2000mustangmia

Car was hit in the rear left quarter panel/wheel area and the spindle and lower arm broke. They were replaced and I took the car for an alignment. Well the mechanic said that the rears were not aligning(camber and toe) they were not able to get them were they needed to be. So the mechanic tells me that the cross member was bended and that it needed to be replaced. I bought a brand new cross member from the Nissan dealer and took the car back to the shop to install the new cross member. They installed the new cross member and now the camber is good but they can't get the toe to be correct. From what I can tell the left rear tire has toe out and the rear left tire has toe in. I'm so frustrated right now that I don't know what to do next. Last thing I'm thinking is that the frame has damage but some mechanics tell me that it does not and others the opposite. Please advise me on what to do next. I'm about to junk the car.

thanks guys.

2000mustangmia

173 reads and no one replies Please anyone will be so kind to help me. Thanks

Z1 Performance

iTrader: (564)

Get the car to a shop that has a laser chassis machine. Assuming the car is at stock height with stock
wheels and tires there is no reason for it to not go back to spec unless the chassis is damaged or if further parts require replacent. The laser machine will reveal both

2000mustangmia

thank you for your advice. The car is at stock height but not with stock wheels and tires. It has 19" te37 wheels with Michellin 275/35/19 in the rears and 245/35/19 in the front. I will try to do what you are recommending. Thank you Sr.

2000mustangmia

Update: Everything aligns perfectly now except the rear left wheel( where the hit was). The mechanics and I think its not an issue with the frame because if it had a frame damage the rear right side wouldn't align to specs. I changed the spindle that had broken and the lower arm where the spring goes in. What do you guys think is causing the problem in that wheel? the camber aligns but not the toe???? Any advice is much appreciated. Thanks.

winchman

It sounds like you've changed everything that could cause the problem. All the suspension parts connect to the crossmember, so it's a suspect. Is it new or did it come off another car?

How about the alignment machine itself? Maybe it's out of calibration.

nismospec

iTrader: (3)

that's odd, i'm in the exact same bucket. i hopped a curb with my left rear. my crossmember and everything was replaced as yours was.

i went a step further and installed the SPL camber arms and SPC toe bolt kit. this should give me full adjustability for the rear suspension.

i got my car aligned this past saturday. while the techs at brake check tell me that the car is back in spec, for some reason "visually" it still looks like the camber on that rear left side is off compared to the right.

needless to say i'm heading back and having them take a second look at it. tires aren't cheap.....

so off my soapbox, my suggestion would be to get the camber arms and toe bolt. no flaming, but sooner or later due to the Z's heavy rear, you'll probably need these down the road even at stock height.

2000mustangmia

Thank you for your help. In my case is not the camber that is not aligning in the left rear wheel, its the toe. The camber aligns perfectly, isn't it weird? toe is at -2.30 right now when the right side is at 0.05. I did not change the entire suspension, only the parts that broke( spindle, lower arm) and the shock. Supposedly the cross member was damaged and I put a brand new one. I don't know what else to do. I will look into the camber arms and toe bolt. If I get the ones you are recommending what would that do? thanks for you help buddy.

2000mustangmia

the suspension parts I replaced were used from a front damaged car. The cross member is brand new from Nissan. What would you suggestions be? thanks bro.

JasonZ-YA

iTrader: (60)

okay, lets start again........if you dont mind....

What parts were damaged "that you know of" and what did you replace from here:

I ask this because i have no idea what a "lower arm" and "cross member" are as the Z had no lower are/cross member by definition, and that vague verbiage keeps me from accurately trying to help ya.....

The Z has 3 "lower arms" so to speak in the rear............Items #21,22 and 23 as shown in the FSM.....

also, the Z doesnt have a "FRAME" its unibody........and most of the lower arms at the bottom of the rear of the Z connect to the aluminum (20 rear suspension member) subframe "lugs" where OEM eccentric washers are used.....

I must say though! I highly agree with Z1 suggestion in post 3...


-J

JasonZ-YA

iTrader: (60)

my thoughts are that item 23 is bent as well.........as that will affect camber and toe quite aggressively...........check that and answer clearly what was replaced...........

get back and lets see if we can figure it out...........also pics help.........pics of what you replaced, etc and pics of the car underside....

also, when you inspect.......dont just look to see if the arms are bent...look where they mount....see if the mount points on the (#20) aluminum subframe are not bent........compare left side to right side...etc...

-J

Zazz93

iTrader: (2)

I hate to say this but it could be the shop your going to. Provided everything is straight and not bent from the damage, there are shops out there the don't understand the way this suspension adjusts. I went to a local Pep Boys for an alignment (the last time I will ever do that) and it took them three times to get it in spec. And I noticed they never adjusted the toe link's cam. Three different techs and they never touched the adjuster. They were using the (SPC) camber rod to make both adjustments, camber and toe. Ultimatley, they only moved the camber around enough the get the toe right. All and all a nightmare.

JasonZ-YA

iTrader: (60)

This is true!!!! I have always had a alignment package for my Z, as in i currently have the 5 year alignment package from NTB. I have been to some NTB locations where the tech just starts the machine up, enters the car info and just hits "next/next/next" on the computer schematics showing/explaining where to adjust...........

They get back there and its like watching a monkey with a football.......

I quickly go in there and say look dude, adjust here and here......and i watch!!! ensure its done right!

For any and all 350z enthusiast i highly recommend you understand where the adjustments are made and stand there and WATCH to ensure your car gets done properly!

-J

2000mustangmia

Hello dear friends. Thanks for your enthusiast to help me. I’m sorry if I didn’t explain all the details the best way possible. English is not my first language and when it comes to mechanical terms I’m lost. I will try to explain the process I have gone through to best of my ability.


The parts that broke from the accident are the ones bellow.
Spindle

Rear lower link( spring bucket)


All the parts that were replaced are the following: suspension arm, rear lower link( spring bucket), radius rod, spindle, rear suspension member.

I bought these parts (Spindle, rear lower link, suspension arm, radius rod) used from a junkyard and replaced them. Right away I took the car for an alignment to a recommended alignment shop. They put the car on the alignment machine and set everything up. The guy starts with the rear left wheel were the damage was. He goes back and forth trying to align the wheel but he can’t get it into spec (camber or toe). He calls the owner which supposedly is an expert at this. The guy goes down the car and starts adjusting the bolts trying to get the car align but it seemed like he couldn’t, I was seating seeing everything they were doing. Then he calls me and tells me you need to change the subframe (rear suspension member) and I go are you sure that needs to be change? And he answered I’m not guessing I’m telling you the subframe is bended and it needs to be changed. I leave the shop and the next day I go to the Nissan dealer and buy a brand new subframe. I take the car to a shop that I know of and pay to have the subframe replaced. I’m the type of person that likes to see everything that they do to my cars so I was there all the time and didn’t miss anything they did. The new subframe went in like ring on a finger( perfect). Next day I take the car back to the alignment shop. They bring the car in and start the process. Now they can get the camber to align but not the toe. The guy tries and tries and nothing it won’t pass -2.30. Then he decides to align the right rear wheel. Piece of cake camber/toe aligned perfectly. The owner was not there that day to look at the car to see what’s going on. Yesterday I go back to the shop and the owner is there but he tells me to bring it in today which I can’t, I’m working full day.

Here is a picture of the car damage.

I truly appreciate all the effort you guys are doing to help me. If I had the money to take the car to a laser chassis machine I would but it will cost me lots of money and right now it’s really hard for me to pay that. I have other priorities like paying the bills, and my daughter’s food. Various body mans have look at the car and they have said that from the damage that it had the chassis should not have any damage. One more time I want to thanks all of you that have try to help one way or another. Blessings…

2000mustangmia

I'm back guys!!. Had to go out of the country for family reasons and now I'm back and still need to fix my Z. Please if you have the time to give me some advice and help me fixing my car it would be awesome. Thanks guys.

tumzilla

iTrader: (4)

which shop would you recommend? ntb grapvine?