How to Remove a Hub Nut on a 2003 Nissan Maxima
Removing the hub nut on a 2003 Nissan Maxima is a relatively easy job. However, removing the hub nut often is the prelude to more difficult mechanical work on the vehicle's transaxle system, which involves several different components, bearings and fluids. Knowing what you are getting into ahead of time will help to ensure a timely and successful do-it-yourself job.
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Things You'll Need
- Wrench
- 1.5-ton floor jack
- Jack stands
- Tire iron
- Pry bar
- Torque wrench
- Coat hanger
- Screwdriver
- Socket wrench with socket set
Instructions
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1
Park your car on a level surface and turn off the ignition. Open and secure the hood. Use a socket wrench to disconnect the negative battery terminal cable on your 2003 Nissan Maxima.
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2
Loosen the lug nuts with your tire iron while the Maxima is resting on the ground. After you raise the vehicle, the tires will be easier to remove. Insert the the floor jack underneath the engine in the center of the vehicle, making sure the jack, when raised, will push up against the frame of the car. Insert jack stands on either side of the car at the jack placement lips on the frame, which are located underneath the Maxima the passenger- and driver's-side doors.
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3
Unscrew and remove the lug nuts. Remove the tires. Slide under the vehicle's the engine compartment to unbolt the engine splash shields to access the Maxima's axle. Use the drain pan to catch any oil or fluids that may have been caught by the splash shields.
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4
Unbolt the caliper from the rotor with a torque wrench. Bend a hanger and use it to hang the caliper from the car's coil springs in order move it out of the way and prevent damaging the brake line.
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5
Unbolt the hub nut from the center of the rotor with the torque wrench. The rotor may still rotate freely while you are trying to remove the hub nut. If the rotor rotates and prevents you from removing the hub nut, wedge a pry bar between two of the wheel studs, with one end of the pry bar also wedged against the ground. This will prevent the rotor from turning while removing the hub nut.
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6
Reverse the process to reinstall the hub nut on your 2003 Nissan Maxima. Do not forget to reconnect the negative battery terminal cable.
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Tips & Warnings
The hub nut is also referred to as the drive axle nut.
When working on the axle for the Nissan Maxima, you may need to drain the radiator coolant system, depending on which job you are doing.
References
Resources
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