I saw a thread the other day that had a scan of what looked like a Technical Service Bulletin stating that "if your customer complains of a "cracking" or "popping" noise from the rear axle.....replace the rear hub nut ...lube the back of the nut and tourque to 225 lb/ft.

I have a "popping" noise from the osr wheel sometimes when I move the car backwards and forwards when parking. So, I though I would get my (UK) dealer to try this mod. They denied any knowledge of the TSB ("must be for a non-uk market") and said that the noise would most likely be the CV joint. They suggested repacking the CV with grease (the boot is ok and intact and I can't see this would make any difference - other than it would be doing what the mod is suggesting anyway combined with an un-necessary repacking of the CV's grease) and if that doesn't work to replace the joint.

I don't want to let them loose on a lot of expensive work (I would replace the hub nuts myself but I don't have a torque wrench that goes up that high). What I would like to know is has anybody on here had the rear hub nuts replaced and re-torqued and did that cure this noise?

Also, any ideas how expensive it is to replace a CV?

 

I just replaced the rear hub nuts last week and no more popping

They seem to rust after time and thats what creates the popping noise...

 

Thanks for your input but what I don't understand is that the drive must surely be transmitted via the splines in the driveshaft/hub and the hub nut just holds these together surely? Unless the nut were to be loose how can it cause a noise?

I'll take your word for it though, got to be worth a try changing the nuts. Were they difficult to undo (I may try getting someone to hold their foot on the brake while I unde the nuts - do the brakes hold enough torque?).

I may have to hire a large torque wrench to tighten them up.

 

I am unable to answer those questions for you. I would have done the service myself but as I did not have a torque wrench that would have torqued high enough. I was already taking my car in for maintenance stuff and I had already gotten the hub nuts so I took thewm into Honda and they did them for me free of charge

 

Can you try a different dealer? I went to one different from the one where I bought mine, told them of the noise, went for a drive with a tech to confirm it, and they replaced the nuts for free. No more noise, and seems a little tighter in the rear maybe. (this might be my imagination, but I swear it feels better in a start.)

The new torque value is higher than the old value, so that's why things can be a bit loose. I think the movement on the spline is what you are hearing, shouldn't move when tight.

 

Thanks for your replies guys - I may change the dealer - it sounds like you have had the fault fixed by replacing these nuts. As for getting them changed FOC.... I wish I had a dealer like that

 

you can buy a 1/2" torque wrench that goes up to 250 lb/ft fairly inexpensive. it might just be better to do that then hassle with the dealers

 

I looked into buying a torque wrench that went that high and they went for around $250, IMHO its not worth it

 

I've looked for a hire shop to rent out a TW (mine only goes up to 100 lb/ft) and they all seem to do cement mixers and stuff (not auto tools)

I've spoken to another dealer now who will do the job for

 

Sears sells a torque wrench up to 250 lb/ft for like $90...nothing special, but it does the job just fine. Regreasing and tightening the nuts removed my popping in the rear, and it cost me around $100 to do it. At least if you do it yourself, it's like getting a wrench for free.