Has this ever happened to you? You're at somekind of a stop, go into first, let out and a noise that sounds like a brake pad sliding back in the caliber happens. It happens everytime I slow down or accelerate. I could be in second gear, coasting and as soon as there's "enough" acceleration, there it is again. It's on the front driver's side. I lifted it up and pushed around on things like a kid with new buttons, but I couldn't get anything. What could this be?
Thanks for any advice / help. I know someone will help and I appreciate it.
Spade

 

Had a friend witht he same issue, hub/rotor was too tight.

 

I'll check that one out, but this just started without any play about a month ago. Wondering if that will actually tighen up on it's own...

 

Could be axle nut too. Sounded like a couple of pool ***** clacking together.

 

MINI replaces the left driveshaft when this happens, though, I think they could just replace the CV joint. It doesn't seem to harm anything (mine has been doing it from about 8000 miles and it now has 71000, but I know of a couple of people who are on their second or third.

Steve

 

wow. Well I guess I could easily take it in to vegas, just figured it would be something fairly simple to fix... just somekind of loose mount somewhere that I can just tighten. Yeah it doesn't seem to be a bad thing on the feel of the drive of the car at all, it's harming my ears though... it's turning into more of an emotional problem I guess. I am under warrenty still though, so I guess I'll go that route if I can't fix it with in the next week or so. I'm gonna check out the axel nut though, see what I find there. I know it's not the CV because it doesn't happen around turns at all, like if I just coast into a turn going 30, you dont hear it, but when I speed up it happens. Thanks for the replys so far guys.

 

It's the ball-bearings in the CV joint. Evidently they develop some slack and cause the noise during a quick change in acceleration. I don't even hear it anymore since it has become a "normal" sound of my MINI.

Steve

 

right... guessing I can't fix this developed slack on my own. Thanks for the info. dealer here i come. bla

 

I'm getting a similar noise. I can make it happen anytime I want if I start moving in first "click", then put it into reverse and start moving "click", then back to first, etc. I have been guessing it was the left outer CV joint. Is this a pattern failure issue?

I only have 6K miles. I drive pretty hard, but also very smooth. I never jerk the drivetrain.

Is this what you guys are also hearing?

YD

 

Yeah that's exactly what I hear. I can make it happen anytime as well. I try to start out WAY slow and sometimes I think I get around it, but then it just happens when I go to second... I'm calling the dealer tomorrow. Might drop off Stella, and if I find anything out, I'll let you know, thanks,
Spade

 

Does anyone know what the axle nut should be torqued to?

 

According to the Haynes manual - 182Nm or 134lbs-ft. This is the big driveshaft/axle nut that is on the outside end of the axle.

Steve

 

Johnna, you hit the nail on the head. This morning I pulled the cover to expose the axle nut. It was immediately apparent from looking at the position of the punch collar on the nut with relation to the keyway on the axle shaft that the nut had backed off. It was about one wrench flat loose. Grabbed the socket and extension and gave it a tug. It very easily tightened up back to its original position and then got really hard to turn, so I stopped. Tonight I'll torque it and repunch the collar.

Bottom line, my clicking immediately stopped, yea.

YD

 

It's so satisfying to bust those mysterious gremlins, don't you think? I'm glad I could help you out!

John

 

Cool to see a NAM version of Click n Clack actually work.

 

That's what I'm talking about! Thanks everyone, I'm going to torque.

 

Mark me down for the same noise same problem same fix all better now!

 

Funny story - I had this noise for a while and took it to princeton MINI for a fix. They told me there was a stick stuck in my suspension. Obviously, the noise was still there after I left. It's since gone away, not sure why.

mb

 

Sad story guys. This was not a fix for me. I took off the wheel so I could take off the center plastic pieace of my wheels that blocks that nut, put the wheel back on and lowered the car back down so I could tight it, and it was already at that torque (134lbs) and would go no further... I wonder if I was trying to tighten the wrong pieace though? We ARE talking about the huge axle nut that comes through the rotor and is way easy to access, right?

 

That's the one I gave the torque spec on. I have never seen one loose, but obviously I need to check them given the posts in this thread.

Steve

 

Got an appointment for this friday in vegas. I'm not sure what it is, besides the idea of the loose bearings in the cv joint shifting back and forth. Tried the axel nut, but it looked fine and was already at spec torque. Oh well, thanks for all the replys, got a bigger response than I thought I would.

 

SrTech's comment on the axle replacement is what my dealer did a few months back and I have never heard the problem since but am still listening..
Keep us posted Spade on what you find out.

 

Well, If its any interest to you guys about the left side halfshaft clicking and making noises, I'm going on my third -thats right - third left side halfshaft. I can't stand that horrible clicking noise. It's a 06, but come on, 3? Can we attempt to make these axles any better???

 

Nice to see you here. What took you so long? Make better axles? Nah.

Steve

 

As you have read, I had the left side click. I tightened up the axle nut and repunched the collar. Now, two weeks later, my click is back. Axle nut tight, collar in the correct position. Looks like I'm having the same issue. 06 with about 6K miles. Sounds like a CV joint to me.

OK John, "The Beast of Nashville", here I come.

YD