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

its good info, had some suspension and clutch works done though so most of mine are retightened but I will be rechecking everything now

Thanks for this. Proves really helpful. Will check this out on my car when I have the time.

good looking out! might be a good time time to replace the nuts with locking ones.

Well, I didn't sticky it, but you will now find this thread un the Tech Section with the title "Check tC Chassis Bolts!"

Good catch! :D

^nice

Hmmm very interesting!

I'm in the Tech Section, I feel like I've won an award. :) Cool.
hey glad to help everyone and I'm glad I posted this.

For who asked about the page numbers---
Page number is 26-2 for the front suspension
51-18 for the power steering assembly and 27-2 for the rear suspension. all you have to do is look at the files that are uploaded on the first post. Page numbers are there.

cheers!

SL should give u an award. lol.

thanks for the info. i'm gonna have to check on this on my tc since im at 13400 so im kinda weary now about this :(

thanks for looking out...

Recently I just got the car lowered and noticed a clanking sound about a week later... brought it back to the installer thinking it was something related to the install. Turned out it was one end links for the sway bar was missing a nut. Sways had been installed more than 15K ago. CHECK YOUR NUTS! =P

this might be stupid. but do you have a list of how many need tightened/checked and where they are located by chance? cuz im planning to check this this weekend and dont want to miss some

you said (If you look in your manual it will say "Every 5000 miles check bolts/nuts on body/chassis".) still i get no anwser what page in the manual iv looked many times? it would be a great help if u post the page number

Great share, thanks!

i need to check mine, i hear a clunking sound over bumps

3 bolts connecting my transmission the chassis were loose by 36 ft-lbs (a couple turns). Made a horrible rattling upon accelerating and going from drive to reverse and back again... sticky this thread!!!!!

I see you have a 05 and i am hoping they fixed this issue in the 08's cause i am too lazy to check it out :silly:

Wow, so that's what that sound is...

I never checked them, am going to check everything under there when I get the coils in.

thanks for the info!!