I am a bit upset with the local Dayton Porsche dealer. Last fall I spent $500 to get the car aligned. They did little to get it back into specs and told me to take it to a body shop if I wanted the car to be closer to factory tolerances. I thought OK, good enough for me since I did get a nice smile from their attractive receptionist.

Well, now that I have been under the car working on the alternator something catches my eye. On the drivers side trailing arm the clowns broke off a bolt ! I have enclosed a pic of the crime. My frustration is that months have passed since the dealer worked on it and so it would be their word against mine. I also know they would not hesitate in telling me some lie for they stiffed a third party who initially purchased the shim pack to do this alignment.

My problem now is what do I do to repair the damage ? I have only had bad luck with EZ-Outs. They break off and then you have a piece of harden steel it the way. Any suggestions ? I am reluctant to take the other two bolts out for I suspect that will alter my expensive alignment.

i'm leary of using easyouts, cause if you snap one of them, you're in a tight spot.

drill and tap.

shit, the Louisville porsche dealer wont even TOUCH my car. I dont think it looks THAT bad....

b

Look at the other bolt heads in that photo. It does not look like they were removed. still have the rust on them. now look at the broke bolt no rust looks to be fresh. If this had this broke off when it was at the shop rust should be the same as where it shold have worn off the flats of the bolt heads removeing them. I would say they snapped one off and stopped, or did the alignment and it snapped off after you got it back. Probably from over tightening and after a short time it gave out. I would guess they broke one and stopped.

Here is what I would do. First, pry off the caps on the top side of the bolts and fill the holes to the top with PB Blaster fluid. Put the caps back in place and check them again in a week. For the broken bolt, drill and tap is the only solution now. Start with small drill bits and step up to the next larger sizes so that the drill hole continues to get bigger. With the PB Blaster working down from the top, I'll bet a quality EZ out will finally do it. If not, keep drilling until you are right down to the threads. Then tap it through. Patience is the rule.
Everyone reading this should pull those caps off once a year and fill with PB Blaster so those bolts don't rust up.
Don

QUOTE (bd1308 @ Feb 7 2006, 05:40 AM)

i'm leary of using easyouts, cause if you snap one of them, you're in a tight spot. drill and tap. shit, the Louisville porsche dealer wont even TOUCH my car. I dont think it looks THAT bad.... b

I would go ahead and remove the other bolts. They have to come out now anyway to do a proper alignment. Start spraying them with penatrate spray everyday. A couple times a day if you can for a week. Use something good like PB Blaster. It has less alcohol which means it doesn't evaporate as fast. When your ready to try the bolt removal bring it to the alignment shop and have them do it. A good alignment shop will have had to deal with broken adjustment bolts a few times a year.

If you want to try it yourself, I would heat the bolt heads to a cherry color with a gas welding tip. (maybe a #1), let it cool, heat again, as it starts to cool, spray it again, then start to work the bolts out. The two good ones should come out that way.

After they are removed, use the torch to heat the broken bolt. try to heat the bolt only. then place a washer over the end of the broken bolt, and hit it with a mig welder, make a nice hot puddle. Then while it's still hot place a large nut over the weld and plug weld the nut to your washer. ( through the thread hole in the nut)

take a socket and back it out. I would spray it before I started to back it out, and during the proceedure a few times.

Patience will win out. After you have every thing off, clean up the contact area, clean off aoo that rust and paint everything. Use Never Seize for re-assembly.

ask me how I know Oh and beware of fire! all that spray will likely be hiding someplce....

What alignment? That bolt doesnt even look touched since it rolled off the factory.

I agree with the "done" statement after the snapped bolt. Porsche doesnt like working on these cars much, since most of them are rusted heaps and even just rolling a 914 in to be fixed tarnishes teh dealership.

b

QUOTE (spare time toys @ Feb 7 2006, 10:18 AM)

Look at the other bolt heads in that photo. It does not look like they were removed. still have the rust on them. now look at the broke bolt no rust looks to be fresh. If this had this broke off when it was at the shop rust should be the same as where it shold have worn off the flats of the bolt heads removeing them. I would say they snapped one off and stopped, or did the alignment and it snapped off after you got it back. Probably from over tightening and after a short time it gave out. I would guess they broke one and stopped.

No doubt they snapped that one bolt head off and said "Done"

You can still get these bolts new from the dealer but be very very careful taking the old ones out. Lots of bolt remover and then heat as previously stated.

If you could get a drill in there on the top side it would sure make things easier. Than you would be drilling on the flat end of the bolt and not the broken off end and be drill down into the bolt.

Maybe a small pneumatic drill will get in there from the top.

Go slow, be careful, good luck...

P

nice trick with the washer and nut, like it.

Stealership gets you every time. I always checked out my car before I drove off, learned my lesson when the tire shop tore up the clear coat on some wheels. If it was something under the car, would wear coveralls and climb under to have a look.

Dayton Ohio.. Sorry this has nothing to do with your problem.. just got some good memories from seeing where you came from..

My first time I came to the states was to Dayton, Ohio. Lived a year in Centerville.. Played hockey for the Dayton Gems (and 4 games with the bombers)..
Just wanted to say hi!

Cris

Left handed drill bits can help in broken bolt removal as well.

John

QUOTE (bd1308 @ Feb 7 2006, 08:33 AM)

What alignment? That bolt doesnt even look touched since it rolled off the factory.

you need glasses or a better monitor

top right bolt has signs of socket being placed on it if you look at the plate, some of the rust has been touched...the plate has moved, look at the dis-color below it........

look at the shim, it covers up a portion of the broken bolt..so I'd say the bolt broke during removal........

QUOTE (Mueller @ Feb 7 2006, 11:32 AM)

QUOTE (bd1308 @ Feb 7 2006, 08:33 AM) What alignment? That bolt doesnt even look touched since it rolled off the factory. you need glasses or a better monitor top right bolt has signs of socket being placed on it if you look at the plate, some of the rust has been touched...the plate has moved, look at the dis-color below it........ look at the shim, it covers up a portion of the broken bolt..so I'd say the bolt broke during removal........

CSI 914

youv;'e been fucked by the dealer. $500 for an alignment that they tell you a body shop could do better? What the fuck is that about??? You spend $500 and they tell you it can be done better by someone else. Hell I would have not paid them at that point,a dn pulled my car out.

Water under bridge, teh money was paid. Now it appears you have evidence that they maybe did not even align the car. Them bolts must be lossened to make alignment adjustment in rear. One head broke, and the others show no sign of being loosened. I would assume they broke the first one and then stopped. How about a phot of the other side, and also the front bolts heads that are used for alignment?

I'd take tehm to small claims court. i bet you'd win, on grounds they did not alignt eh car,a dn left your car in a dangerous condition to drive (what if the other two bolts go???)

Sue for the $500 back they did shoody work,a dn they should have stopped torqueing them rusted bolt before it failed,a dn instead used heat or penatrating oil in an attempt to free them. Porcshe i thought had highly trained mechanics, looks like grease monkies instead.

Chances are you will win in court, the Porsche dealer may not even show up for $500, and you will win by default. Also contact teh better bussiness group in your area, contact Porsche of America corporate headquaters, and maybe your state dept of comsumer affairs if you have one.


This type of rip off shit really burns me up. disgusting.

I've found that you have to be very careful with who you take your car to - especially for an alignment.

I had a car that I had done tie rod ends on and when I took it to get it aligned they said "this car can't be aligned." We did the best we could - $40 please.

Took it to an old guy that did alignments out of his house and he found that it had a bent strut. Pulled out his tool, straightened it and it came perfectly into specs.

Some know what to do some don't. It is those like the former that would snap a bolt head off, take it down and tell you to take it to someone else or some other

QUOTE (Mueller @ Feb 7 2006, 01:32 PM)

QUOTE (bd1308 @ Feb 7 2006, 08:33 AM) What alignment? That bolt doesnt even look touched since it rolled off the factory. you need glasses or a better monitor top right bolt has signs of socket being placed on it if you look at the plate, some of the rust has been touched...the plate has moved, look at the dis-color below it........ look at the shim, it covers up a portion of the broken bolt..so I'd say the bolt broke during removal........

oh

maybe i do need to put my glasses on...

shit i'm blind!



b

naa...i'm stickin to the alignment wasnt even done.

No rust on the end of the broken bolt too.

I say they did it.

Book 'em Danno.

well ???


i'd be all over those guys ...
Andy