Trailing Arm Problem?

TARTMAX

MEMBER
NISSAN MAXIMA

Nissan Maxima SE 2001, 53,743 miles, V6.
One end of the trailing arm is in line with the wheel, the other end is bolted to some sort of cylinder roughly 4 inches in diameter. My question is, does this cylinder contain some sort of fluid? The tube that carries brake fluid runs attached to the trailing arm on its way to the brakes and right below the cylinder I mentioned my car has oil stains both on the cylinder as well as on the tubing. The oil seems to be seeping from the cylinder (Unless the tubing has a little hole which squirts the fluid onto the cylinder and then it falls in drops very very slowly). I have noticed a rasping sound emmanating from that rear passenger side wheel (sounds as if gears were running dry).
Can you give me some input as to what might be my problem?
Thanks so much.

1 Reply

MERLIN2021

MECHANIC
17,250 POSTS

Ok the struts are all 4 wheels. You need a spring compressor and an air impact wrench to be effective at the job. If you can do it yourself you can save a lot of money, shop around if you can't do it yourself.
As for the belts, spray some brakekleen in the latch mechanisn and open and close the door 5 or 6 times, then spray whit lithium grease in it and do the same.