What Causes Rear Wheel Play in Jimny?
2 Answers
Reasons for rear wheel play in Jimny include bearing clearance and wheel clearance. Below are the solutions for rear wheel play in Jimny: Bearing Clearance: Rear wheel play is caused by bearing clearance, which results from wear of the bearing balls. Excessive clearance can lead to uneven tire wear on the rear wheels and loud bearing noise, requiring bearing replacement. Wheel Clearance: Open the front wheel steering knuckle front cover and remove the axle hub lock nut pin. Rotate the nut and move the wheel to feel the amount of play (or rotate the nut by 1/4 of the thread pitch, typically achieving a clearance of 0.25-0.35 mm). After adjustment, tighten the lock nut to complete the process. For the rear wheels, adjustment is done via the nut on the axle tube, similar to the front wheels.
Last time I drove my friend's Jimny, I also noticed a loose, rattling sound from the rear wheels. We spent quite some time having an experienced mechanic check it. The rear suspension of this vehicle is a solid axle design, and the most likely issue is aging bushings on the linkage, especially the rubber bushings on the upper and lower control arms—once they crack, there will be play. If you frequently go off-road and experience rough bumps, the bushings on the track bar are also prone to cracking. Worn wheel bearings can also cause play, and you can feel slight wobble when shaking the tire. Another hidden issue to watch for is wear on the outer CV joint of the half-shaft, which can produce a clicking noise during hard acceleration. These components are all in positions where mud and water can accelerate aging. It's recommended to lift the vehicle on a hoist and shake the tires to check each part one by one. Replacing the bushings is much more cost-effective than replacing the entire linkage.
