Spare Tire Carrier Rattle

[Little Mule]

Let's get started with my first question. I read 88pathoffroad's post on Pathfinder problems. One of them was about a rattle that comes from the spare tire carrier. It is caused by the bushings not being properly lubricated, and thus they dry out and crack. In it, he says they can be replaced. My question is how. It appears to me they are not servicable because you can't take the hinge apart. Unless you cut off the pins holding the hinges together and replace them with bolts. Is this correct? I showed it to a mechanic at a local Nissan dealer, and he seemed ignorant on the subject and said I would probably have to replace the whole carrier. Any thoughts out there? Here is a pic of the hinge (from the top)

[Little Mule]

and a picture from the bottom:

[Ramithepimp77]

Ya mine does that to. It gets on my nerves when Im goin down some bad roads or even offroading. I would like to get it fixed also but if I have to reaplace the whole thing I think I would much rather listen to the "clunks"

 

Rami

[MatterHorn]

I used to just put pieces of rubber on the inside part of the hinge so when I closed it, it would pinch the rubber and it wouldn't rattle anymore ... I used pieces of rubber hose ... seems to work just fine

[88pathoffroad]

Here's a crosspost from the AC board...the bushings and pins are replaceable and the dealership sells the parts.

 

http://65.166.200.170/ubbthreads/showflat....=true#Post95243

[Little Mule]

Thanks Matterhorn and 88. I tried a chunk of rubber hose. It was easy and cheap. I'll take it for a test drive over some speed bumps this afternoon and give you guys the results.

 

[Little Mule]

You guys rock. :bow: I'm just back from the test drive, and there is no rattle from the carrier. None. Zip. Nada. The only draw back is I now hear all the other little squeaks and rattles from other parts of the truck. But the loudest one is gone.

 

Rami, you will have to try it. All I did is cut a small piece of old rubber garden hose. It was about the size of a nickel. I used a flat head screwdriver and packed it into the hinge. I flew over some speed bumps and the world is a little bit of a better place.