Dolemike

So this past Wednesday I had the tire shop tighten my rear spline/ hub nuts to 220lbs because I had the popping in the back end of the car when initially pulling forward. It had been doing this for sometime now... maybe 6 months or so. After the tightening everything was fine until last night going home from work and I heard this horrible noise, i thought it was coming from the front but now it appears to have been coming from the rear. Upon pulling forward and slowing down (and sometimes while driving at speed) there is a horrible creaking and groaning noise. Could this be from tightening the hub nuts and if so should I go back to the initial factory recommended settings? If not what should I try to fix this problem? If its not with the hub/ spline nuts what else could this be?

Mods- I made another post about this but it wasnt as specific please delete it.

BlitzSRM

is there a ticking sound. right before the creaking sound?

BlitzSRM

it might be from this:

Rear Knuckle, Hub and Bearing Removal/Replacement

Dolemike

not really a tick from what i recall with this. If it is anything before it starts (not saying that there is) it is a pop.

BlitzSRM

try reading about this:

Inner CV joint swap DIY with pics

Dolemike

Well what would be the cause of over tightening the hub nuts? Because I dont think its either of those problems in the FAQs. THere is no vibration whatsoever. I can, however, when pulling forward can feel and hear the suspension being "pulled" before the noise starts. Then when I get over a certain speed the noise for the most part is gone. At one point when the noise was going while I was at speed, i weaved the car left and right. The noise would start and stop in between the shifts of the weight of the car. What are the initial factory specs of the hub nuts? was it 186?

Dolemike

I dont know if this will make sense. But I can almost "feel" that something in the rear is too tight. Would a noise like that occur if they didnt regrease the hub nuts?

Dolemike

Ok, I took the car to the Honda dealership this morning. I got a call around lunch with them saying that there was a TSB on the rear spline nuts and they needed to be replaced as that was what was causing that loud ass noise. Ive not recalled hearing this being the cause nor do I recall reading about a TSB on the spline nuts themselves... only retightening them to 220lbs. They are charging me $85 for the whole deal.Are they trying to poke me in the rear?

ChuckM

I recently had a similar problem with my MY2000 with about 65000mi. There was a creaking/groaning on right side when decelerating at low speeds. I had previously torqued the axle nut and noise disappeared. The noise reappeared after a couple months so I took it to dealer and suggest they check the wheel bearings.

The tech seemed to think the noise was coming from the differential and wanted to change the fluid -despite the fact I had change diff fluid 2 weeks prior to this. The new diff fluid made no improvement so they "Perform Bulletin for Rear Axle Noises on Both Axles to Rule Out Possibility of Axle Chafing Noise". Wheel Bearings were not replaced. No noise was apparent when I picked up the car.

Approximately 1000 miles later I was almost 300 miles from home and a horrendous groaning starts coming from the right rear. I managed to get it off the road amongst screeching and vibration. I jacked up the car , pull off the right rear wheel and the axle nut - along with the broken off end of the axle fell onto the ground.

I had it towed to the closest Honda dealer and hitched a ride home (dealer was closed until Monday morning). After 3-way discussions between me, local dealer and dealer 250 miles away the repair costs ($1600+) will be covered by local dealer and I hope to get it back by Christmas. Not sure at the moment whether the axle nut simply loosened and stressed the axle or what happened. I asked them to hold onto parts so I could try to see where the problem started.

Ludedude

Yes, the TSB specifically states to replace the nuts, regrease and then torque to 220 lbs. Truth be told, if you waited long enough to "fix" the clicking noise, you may have damaged a wheel bearing.