G2Envy

iTrader: (1)

So I took my car in to the dealership and had the rear cross member replaced (under warranty) for a leaking rear bushing. I had an SPC rear camber kit installed prior to the rear cross member being replaced. I had almost perfect camber alignment in regards to getting it as close to zero as possible.

Since they've replaced my rear cross member my camber is off by a little, as expected. I never took a picture of the rear toe bolts and how it sat with the original cross member though. I know it had to be drilled out horizontally to allow more adjustment but the dealership was able to install the toe bolts without drilling out the toe bolt holes. However, they stated that the toe bolt was shorter than normal and so the nut did not thread all the way on to the bolt. I've taken a picture of what it looks like now but don't know how it originally sat. Does anyone have a pic of what theirs looks like? The dealer said they reused the same bolts as before but I have no way of telling whether that's true.

I know I still have to drill out the toe bolt holes but would that make any difference as to how much the nut will thread onto the bolt? The below shows how much of the nut is on the bolt.





Sorry if I'm not explaining it will, it's been a long day at work. If someone can post up pics of the rear SPC toe bolt it would be much appreciated. Just want to know if the bolt was switched out by accident. Thanks.

TVPostSound

iTrader: (9)

Freaking morons installed them wrong.
They switched the camber bolts for the toe bolts.
The toe bolt is longer than the camber bolt.

They allowed you to leave like that???

TVPostSound

iTrader: (9)

Look here, this might be the SPL, which I use, but it shows different size bolts.

blnewt

iTrader: (13)

Wow, simply amazing! TVPost knows his stuff about alignments and he's dead on, the bolts were switched, doh!!! And also like he mentioned, I'm surprised they released that vehicle to the road like that. I'd drive that G (very carefully BTW) back to the dealer (better yet, have them tow it back) and raise some serious hell, that's potentially life threatening.

G2Envy

iTrader: (1)

If that's the case I would probably want to switch them back myself. How hard is it to use the same bolt in the same position when you put stuff back together?

So the camber bolt should be where the current toe bolts are? WTF. I drove to Vegas like this too!

TVPostSound

iTrader: (9)

The SPC toe bolts have the eccentric welded to the bolt, not the factory bolts.
So they used the right loose eccentric on the lower arm, but the bolt is wrong.

When I installed my SPC lockout kit, I did the same thing, but when I noticed the toe bolt was too short, I instinctively looked at the cambe bolt, and noticed 1 inch of thread left.

The OEM bolts are also different sizes.
I knew what I did wrong right away.

I cant believe a certified Infiniti tech made that mistake, and let it go.

Since you need an alignment take it to Henry at Temple CIty auto repair, and have him right it, and align it.
I would not have the dealer try to repair it, but I would document with pictures before and after to show them.

G2Envy

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for all the info. Unfortunately I live in San Diego so Temple City would be a little drive haha. I've got the lifetime alignment from Firestone so I might just take it in and have them swap the bolts. I wonder how much they'll charge to elongate the toe bolt holes? Not sure if I want to try and dremel that out myself...

blnewt

iTrader: (13)

I found it real easy to dremel the slots with a cutoff wafer in the dremel rather than that cutting bit. With the wafer you can get to the slot w/ the dremel perpendicular so you don't need that flex attachment and you can easily see what you're doing. Took me about 5 minutes per side going that route (20 minutes total).
Glad nothing happened during all that driving w/ the toe bolt hanging literally by a thread.

G2Envy

iTrader: (1)

Hmmm I went underneath the car and was about to swap the toe bolts with the camber bolts per TVPostSound's advice and decided to measure the length of the bolts to see if they are indeed different lengths. What I found was that the current toe bolts and camber bolts on my car are the same length so swapping them would not make any difference. Unless I'm missing something here??

I've been checking the bolts regularly to ensure the nut is not getting loose and everything's been checking out fine. I'm not driving it hard until I get this resolved.

My question is this, if I bring it in to an alignment shop, will they have these longer bolts in stock or is it something I'd most likely have to special order? I'm not sure how "common" these bolts are that alignment shops would have them stocked. If the alignment shops do carry them I'll just bring it in and have them do an alignment and replace the bolts with a longer one if possible.

blnewt

iTrader: (13)

Something is definitely amiss, I think I'd just order new SPC/Eibach toe kits and take them w/ you. They're not too much (about $50 pr.) I doubt any alignment shop would have the same bolt eccentrics.
Very strange that the toe bolts are the same length, unless you somehow got another set of camber bolts installed be mistake
Good luck, I'd get that fixed ASAP.

Black Betty

iTrader: (60)

If they are the same length then they used the wrong bolts becasue they are not supposed to be. As TVPostSound said, the toe bolts are longer. They used camber bolts in all the locations instead. Why not just take it back to the dealership and show/tell them what the problem is and have them use the correct bolts?

TVPostSound

iTrader: (9)

I was wrong about the welded eccentric, as I just found my stock bolts in my mess!!

The clean ones are my TOE BOLTS, as I replaced them with SPC bolts early on.
The dirty ones are my CAMBER BOLTS, as I replced them with lockouts last month or so.

Show the dealer this picture.

blnewt

iTrader: (13)

Then slap him

m3clubracer

Luckily I still have my old stuff too. The SPC instructions need to be more detailed, IMO.