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. :relief:



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)

thats not cool at all...

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.

wow thats sucks im getting ready 2 lower my Tc ill be sure 2 check that out thanks bro!

great advice, thanks!

great, now i have something to do tomorrow. how many bolts are there, do we know?

Thanks for posting, I will have to double check mine now!

Yeah after I lowered we re-torqued but its been awhile and I am on horrible roads. The suspension has been making a tiny bit more noise but I'm thinking I need to check this out.

Yeah I counted earlier, I think it was 31 in the front, some are the suspension, others are the steering rack, and yet others are the subframe and connectors. In the rear it's 12. Some you can't get to unless you take stuff off, for that I just used a regular wrench to see if they were tight.

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.

wow, thanks for the heads-up man!!!

^^ 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)

that sht is scary.

thx alot man.

good looking out!

ya dude i just bought the car, so im not worried, but when i take it in for service i will have them tighten them and ask whats up

what page of the manual is this on ? so i can look it up because im on 15000 miles and i never tightened anything

I've got 57K on my 05 tC, never tightened the bolts...guess I have something to do tonight. Thanks for the heads up!

This should be sticky-ed

damn i have 63k on my 05 now i gotta check this

I have 105K miles, I wouldn't doubt if I have a few missing bolts :doh:

what page is this on in the manual because i looked and can not find it