Nissan Patrol 4x4 (Africa)

I havent had the best week

 

Last saturday I pick up some pro-whites from TWT, I'm painting them black, so they just fit the one to make sure it fits nicely. They drive my patrol into the shop, jerry can holder gets caught on the entrance.  Bent, need to replace.  They've promised to pay.  Then they strip, but i mean properly STRIP the bolt on the hub they are changing the wheel, on two bolts, such that it's almost melted.

 

Take car to Nissan, R60/bolt, R50/nut.  To replace you need to undo entire hub assembly.  I'm now properly frustrated, they also warn me against doing it myself due to auto-lock mechanism, which adds to the concerns i have about the amount of work (office work) i already have to do on the weekend, so take it in on Monday.  Decide to replace all twelve on the front, keep the old as spare.  big $$$$

 

I ask them to do the following, on the front: replace bolts and nuts, repack my bearings as they running very hot (they need to disassemble anway to change the bolts), and replace bump stops with new.  On the rear: fit rear coil onto its rubber boot - dont worry, have your car done by the afternoon (Monday).

 

Wednesday afternoon, mr jones you can now come collect.  Get car, charged R2,173 labour and grease. I myself must take for wheel alignment. Get home (now night time).  Spares i asked for not in car, car pulling horrendously to the left.  Visual inspection; car looks like its sloping down (back higher than front) like door stop.  Not my style, and I'm sure wasnt like that before?

 

Take too independent suspension / chassis guy Thursday.  Very busy, happy to fit me in, also says something not right (its sloping down and to the right, variance of 26mm between front left and front right (measuring from middle of hub to plastic fender).  Nissan didnt touch rear coil, rubber boot folded over with coil resting at funny angle.  Suspension guy today,  while im there, seats the coils on both sides.  Job done, now 6mm difference which he assures me is within spec (is it?)

 

visual inspection, car higher at back than front (now talking gap between tyre edge and wheel arch), but accorinding to the guy, and basically with my own eyes, everything the same.  No spacers involved anywhere.  Suspension guy assures me this is normal (he does also supply and fit OME), and that with heavy duty coils the back will be slightly higher than front to take the load.  Sounds logical. Maybe 5l of fuel left in tank, so light in the rear.  I'm thinking, was it always like this and now im seeing something and making an issue out of nothing?  Maybe always like that and only noticed now?  Can there be spacers on previously i didnt know about (both nissan and suspension guy say there were no spacers).  Front of patrol not sagging or anything (ie. still very firm).

 

So im confused, and this is irritating me because I want to know the car i get back from people who work on it is the car i took before.  

 

Please give me your thoughts!!

Had the same nut problem with my Safari at Master Treads in Isando and had to replace them myself. I don't anybody to work on my vehicles!

I dont claim to be a professional but in my experience with suspension I would say the 6mm is fine remembering it is going to change as soon as you climb in the car, you should be able to raise the front with spacers if you want to. I stand to be corrected but up to 30mm on the two inch lift. Do you have the heavy duty coils only in the rear , if so which ones 200kg coils ? If only in the rear then the rear would be higher as over time the coils compress slightly, sometimes one side even more that the other. The softer coils compress faster/shorter time period than the heavy duty coils which causes the vehicle not to be level.

I am replacing my suspension this week as I am not happy with what I have got under the car. With the kit I imported through a local dealer/neighbour I have included spacers to get the ride height perfect.