprised if the spindle took some damage in the process from my attempts to uncrimp the nut. What's the general cost of those parts you are suggesting?

Hundreds, which is why I'm hedging so carefully. Get some other opinions.

If you only buggered the outermost threads, those should clean up. Would not be a showstopper.


hub unit item 28473





drive shaft assembly the whole thing

[treminaor]

Well it only took a week to go back to being just as frequent and obnoxious as before. Clearly the threads aren't holding and the notch in the nut isn't enough to keep it from coming loose from torque relatively quickly. Is there anything else I can look into or try before just taking it to a dealer? I don't trust myself to replace the entire drive shaft assembly for this quite yet - especially without reasonable assurance it won't come back in a matter of weeks or months.

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by treminaor

Well it only took a week to go back to being just as frequent and obnoxious as before. Clearly the threads aren't holding and the notch in the nut isn't enough to keep it from coming loose from torque relatively quickly. Is there anything else I can look into or try before just taking it to a dealer? I don't trust myself to replace the entire drive shaft assembly for this quite yet - especially without reasonable assurance it won't come back in a matter of weeks or months.

You are wise to recognize your skill level. Just bite the pillow.

[treminaor]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

You are wise to recognize your skill level. Just bite the pillow.

Last time I took it to the dealer they blamed my lowering springs and wanted to charge me $400 out of warranty to fix it after already taking me for $160 to diagnose the problem. No mention of if they would replace the drive shaft, only the axle nuts were in question. Is that a reasonable thing to blame? Will this happen again if I don't remove the springs? I'm on RCE Yellows with stock struts.