Chassis Bolts Maintenance
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,900
From: Michigan
Chassis Bolts Maintenance
If you look in your manual it will say "Every 5000 miles check bolts/nuts on body/chassis". I've talked to different Scion dealers and no one says it's necessary. nAnd the Scion dealers don't really seem to care, don't think it's a big deal. They couldnt be further from the truth! Did a little more digging for info and found out the bolts that the manual is talking about are the suspension bolts!
So I went out to the car with an accurate torque wrench and thought I would see if the bolts were tight. I do have the service manual, so yes I know the correct torque setting for all the bolts for the subframe and suspension.
What I have to tell everyone is this. A lot of the bolts were loose! On one bolt in the rear (this is why I'm posting this) is the bolt that holds the hub (brakes, lug, wheel bearing) to the suspension. I got about 3-4 turns out of that bolt. I am just wondering, okay let's say I didn't check it, and it continued to loosen, it would come to a point where it would seperate from the suspension! Toyota did NOT use locking nuts on these bolts, otherwise you wouldn't have to re-torque them every 5000 miles.
I just don't want my fellow tC-ers to be in danger when I just have seen it twice so far on my own tC. It wasn't the factory, these things are getting loose on their own and I'm not driving on rough roads!
For everyone else here, please get these checked.
UPDATE: For those who are going to check on this, you'll need the right tools and the right info
Here is a link to the files you'll need to read for the correct torque settings:
1- Front Suspension - http://www.mediafire.com/?zqbexjdijm4
2- Power Steering/Front Suspension - http://www.mediafire.com/?j4eyxz41g5o
3- Rear Suspension - http://www.mediafire.com/?tcmimnzn20h
Tools needed:
Jack Stands and jack
19mm socket and 19mm wrench (boxed and open for all)
22mm socket and 22mm wrench - for the front strut mounting bolts
17mm socket and wrench
14mm socket and wrench
Torque Wrench that goes up to 177ft-lbs (for the front lower strut mounting bolts)
So I went out to the car with an accurate torque wrench and thought I would see if the bolts were tight. I do have the service manual, so yes I know the correct torque setting for all the bolts for the subframe and suspension.
What I have to tell everyone is this. A lot of the bolts were loose! On one bolt in the rear (this is why I'm posting this) is the bolt that holds the hub (brakes, lug, wheel bearing) to the suspension. I got about 3-4 turns out of that bolt. I am just wondering, okay let's say I didn't check it, and it continued to loosen, it would come to a point where it would seperate from the suspension! Toyota did NOT use locking nuts on these bolts, otherwise you wouldn't have to re-torque them every 5000 miles.
I just don't want my fellow tC-ers to be in danger when I just have seen it twice so far on my own tC. It wasn't the factory, these things are getting loose on their own and I'm not driving on rough roads!
For everyone else here, please get these checked.
UPDATE: For those who are going to check on this, you'll need the right tools and the right info
Here is a link to the files you'll need to read for the correct torque settings:
1- Front Suspension - http://www.mediafire.com/?zqbexjdijm4
2- Power Steering/Front Suspension - http://www.mediafire.com/?j4eyxz41g5o
3- Rear Suspension - http://www.mediafire.com/?tcmimnzn20h
Tools needed:
Jack Stands and jack
19mm socket and 19mm wrench (boxed and open for all)
22mm socket and 22mm wrench - for the front strut mounting bolts
17mm socket and wrench
14mm socket and wrench
Torque Wrench that goes up to 177ft-lbs (for the front lower strut mounting bolts)
Thread Starter
Senior Member
SL Member
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,900
From: Michigan
I know.. at first last year I didn't think it was normal, but thought it was the factory. This year I know they're loosening on their own!
And no Scion dealer is really paying any attention to this and it's in the Maint schedule. Pass it along, would like everyone to be aware of this. Not all bolts are loose but any of them loose in the suspension isn't cool.
And no Scion dealer is really paying any attention to this and it's in the Maint schedule. Pass it along, would like everyone to be aware of this. Not all bolts are loose but any of them loose in the suspension isn't cool.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
SL Member
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,900
From: Michigan
Originally Posted by Yanki01
great, now i have something to do tomorrow. how many bolts are there, do we know?
The service manual under front suspension, and rear suspension, and power steering assembly has the images. I will try and post those up if I can convert them to jpegs.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
SL Member
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,900
From: Michigan
^^ hey glad to help. Didn't want to see fellow tC'ers end up hurt for something the dealers should be checking on.
Also updated the original post, files to the specifications are there to download. Better than just trying to yank on a bolt with a wrench (better with a torque wrench)
Also updated the original post, files to the specifications are there to download. Better than just trying to yank on a bolt with a wrench (better with a torque wrench)
